Thursday, August 21, 2008

Up to the Highlands

--August, 2008: The Lochs and Highlands of Scotland
















For those who prefer their summer travel far from the sweltering beaches and the madding crowd, Scotland is still one of fairest lands of the north. Billy Connolly, national treasure and comedian, has often moaned, “We know what a cloud looks like!” But on the brighter side, there’s another saying among Scots: “If it’s not raining, it must be summer.” We took that as an invitation.






Of course, if it’s castles you want, or fortresses, cathedrals, nunneries, abbeys, priories, townhouses, mansions, and ruins, you’ll find them all beautifully nestled throughout the Scottish countryside. But we were headed for a far northwestern corner of the fabled highlands and the 18th-century fishing village of Ullapool, highly recommended by friends who usually make it a point to ‘get away from it all’. Leaving the city air and lights behind, we picked up the A9 motorway just north of Glasgow, connecting with the A835 beyond Inverness.











It was a four-hour wonder drive through layers of light and cloud shadows that spilled over hills and fields. A few stately manors and long ranks of conifers and silver birch led us to blue-auraed peaks and up to the windswept heights. We crossed a moonscape or two and followed the bilingual signs down to the white-washed village.








Once there, Tanglewood House welcomed us. We found this chalet-style bed and breakfast graceful yet cozy in its toned-down Victorian décor, which included a 19th-century grand piano honoring Chopin’s visit to the British Isles.















Sitting high on a garden promontory, with its own rocky beach for quiet contemplation, Tanglewood House offers breathtaking views of the village and shifting skies mirrored in the sea loch waters below.



















Our hostess, Anne Holloway, managed to put her cordon bleu touch to even the heartiest Scottish fare. In spite of healthier alternatives, we couldn’t pass up the traditional breakfast. It reminded us of another saying heard often in this part of the world: “If it can be eaten, it can be fried.” Graciously presented with tea or coffee in silver service, this distant ancestor to our own bacon and eggs was infinitely more plentiful and more farm-fresh, with nary a packet of sugar-substitute or margarine in sight. For dinner, our favorite was the baked salmon and fresh vegetables, starting with a fine roulade of spinach and mushrooms and ending with a cheese board of quality local and continental varieties.






Tanglewood House became our comfy retreat after a day’s exercise and exploration in the wind, sun and gentle rain. We never tired of walking out among the hills and lofty peaks. The village offers the Ullapool Hill hiking path, as well as its own lovely corners and local crafts. Leckmelm Gardens, only three miles south, has twelve wooded acres, just right for a pleasant stroll. For a more adventuresome afternoon among ancient rock formations, we braved the descending paths of majestic Corrieshalloch Gorge.













There are several day cruises available to the neighboring isles of Loch Broom. But far and away, the most exhilarating part of our visit was Seascape Expeditions’ powerboat tour of the nearby Summer Isles. This included a close-in view of seal colonies and some of the most secluded shores we had ever seen. (Waterproof clothing was both needed and provided.) For those rare times that we felt like staying out of the streaming light and soft rain, there was Lochbroom Leisure Centre, right in town, or Dunrobin Castle’s 189 rooms, an easy daytrip away.











Somehow, between the romantic beauty and the cleansing natural setting, we worked off a good deal of that healthy country cholesterol. On the homeward trek, we managed to face the bonnie banks of Loch Lomond and the mysteries of Loch Ness pure of heart and filled with the energy around us.










© Copyright 2008 by Cary Kamarat . All rights reserved.

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