Western Highlands: the lost days

After Durness and Faraid Head, we spent a couple days slowly making our way back down the west coast of Scotland.

These were the rainiest days of our trip, but we still managed to work in a couple hikes. We also spent a good chunk of time on scenic detours, such the at-times-treacherous single-lane road around Loch Assynt.

One of our short hikes was around Braemore Falls and the very narrow Corrieshalloch Gorge, where a 1.1km trail led us to a suspension bridge and viewing point.

We also drove out to Stoer Lighthouse, at the end of a cliffy peninsula.

We spent nights in Kinlochewe and Lochinver, both fine destinations but not stand-outs on this trip (perhaps the rain made them less memorable than they deserve).

On our drives we saw a lot of animals: the usual sheep and hairy coos, plus several deer. At one point we stopped to watch a family scamper across the road, around a fence, and up a hill. The youngest fawn got held up trying to negotiate the fence, and a search party had to come back for him. It was like watching our own private Disney movie, except no one got shot.

Thanks to a misunderstanding with our GPS, we ended up for lunch at Badachro Inn one day. The cozy pub offered a peat fire and views of the lake; it was so pleasant that we’d happily return for a non-accidental meal someday.

Next it was onwards to the adorable town of Plockton and further to the Isle of Skye.