KYQ4: Wester Ross

Tuesday 22 March 2022

Wester Ross

Beinn Eighe from Loch Clair

Sunday, 20 March 2022

The news reported that Kinlochewe had been the warmest place in the UK yesterday as we breakfasted in our room with a view in Gairloch. Today would be a relaxed drive down the wonderful coastline of Wester Ross. We were away just after 8am, it was a sunny cool morning with not a breath of wind or cloud to be seen. The traffic was almost non-existent and this was the notorious North Coast 500 that is usually bloated with motorists attracted by all the marketing blurb from VisitScotland.

Our first stop was to admire Slioch from the Scots Pine lined shores of Loch Maree. We continued through the heatwave capital of Kinlochewe and along the Torridon road, 10 miles of single track road offering the best views in the UK. We found a parking spot by Loch Claire and walked alongside the river to Loch Claire and on to Loch Coulin. The gorse was flowering, the photo opportunities were endless and the walk was exquisite. The views to the Torridon mountains were sandwiched between the blue waters of Loch Claire and the equally blue cloudless sky.

The drive to Shieldaig with a quick sortie into Torridon village to remember previous times were equally impressive. As we left Glen Torridon, Liathach and Beinn Alligin were mocking me through the rearview mirror, it is not often that I have driven past without paying them a visit The cafe next to the Shieldaig hotel had opened at 11am so we stopped for a coffee on the upstairs deck that overlooks the island. The village was also empty of visitors but we wanted to absorb as much of the Wester Ross coast as possible. The coast road to Applecross was one possibility but I suggested driving to Kishorn where there is a seafood cafe. Unfortunately, the owner was painting the cafe and it was not yet open for the season. We dropped down to Kishorn village on the shores of the Loch and gazed across to the massive oil rig that was overwhelmed by the massive bulk of the Applecross hills. Lunch was calling so we drove to Lochcarron and skirted round the long sea loch that provides more vistas of sea and mountain before taking the narrow single track road to Plockton.

Plockton was quiet despite the warmest of March days, we walked along Harbour Road to the Plockton Hotel, a perfect place to enjoy the day with a crab salad and coffee in the outside garden. It was 2;30pm before we began the journey home. Glen Shiel gave us chance to admire the shapely snow-capped Five Sisters and then back via Invergarry to Fort William. Ben Nevis, the Aonachs and Grey Corries were still wrapped in snow. The new M&S food store in Fort William is a useful development and offered us a ready meal as an alternative to cooking when we arrived home.

In summer the road from Fort William to Crianlarich is awash with all types of traffic with motorcyclists, motorhomes, cyclists and trucks all demanding driver concentration and patience. On a warm March early evening, this was not required the road was bereft of vehicles, was it the price of fuel? We could enjoy the splendours of Glencoe and Rannoch Moor at our own pace even though the heat of the day had resulted in a haze. The day had confirmed the splendour of Wester Ross, which remains in my mind's eye the very best of Scotland.