Half way mark

This was it then, the visit to see the house not just imagine it from a photograph. 
Away from work at 14.00 on Friday afternoon and we hit the road not long after. Travelled through sunshine and rain showers with views of the first real snow of the winter on the high tops. Got through Glen Coe in daylight but it was dark by the time we were in Fort William. 
There were a few nervous drivers out and about - unable to travel at more than 35mph becasue it was dark. By the time we reached Glen Shiel it was raining too. The burns and waterfalls were in full spate after several days of heavy rain. We just caught glimpses as we drove past. Over the bridge and on through Carbost. As we drove through Fernilea towards our B&B we had our first sight of our house, lit warm and red from the heaters that are being used to dry it out. 

We stayed at The Rowans which is a B&B with a difference. A small kitchen, large bedroom and bathroom. Many goodies provided for breakfast and a packed lunch and all at a very competitive price. Settled in for a good night's sleep. 

Saturday's weather was heavy rain followed by heavy rain so we drove past the house (builders working on a Saturday) and headed for Glen Brittle. No mountains today but a wet walk along the coast, crossing some interesting rivers and visiting waterfalls that were stunning. Not many people out today. Lunch in the car then drove up past the "Old Man"  to a viewpoint with no view today. No pics as it was too wet to get the camera out of the bag.

Dinner at the Old Inn then back to The Rowans. 

On Sunday we travelled north past the house again and headed to the westernmost point on Skye, Neist Point. We planned to spend an hour or so here but it was so glorious that we stayed for almost three. Views to the Outer \Hebrides, rolling blue seas, storms out to sea, rainbows and that glorious November light that is golden and an old lighthouse, cottages and a retired jetty. We climbed the hill in the photo below on the way back - a very steep & sheer drop from the top into the sea. Quite breezy too but off the sea rather than into it.

Neist point from the car park. Lighthouse beyond the hill.

 

 

 

 

 

Lighthouse, cottages and obsolete foghorn. Harris in the distance

The sign at the top of the path said you could stay at the lighthouse cottages, B&B apparently with a "double kitchen" Not sure how this would work. Staying here would involve carrying everything you required for your stay down one steep path, up an even steeper hill and down again. (There was a winch for the first downhill bit - for your stuff not you) There was no obvious sign of recent occupation when we reached the buildings.  

Double rainbow across the bay to a very high headland

Turquoise seas, stormy skies

If you ever visit Skye you simply have to drive along the miles of single track road to reach this place. It is special and completely different to anywhere else on the island. We had lingered so long that we ran out of time to visit the coral beaches. Will save those for another day. 
Enjoyed the drive back to Portnalong and played spot our new house from the opposite side of the loch. It was hidden by trees but we did identify our neighbours. 

Dinner at the Rowans tonight; a two course dinner delivered to your kitchen at a time to suit you. Perfect. 

Then it was Monday and time to see the house. A beautiful autumn day with blue skies and fantastic light to set the house off nicely in its setting. We arrived a bit early and headed down the access road. Met the site foreman, Sandy, and one of his crew - all busy at work which was good to see.
You can see from the pictures how much has progressed since we were here to view a flattened space in the croft back in July. Walls, roof, windows, electricity and water connections. Interior walls being created and insulated, mezzanine level taking shape and many decision required about bathrooms, kitchen, finishes and fixtures. Some decisions will depend on the cost of changes to the bathrooms and how much is left in the budget after that. 

Courtyard between dining area and lounge

View

Mezzanine area well on its way

Front entrance and connecting corridor

House in its setting - getting there

It was very exciting to wander around the half built house, trying to imagine where bits of furniture would fit. The view from the living space, main bedroom and mezzanine were exactly as planned although the removal of a neighbour's tree would improve things a little. 

Called in to the builders yard on the way home to meet the people we have emailed and spoken to on the phone then headed back via Loch Carron, Inverness and the A9. Arrived home around 19.30 after a wonderful weekend away and full of plans for the finer details of the house. We will return in early January and expect to see much progress then. Seeking a good deal in a nice hotel for that one!
  

Lawyers & Schiehallion captured

There were two weeks between them but we reached the top of both of these Munros this month and threw in Beinn Glas for good measure. 

Ben Lawyers - Sunday 29 September

A very early start for us to drive out past Killin and to the car park at Ben Lawyers nature reserve. Donate and display £2 all day. Bargain. 
Arrived in the car park at 07.45 but we were not the first. A couple of vans had clearly been parked up overnight and one couple (? Dutch) had pitched their tent in the car park. We think we woke them up but they were nice & friendly. Apparently the stars had been amazing the night before. 

We enjoyed the glorious early morning light and more than enough wind to keep any suggestion of midges at bay. The last time we visited here, we couldn't move for midges. 

Off up through the nature reserve and gently up the hill. Decided we would stop on the first top for breakfast. However the wind grew much more wild as we gained height and the cloud came pouring over the top of the hill. There was no shelter so we carried on. The ridge was like one of those time lapse movies where the cloud was being blown through at such speed that it seemed to have been speeded up. 

It was also getting much cooler. The path was clear though so we continued onwards and upwards. Eventually we found a (relatively) sheltered spot and had a quick breakfast. We were passed by the first walker we had seen so far, accompanied by his nervous collie dog. By this time the wind was so strong that I was having trouble standing up and putting one leg in front of the other. We knew there was a ridge between the two Munros so decided to reach the top of the first one and decide if we went on or not. 

The wind kept on blowing stronger and colder and we eventually reached the very small cairn on the top of Beinn Glas. This summit is 1,100m high and as we made it to the top, the wind dropped and it felt warmer. Weird but true. We carried on along the ridge but any chance of a view was long gone. 

We dropped quite some height - I suppose you have to if you are going to climb two Munros as the drop in height is what qualifies them as Munros - and reached the bealach and a cairn that marked the alternative return route. We could feel Ben Lawyers looming to our right and occasionally caught a glimpse of the final slopes. Up we went on a good path over stones, rocks and mud, arriving at the summit quite quickly. It was freezing and windy up here but we hung around for a while hoping the cloud might clear and we would have some views. Nope, this wasn't happening today. By now, the crowds of people who had set off at a resonable time had started to catch us up and were arriving at the top. We took a couple of pictures then turned around. 

As we returned to the bealach, complete with a really cute lochan, we could see what looked like crowds of people coming along the ridge from Beinn Glas.  Although happy to pass the time of day with anyone we meet, the thought of many "how far is it" and other comments decided us on the alternate return path. This wound along the hillside under the risge, avoided the climb back up and was protected from the wind. All good. 

We made such good time that we had our lunch back at the car. Previous attempts at Lawyers resulted in a retreat from the car park, fighting off the midges as we went. Still quite windy so no such problem today. Clean clothes changed into and we were home by 15.00. Lovely. 

Shiehallion - Saturday 12 October

Another early rise as the weather looked promising and we know the mountain was popular and the car park got busy quickly. Awake at 05.00; coffee and out before 06.00. Arrived at the car park at 07.45. When we left Alloa the sky was clear with hindreds of stars twinkLing at us. As we hit the A9 north of Perth, we met cloud banks and fog. Fingers crossed it would burn off. 

As we climbed the hill out of Aberfeldy, the blue sky appeared and one of the best days on the hills was on. We were the second car in the car park. It was -3 and there was a hard frost. We could see the sun creeping across the hill higher up, a golden light that promised a beautiful day. We followed another John Muir Trust path with a good surface and thoughful steps when it got steeper. There was a breeze but not too much. Once we hit the sunshine, the gloves and hats were removed and as we climbed higher, the views were wonderful. 

Cloud inversion

Towards the Cairngorms - first of the winter snows

Cloud inversions with the valleys and lochs completely buried under white cloud. Made it almost to the first top and stopped for breakfast. Here we met the first walkers of the day and had a chat as they passed us. We reached the first top and here the path deteriorated into a rocky, find your own way, route. Some rocks and boulders were quite unstable so care required as to where you placed your feet. The actual summit was over two more tops then along a narrowing rocky ridge but we reached it by 10.15. Windy up here but from the east so easy to sit on a great slab of rock on the west side and enjoy the sun. 

View from summit across Rannoch Moor to Glen Coe and beyond

Across Loch Rannoch

I truly believe that all of Scotland's mountains could be seen from the summit. We sat there for ages identifying different mountains and enjoying the views and the silence. (The first group had packed up and started down although we did take their photo for them first) We could hear the noise of the rut. The autumn mating ritual of the stags. Couldn't see them but what a sound - a bit like a distant chainsaw. 

Other groups arrived shortly after that and we chatted and took more photos for them. One group was on an office outing (celebrating 125 years) and put on high vis jackets for the photos and carried their office mascot. An inflatable salamander.   

We headed reluctantly back down, passing more people than live in Alloa! It was as busy as we had expected so we were even more glad to have been up with the lark.

View back to summit in the far distance across the boulder fields

 A final coffee / lunch stop overlooking the forest and we were back at the car before 14.00.  Truly one of the best days in the hills even though it was a straight up and down.  

Site visit from Skye to follow very shortly.