Lesley had bought me a ticket for a trip on the Jacobite Express steam train a couple of year ago as a Christmas present, we held off booking the trip until the next Spring and then restrictions happened for obvious reasons. Eventually we got our seats booked and travelled up to Fort William for the start of the journey to Mallaig which takes you over the Glenfinnan Viaduct, very popular with fans of the Harry Potter film. The weather wasn't great for views but being on a steam train chugging up the hills and over the viaduct was a great experience. We arrived in Mallaig with a stop for 90 minutes, plenty time to find a place to eat before heading back on the train, the seat numbers on the return were swapped giving everyone a chance to see the most of the scenery, that was until someone up the carriage opened a window approaching a tunnel, which meant the reek came in. Back in Fort William we managed to get a table at the Ben Nevis Inn for our tea, giving us plenty time to shop for beers for our relaxing night in our wooden pod. I thoroughly recommend the trip if you like steam trains and slow relaxing journeys.
The last wee Smokie of the year had a good turn out especially given the state of the roads, more akin to riding along ploughed fields. As always it was good to meet up with like minded old and new friends, and plenty of classic bikes to look at. All photos were taken on the Olympus OM-1 with Kodak Tri X 400 film.
We had booked the wooden pod in Culkein for a weeks holiday again, as its so peaceful and the scenery is stunning, according to Norse legend the gods practised their mountain building in Assynt, I think they did a pretty good job. We travelled up the A9 with a wee stop in Dornoch for dinner then headed over through Ullapool stopping off at the Knockan Crag Nature Reserve to stretch the legs. Well worth a visit for the views and the geology lesson. After our wee walk we stopped off at the Elphin tearoom for a top up, (no small people were involved in the pouring of the tea) before the last bit of the drive to out the pod.
Start of the Knockan Crag Trail
Great view of the Corbet Cul Beag with Stac Pollaidh in the background
Lesley at the Tilted Globe sculpture by Joe Smith
View of Cul Mor from the visitor centre
Lochan an Ais
Lesley had been wanting to have a go on the zip slide at Durness, so on the Wednesday we drove North along the coast to have a look, with a couple of stops on the way for photos. I had forgotten how much single track there is between Rhiconich and Durness, not being on the bikes and with lots of camper vans made the journey a bit slower, but at least the scenery made up for it. Durness was packed and I can only imagine how busy it would have been in the summer. Thankfully we managed to get a parking place, and then Lesley went for a wee hike up to the start on the headland while I practised my camera skills below. There were lots of cheery waves from Lesley as she zoomed along on the wire over the Ceannabeinne Beach, then after that we went for a walk down to Balnakeil for a wander along the beach, it was pretty overcast so there weren't to many photo opportunities. The drive back to Culkein was like a game of name that mountain without looking at the map. It was a relaxing night in the pod with a couple of beers and some tunes after we packed our walking packs for the next days adventure.
Canisp and Suilven on our way to Durness
Misty Suilven
Kyle of Durness
The crossing for the Keoldale to Cape Wrath ferry
Lesley getting the harness on for the zip slide
Zip Slide Video
As we were staying local and had recently tackled Ben More Crianlarich, we decided it was a good enough reason to climb the only Assynt Munros of Ben More and it's neighbour Conival to get our mountain fix of the holidays. We picked the Wednesday as it was to be the best weather of the week, and it looked promising as we drove along the length of Loch Assynt passing Ardvreck Castle on the way to the start of our walk. We made quick work of getting our packs on as the midges were being a pest, thankfully we left them behind as we made our way along the River Trailgill. We found our way no problem to the fork in the river where we branched off up the incline towards Conival, the first Munro of the day. After we reached the top we stopped in the stone wind shelter for a bite to eat and to take some photos of the scenery, which was clagged in the morning mist, before heading over the quartzite boulder field towards Ben More. The guidebooks do say it takes longer than expected to pick your way through the big rocks and over the loose scree. We made it to Ben More as the mist was clearing just enough to give us some views of the hills around us. After being suitably fed and getting a blether with a few folk, we retraced our steps over the boulder field again to Conival where we sat taking in the scenery and the peace and quiet, only for it to be shattered by a fighter jet appearing out of the mist passing directly overhead and turning so we could see into the cockpit before disappearing off into the distance, too quick for me to grab my camera. The walk back down on the boulder path was knee jarring, not enjoyable at all, but it's there to save more erosion. We drove back with a stop off in Lochinver for some beers, not that I needed any help in getting to sleep at night. Another epic mountain day in Assynt.
The River Trailgill
Gaining height with views over the valley to Canisp
Following the beautiful streams up the steepening slopes
Clearing view of Loch Assynt from Conival
First Summit selfie of the day on top of Conival
Our afternoon walk ahead of us
Lesley tackling the quartzite scree
Second summit photo of the day on Ben More Assynt
Video of Ben More and Conival on the way back
The clag clearing as we retrace our steps over Conival giving us views of Quinag
Friday was a bit of a damp weather day, which was fine for a wee wander around the Culag Woods in Lochinver, which gave us time before we picked up our pre booked carry out food from the Lochinver Larder. You canny beat eating your dinner in the car with polystyrene cups of tea while watching the world go by in the rain. After a look in some of the shops, we headed back along the single track to our pod for a relaxing evening, while keeping an eye on the skies as there had been aurora forecasts on the internet and with the rain clearing and the beautiful Assynt light coming through, I rigged up the camera and tripod just in case. When saw the double rainbow forming over the bay, we were happy enough with that view, until looking at the camera screen I could see the skies were lit up in varying shades of green and purple, what an amazing experience to see the aurora all around us, What an ending to our weeks holiday.
Stunning colourful skies over our pod
Double rainbow over the Minch
Video of the rainbow from our pod
Stunning Auroras
Aurora over the Minch
Aurora swirl and the Ursa Major constellation
After leaving our pod on Saturday morning we headed home stopping in Elphin again and the Dornoch train station cafe to keep us going till we got home. Thankfully the weather was great for the Murthly picnic in the park which was well attended, a superb day sitting in the sun with a few beers listening to the live music.
After a two year hiatus it was great to be on the bikes heading to Town Yetholm again, for the annual Tay Valley and Northumbria Norton Owners Clubs weekend get together. Thankfully we managed to filter through the worst of the Edinburgh bypass traffic jams, and we were soon on better roads heading to Kelso for our dinner, then onto our final destination Town Yetholm. Most of the gathering had come down on the Friday and a great late night was had by all accounts. It was good to see everyone again and lots of catching up ensued. After the tent was up for only the second time this year, it was time to head to the pub for our tea, beer and more than a few drams, which turned out to be a late night with the usual suspects. The run home on the Sunday was great on the back roads, but not so much in the traffic jams again. Thanks to David T. for organising the great weekend.
Once we got home the bikes were unpacked, the tent aired, and we got on with preparing for our Assynt holiday the following week.
