Scotland Tour - May 2025 - Ullapool to Oban

 DAY 19 Ullapool & Torridon
Thursday 22nd May

 By 1.30am I was asleep in a layby just outside Ullapool, together with a number of other vans. I drove back into Ullapool, it seemed quite nice, similar to Stornaway. My original ferry booking had just arrived and there were lots of vehicles all queuing to head out of the town, fortunately in the opposite direction to me...

 

On local recommendation I went to The Bothie, a cool independent cafe and had another Full Scottish (although I need a break from them now).  The ambience was so cool I even messaged Katie...but within minutes it was destroyed by 3 new clients with 4 large dogs...the dogs were hardly well behaved, but the fvckin owners made more noise, calling out their dogs....I picked up my bits and pieces and went to the outside garden eating area...said a few words to the waitress, And she totally agreed with me, but the owners allow dogs in the small cafe...put THEM in the friggin garden!!

 

 Anyhow it didn’t spoil the breakie, and soon I was on the road again, destination: Torridon, a 90 min drive through classic Scottish mountain and loch scenery....

The scenery was breathtaking with several lochs, and mighty peaks...but this was surpassed when I eventually drove down the Torridon valley. Spectacular scenery with Ben Eigdhe and Ben Alligin on the north side, including their lieutenants. Eventually I paused at Torridon village and a little further on alongside Loch Torridon I found a perfect spot by the loch. For quite a while I read my book, with regular views across the Loch, as this was another eagle spot, apparently,  none seen! The weather remained exquisite, but for how much longer?

It was mid afto and still nice and sunny, and with the use of WalkHighlands I pinched an easy hike around two lochs: Clair and Coulin. High enough to get excellent views of those Torridon peaks across the azure blue lochs.

I drove back to my previous spot for the night, but it had been taken! But fortunately there was enough space for my van, another example of the advantage of a smaller van.The guy already there had been mountain biking but was an experienced hiker / climber for 40 years...and he felt that on the UK mainland those views along the valley were the most dramatic he would send someone to, if there was only one choice! (The Cuillins being the best, of course not on the mainland).

 The weather was due to break this evening, but there now seemed to be a 1/2 day extension...so I decided to climb Mount Eigdhe but early in the morning, as clouds were due by mid afto, and heavy rain in the evening.

 

DAY 20 Torridon & Loch Shieldaig
Friday 23rd May

By 8am I was on the hoof, as planned...the peaks certainly looked imposing and beckoning...the route was clear, unlike some of the more remote hikes I'd done earlier on the adventure. Very soon a chap came downwards towards me....

This was Simon (from Inverness). He'd used an OS route which took him on a rather ambitious direct route to the peak of Ben Eigdhe, rather than the Komoot one I was using, that was following the more defined route...we spent the whole hike together, chatting about all sorts like a pair old buddies! Super company, Simon, thanks mate! 

We soon reached glorious views from the tops, but to reach the highest point we had a short ridge to scramble along and upwards...a challenging scramble really adds to the enjoyment and achievement.

We then ridge walked, and got chatting to two young lads loaded with climbing equipment...later we saw them on a pretty foreboding buttress, now...I'll stick to the scrambling!

We could've done a 3rd Munro, but it was an out and back, and by now some thin cloud had rolled in, no blue for the first time in weeks!

We descended a challenging scree run, looking over and ultimately walking alongside a lochan, Coire...apparently used in some TV series, and described as the most beautiful tarn setting in the UK. Although I'm not sure about that one with ones I know in the Lake District.
We disturbed some red deer...lovely to see.

 

It was all downhill now...but it soon passed by, with further conversation...and although only a 2 km road hike to our carpark back in the valley, we got a hitch at the first attempt!

We said our farewells and we both went separate ways...BTW Simon had an amazing 360 degree camera, an Insta X2...added to my list "for the next time" to conduct some research.

For the first time in weeks, it started to rain, then really hammered it down. Soon I reached the lovely setting of Loch Shieldaig and Shieldaig itself, picking a spot overlooking the Loch, and spent a couple of hours in the local bar, a deserved treat! White Tailed Eagles nest on this loch, but again no sign...

I later learnt that Shieldaig is on the NC500 route, and the price of accommodation for one night is now what it used to be for a week, apparently! I'm no fan of this NC500, great marketing by someone to attract the tourists...but with so many other areas to visit and the fact it attracts many motorcyclists, sportscar types, motorhomes and car drivers (most just drive and take Insta photos, and keep moving on....not for me...🤷‍♂️)...bit like the tourists I witnessed on Skye.
However, I had to experience the Applecross peninsula, but with a washout forecast tomorrow, would it be worth saving for another day?

 

 DAY 21 Applecross Peninsula
Saturday 24th May

The forecast was a 2 day washout, in reality it was mixed, with sunny spells and occasional showers. So I set off around the peninsula...firstly carefully observing Loch Shieldaig for those eagles...not one! 

 

Great journey hugging the coastline, looking over towards Skye, so close as the crow flies, I'd come almost full circle...the islands probably viewed though were more likely to be Rona and Raasay....I stopped a few miles short of Applecross, and went for a wander onto a nice beach (not Harris standard) and followed the coastline to make it a round walk...a red deer stag suddenly startled, ran away from me, but then stopped and stared. Unfortunately I'd left my camera in the van...but returned (after sadly watching Sheff U lose again at Wembley in a play off final, not sad that they lost of course!) but he'd gone!

Applecross was busy, although I guess it's the only stopping / refreshment stop on the whole peninsula....and I think they'd been a cycling event too...the inn was fully booked for food, so it 

 

 was dog food and noodles again! I had a pint, then went in search of a night stop.....just across the bay, I found a stop...no camping signs, with a tent motif, and explicitly referred to the grassy part or machair down towards the waters. I'd found my spot for the night overlooking the bay, but there wasn't much to see, as the weather closed in...

 

DAY 22 Applecross to Pete's!
Sunday 25th May  

The rains had definitely come, although it wasn't continuous, and sometimes the mix of dark clouds, rain, sunshine with occasionally rainbows made the scenery quite dramatic. 

I really had no plans now, except to possibly see Stevie in Glencoe and ultimately go to Pete's somewhere near Oban?! However due to the lochs and general geography the driving was quite substantial, but easy tourist driving, and I was in no rush...firstly to negotiate the (not so at all) formidable Bealach na Ba (the pass over to Loch Kishorn)....it wasn't long before I messaged Pete and decided to arrive at his today....although the views were quite dramatic, the cloud was down, and I had no specific plans to stop anywhere en route. Loch after loch, I stopped for a coffee and some eats at the Pitstop at Kintail. 

 

Glengarry soon arrived, on the Great Glen fault line now and then heading SW along Loch Lochy,  Spean Bridge and Fort William....civilisation at last! The huge sea Loch Linnhe was soon adjacent, before I turned firstly into Glencoe Village, and then to the top of the pass...although it was quite cloudy, you really got an idea of how formidable it is...I'll defo be back. 

Stevie messaged me back in order to meet up, but by which time I'd left Glencoe! Next time mate!!

 

 
I pulled over near Port Appin to sadly watch the last Premiership round of the season...but decided I wasn't bothered...so headed to Pete's. 

Pete (Nimmo) was part of the old Blackpool / Sixth Form / drinking crowd...the last time we met we think was in one of my Edinburgh fringe visits possibly in the late 90s. Pete sent me a postcode to plug into my Google Maps, and thank goodness! 

 

On a single track road right adjacent the sea loch, Loch Creran...Pete had bought a sizeable piece of land and designed everything himself. Clearly including his residence which was like one of these contemporary eco places you see on TV, but the surrounding environment was also well thought out....with water spaces, wild flower areas, grassland, woodland and pathways to the rear....his boat was moored just on the loch, visible through the huge display windows..what a place! Pete is definitely living out his dreams....that full on outdoor existence whatever season....sailing, sea kayaking, island hopping, wild camping, gravel biking and winter based activities too.

During the period just before and including my visit there had been a pine marten (which apparently catch the grey squirrels), red squirrels, stag roe deer, woodpeckers, and an otter had cleaned out the carp from one of the water features.

It was great to see Pete, and we had much to talk about what had occurred in the intervening years, and reminiscing on those Blackpool days, and what had had happened to all those pals we had back in the day...

Pete's local was 7 miles away (he said 6!) via velo and gravel paths..so 3 pints and a Thai curry at the the Creagan Inn,we cycled home in near darkness with full lighting, and it reminded me how I used to enjoy those night club rides at Sheffrec in my early days, even in the depth of Winter...on return we stayed up till nearly 3am continuing those reminisces!

 

DAY 23 Pete's @ South Shian
Monday 26th May
Both rather fuzzy the following morning, and we only had 5 drinks (how times have changed!)....Pete had planned a bike ride with a difference, with two ferries! So we set off to Port Appin, and arrived just as the skipper was breaking for his 2 hour lunch...we'd missed it! Not to worry, the forecast wasn't great, in fact it rained nearly all afternoon, and the forecast tomorrow was much better. We returned a different route to make more of a loop, and then decided to chill in the evening...an relatively lazy day! 

Pete baked a variety of vegetables topped with some lamb, which was delicious....served with a couple of beers....we watched Free Solo with Alex Honnold climbing El Capitan in the Yosemites without a rope, my sixth time, Pete's first, and my heart rate still escalates on that Boulder Gap segment...and the rest!

 

DAY 24 Pete's @ South Shian

Tuesday 27th May
No rush in the morning, as the ferries dictated our start time, 2pm at Oban for
Lismore..but on a closer examination, clockwise was best for the route to align with the ferry timetables...so Oban bound first.  

 

 The last time I was in Oban was on day 2 on my adventure, hoping for a standby place on the Mull ferry. We arrived an hour early, so killed sometime by having some crayfish sandwiches at the dockside (white bread, not very appetising!)...

This was a small car ferry to Lismore (island) 55 mins....and then a few kilometres to a heritage centre that had a nice cafe. I had soup and a panini, as my plan was to set off as soon as we got back...  

Lovely small island, with a single lane from top to bottom....so we continued

 

 

to the foot ferry to get back over to the mainland, at Port Appin. Pete pointed out at island that had recently been bought by a Dutch family (Dutch purchases apparently not unusual) for £6M....

We rode back from the port, the same way as yesterday, and the weather today has been kind, and slowly improving with the higher peaks slowly becoming more visible...the views all through the route had been delightful, but the softer late afternoon light improved them too... 

 

A quick shower, a cuppa, Strava sorted 🙄, van loaded, handshakes and farewells with a promise I'll definitely be back one day, and this time not a 25 year gap....and off I went to see someone else I had not seen for many many years....cracking 2 nights 3 days with Pete!

 

So now, and early evening 3 hour drive but where to?!