We started our next day in Scotland with a delicious breakfast at Loch Leven hotel in North Ballachulish, near Glencoe and Fort William. Contrary to popular belief, we didn’t go for neither “full Scottish breakfast” nor Scottish specialty called haggis which looks a bit like blood sausage that I don’t like too much. We found scrambled eggs served with smoked salmon on the menu! We used to indulge ourselves with such breakfast set in Howth, Ireland a while ago and sometimes we also do it at home – we definitely recommend it! 🙂
The weather was great once again, so we set ourselves some ambitious goals – Glenfinnan, Mallaig and then, the road to Loch Ness and Inverness where we planned to stay. Distance: 256 km. Not that much on one hand as we used to go for much longer trips but on the other, recently Maks kind of lost interest in those and every longer trip when he doesn’t sleep becomes a challenge. We left at 11 am to more spectacular views, mountains reflected in the lakes, colourful fishermen’s boats and autumn’s nature. Amazing!
scrambled eggs, toasts and smoked salmon
on the road to Glenfinnan
get ready for frequent stops on the road – there’s plenty of magnificent views!
Glenfinnan was our first stop. It’s about 15 km from Fort William and is known for a particularly picturesque viaduct. Train tracks are laid over the bridge and reportedly, Harry Potter passed through here! Unfortunately we didn’t manage to see a passing train but still, a hike towards the viaduct and the walk itself were well worth stopping in Glenfinnan. Just remember to take appropriate shoes with you! Not sneakers like we did… They got muddy quickly enough when we hiked towards the viaduct. On the other side of the road, you will see a tower, built in 1815 to honour Scots fighting in an uprising in 1745. I get the feeling that I wrote it too many times already, but yes, the views were absolutely breathtaking!
Glenfinnan Monument with Loch Shiel in the background
the most picturesque train tracks in Great Britain
it’s not surprising that Wanderlust Magazine readers voted it a Top Rail Journey
a beautiful spot for an autumn walk
hiking in wellingtons is a much better idea than doing so in sneakers!
We left Glenfinnan for Mallaig (approx. 40 km). Since Mallaig is a fishermen’s town, we expected a fish feast for lunch. But first, we visited Loch Morar where Nessie’s sister – Morag the dragoness, reportedly lives. Maks really loved the story and wanted to see the “dragoness who is sad since nobody have visited her today yet”. There were some more spectacular views on the road that almost made us miss our lunch! Remember that most of the restaurants in Mallaig are open until 3 pm in the lunch time! Fortunately, we made it! You will find several decent fish restaurants in the centre of the little town. Fish&chips and Scottish cullen sink soup are well recommended. Fish, chips, salad and Tatar sauce cost 10 pounds in a restaurant, but you can get a take-away for 5-6 pounds. We love eating fish & chips wrapped in paper on a bench outside, but due to Maks we decided to eat in. Thanks to that, we tried cullen sink, a fish soup with smoked haddock, potatoes and onions. Thick but very delicate and fantastically warming on a cold day.
Loch nan Uamh coast
looking for Morag the dragoness
cullen skink – a thick soup with smoked haddock, potatoes and onions
fishermen’s Mallaig – from there, you can sail to Skye island
After Mallaig we had to get back on the same road North and drive towards Loch Ness and Inverness, a moderately large city. The trip was quite long, but the views were spectacular once again! In the evening, we arrived at Urquhart Castle by Loch Ness which is one of the best vantage points to spot Nessie swimming in the lake. Unfortunately we were there too late to enter the castle (that’s what happens when you stop on the road too often 😉 – in October they close at 4.15 pm). We didn’t see Nessie either which made Maks really sad. He tried really hard to get to the castle and see the “dragoness”, but in the end, we had to leave Loch Ness and finally arrive in Inverness. Another day, another proof that Scotland is amazing! 🙂
Urquhart castle by Loch Ness
tower to spot the monster from?
That’s how our trip looked like. Those with no captions are Morar and Mallaig 🙂
* We’re visiting amazing Scotland thanks to VISIT BRITAIN.
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