The Black Isle

Rosemarkie 

27 Aug - 1 Sep

View from Libby,  eastward

... and westward (camp site arrowed) where the peninsular ends at Chanonry Point

So you can imagine why this has to be the tops so far of all the sites we've stayed.  Not that we fully realised this on arrival when it was pouring rain with poor visibility as we sat peering out of the windscreen across the Moray Firth lashing against the beach just a few feet from our pitch!  And to top it all, as we sat cosied up inside Libby being buffeted about by the gusting wind, enjoying a hot cuppa I realised my socked foot was wet from the carpet - only to find somehow as Michael had filled the integral water tank it had overflowed INTO the van and spread along the floor - just what we needed:  pouring with rain outside and flowing water inside!!

It was not the best start but when the weather cleared late afternoon we ventured outside to explore our new area and then we really appreciated what a little gem of a site we'd found.

We found  the sweet little town of Rosemarkie a few hundred yards along the seafront from the site - an extremely ancient village settled by the Picts. 

And after the rather 'traumatic' start to our arrival, as we felt the calm of the beautiful early evening descending upon us,  we decided to treat ourselves to supper in the tiny little Bistro we'd discovered just nestled along the seafront  - a superb supper  sitting by the window watching the amazing sunset. 

 

The other interesting thing to note in this area is the deep pink tone of the stone to be seen everywhere from the buildings to the deep redness of the sand and pink and grey hues of the pebble beach - so different from the colours of the south England coast beaches.

On our second evening, much to my sheer delight, we watched the dolphins playing on the turn of the low tide at Chanonry Point.  What a thrill this truly was - a privilege - and they're there to watch every evening!

Just behind the little village we discovered the Fairy Glen; a beautiful peaceful walk through the woods alongside the babbling river until the path rises up and up to the waterfalls

The Great Glen

The day dawned bright and sunny so we decided to take Libby out for the day and explore this amazingly beautiful glen following the road running alongside Loch Ness.  We drove the length of Loch Ness but so disappointingly Nessie didn't show herself!  We stopped en route to visit Urquhart Castle splendidly situated on a headland overlooking Loch Ness.  Our journey ended at Fort Augustus  -  a pretty little village

Shores of Loch Ness

 

Michael at the top of the flight of locks of the Caledonian Canal - Fort Augustus

 

Iron road swing bridge in action 

Cruise on Loch Ness in the late afternoon sunshine

Nessie's Monster Mash - a chestnut malty beer - had to be!

We rounded the day off with a visit to the bridge and waterfall at Invermoristor where we saw salmon leaping!! 

Scotland is truly a place to discover nature's treats.

At the time of writing we are still in Rosemarkie - next stop Brora as we continue to make our way to the northern most point of the mainland.