Sutherland Calling

Arkle and Ben Stack from Kinlochbervie

After 183 days, we were able to escape home territory (the Council area) and stay away. As soon as I heard the date was 26 April, I searched for somewhere in the far north (Sutherland) to give us a chance to recover from the stultifying numbness of the Covid lockdowns. 

We were away by 9:30am on a wet day, my plan of climbing Ben Hee in Sutherland on the way to Kinlochbevie was already abandoned because of the heavy rain. We dawdled up the A9; dualling of the carriageway was still under construction north of Perth, and then there were sections being resurfaced. It cost us more time, so we decided to call in at Aviemore to see our niece and her newborn. She was out, so we trundled up to Boat of Garden and stopped at the hotel for some coffee. We were the first customers since lockdown, so we were treated like royalty, if that is still a valid concept. The coffee was extended to a smoked salmon sandwich and salad, and, after a long chat with the owner, Cranachan was served to us on the house.

It felt like a holiday, and the occasional heavy shower made me feel good about not walking. Traffic was light on the A9 as we travelled north to Inverness, Bonar Bridge and Lairg. It has been many years since I have travelled on the long, lonely road from Lairg alongside Loch Shin. As we passed Ben Hee, I was pleased that it was still raining and smothered in grey cloud. We had a brief stop at Kinlochbervie, where there were only two fishing boats in the harbour, fishing had been in the doldrums since Brexit, and then we followed the narrow road to Oldshore Beg, where we found our Airbnb cottage. There was no one around, so we went for a walk on the nearby beach and onto the headland, where we met a local who had moved up to Sutherland from Balfron to enjoy a quieter life than is possible in the central belt. We had not yet got into our accommodation, but it seemed we were already well into the holiday. Different places, different people, time to talk and time to play.

The week continued in the same vein for the next few days. It was cold with sleet and rain showers, a northerly wind, extraordinary light and kindness on tap. I managed 3 days on the hills, ticking off some of the remaining Corbetts. We visited Scourie and Handa Island, Aileen walked to Sandwood Bay and on most days we pottered down to the beach at some stage. On the way back, we called in to see Alan and Glen in their house on the Black Isle and to reprise the events of the last year. It felt as if we had been released and discovered a life that whetted our curiosity again.

Polin Beach, Oldshore Beg

Kinlochbervie looking south-east

Inshegra scrapyard

Kinlochbervie cottage

Oldshoremore Beach

Oldshoremore 

Rocks on Sheigra Beach

Point of Stoer from Scourie

Ben Stack and Scourie