Loch Lomond
Our first day we were blessed with a crisp day with strong sun. Loch Lomond is the largest lake in the UK by area and is home to numerous intricate inlets, guarded by towering hills. We summited Conic Hill to see the lake in all its glory. After climbing in hot sunshine, the weather quickly turned to an icy rain at the summit, coming in fast on the wind. We followed a sheeps’ path down, navigating gorse, boggy grass and a rocky lined brook. We then explored Luss, a picturesque town on the Loch and looked up at the peaks lining the water, working out which one we had hiked. The day ended with some drinks in a sun-kissed beer garden where we toasted to a perfect start to the road trip and the weather’s kindness in late September.
Conic Hill was worth the long staircase
Oban to Mull
The day started with a 2.5 hrs drive along the west coast of Loch Lomond towards Oban. The Loch’s commanding peaks were reminiscent of the roads winding through New Zealand, the sun glistening on the water. The Ferry crossing to Mull was bracing, but the breeze was surprisingly warm. Old castle ruins guided us out of Oban and we were welcomed by white lighthouses standing guard as we arrived into Craignure. The 40min drive was mesmerising, such scale to an island that has single track roads and its longest width 35miles across. A few moments out of the ferry terminal the landscape was dotted with red deer and people stopping to look at wildlife far off. The ridge meeting the skyline was varied, from rolling hills to jagged staircases, it took our breath away. Arriving at our campsite we hoisted our tent and drank in the view of Loch Scridain with a hot cup of tea.
Iona island
We woke to a very still morning, the red sun highlighting parts of the proud peak of the Loch. The still day meant we explored Iona.
Iona was a quaint little island which has unexpected rolling hills. We decided to find Hermit Cell stone circle but got lost following another sheep trail. While the stone circle was underwhelming the sheer scale of the rocky hills were impressive. After a bit of navigating back to the path we approached Iona Beach. This seaweed filled bay had a collection of rocks and inlets all shrouded in pungent brown seaweed, laying on every surface like discarded fabric curtains. The beach was sandy in the distance cloaked in turquoise shallows, and full of coloured shingle celebrating a pastel colour palette under our feet. The seaweed was alive with activity with small birds foraging and seabirds in the distance. No otters meant we moseyed back to the ferry terminal along the road. The island had a tangible quiet about it, no cars for visitors allowed meant it was a peaceful walk. We stopped at a craggy inlet but alas no otters there either.
We returned on the ferry and re-joined the slipway surrounded by red rocky outcrops and bright water. At the campsite with our dinner bubbling on the stove, there was a bubbling of water in the loch at a distance. A huge pod of common dolphins were hunting fish in the loch with birds joining from above.
The end of the day saw a trio of red deer coming to munch on the freshly mown grass of the campsite, we tucked into bed and left them to their supper.
Otter search begins...
We woke to the trio of deer still eating the freshly mown grass, their beady eyes reflecting our head torches. After a sunrise and a brief search for local otters, we had a warm breakfast in the newly risen sun. We set off Northeast, stopping to look for otters wherever we saw a good habitat. We saw plenty of herons and curlews accompanied by the urgent call of oyster catchers. We explored the postcard worthy coloured houses of Tobermory, enjoying fish and chips with the view.
We then journeyed to Loch na Kael, famed for its otters and committed to one spot for several hours. The sun was a welcome companion as we searched for otters amongst the kelp. With the tide turning, the egg wrack began to float and the quick sight of a body and tail made us catch our breath. The rock we had been sitting behind, which I had joked had a sun-lounging otter out of sight, gave us a glimpse of a tail searching the kelp. A face popped up and looked at us before returning to his fishing a few seconds later. We didnt see him again and travelled back to our campsite as the sun began to sink.
A dream coming true...
After arriving we joined a quietly excited group of photographers who were watching two adult otters play fighting. An unusual behaviour between to adults, were they mates?, squabbling siblings playing together even grown up or a mother and cub reconnecting where territories overlapped? The play fight was fast paced and hard to capture on camorra, one chase featured a play “flight” as one escaped a bite with an energetic jump! Once play was over the otters started hunting small fish the seaweed fronds. It was great to see the iconic shape of the otters on the surface, bright eyes forward, tail trailing behind, a surprising long brown silhouette. My favourite moment was watching these waterlogged otters clean and dry themselves by shimmying over the seaweed draped rocks and revealing thick fur which almost looked like feathers. One otter, named Stumpy, had a satisfying scratch of her salty ear against the seaweed and opened her mouth in a happy sigh. We were treated to over an hour of this trio of activities, with the dazzling sunshine making the rock’s seaweed carpet a warm orange hue. This was the absolute highlight of Mull, the weather made the water mirror-like, only being disturbed by the otters’ bodies. Once Stumpy brought a fish to shore, too big to munch on at sea and placed her hands around it to be able to gnaw at it, I imagined her thoughts being “nom nom nom”.
After the time with the wildlife guide was running out we decided to leave the otters, who had begun play fighting again to search for some sea eagles. Mull has 200 white tailed eagles hunting in the estuaries and so, nicknamed sea eagles. We had no luck, but, we did come across a herd of red deer and saw and heard the loud bellow of a male laying claim to the herd at the start of the rutting season.
As our time came to a close and sunset not far off, we returned to camp and celebrated another perfect day on Mull, while sad to say goodbye the next day.
Our last morning in Mull started with Porridge and tea on our stove and this morning we were treated to a soaring golden eagle and a larger sea eagle flying far away over the Loch. This island has so much to offer and we were incredibly lucky to see it in sunshine, eagles, buzzards, herons, curlews and more wildlife as our guides...
While waiting for the ferry, an otter was hunting by the ferry ramp and spent at least 5 minutes a stones throw away. It moseyed along the rocky coast, as the cars started moving to load into the ferry. A perfect goodbye from Mull's otters, this island has my heart.
Fort William
Fort William saw a break in our weather window with torrential rain all day . We skirted around rain clouds in the town and explored the Viaduct and Glenfinnan. We waited for the train in the rain and promptly gave up the hike afterwards as the weather became biblical.
Isle of Skye
The rain cleared away to a sun drenched landscape which was ideal for a scenic drive to Skye. We stopped at Eilian Donan Castle which looked like a postcard. The castle had a perfect reflection in the Saturday fringed with the auburn seaweed.
Arriving across the bridge into Skye introduced us the infamous scenery. We managed to set up the tent in the sun and explored the seaweed for...otters of course. We found some harbour seals snoozing on the rocks. We went to bed after being treated to a sunset.
We woke to a different Skye. Rainy with overcast clouds and an increasing wind. We walked the well known Fairy Pools. The hike was windy but once in the shadow of the hill the gusts didnt whip through us quite so much. The fairy pools were a collection of waterfalls with clear icy water. The dark mountains above were cloaked in fast moving clouds due to the high winds. The clouds gave a touch of drama to the scene. With the wind continuing to gusts so much it nearly knocked us off our feet we returned tonthe car at the top of the steep hill.
After a night of strong winds (40mph) and torrential downpours, our tall tent was stil standing. With a weather warning approaching the Western Isles we packed our tent in a downpours which increased in severity every 10mins or so.
Our resolve only slightly dampened we decided to hike Old Man of Storr. After a 2km climb for 30mins of windy conditions we reached the summit. We had hoped, foolishly, that the heavy fog would clear . We only saw the ghost of the famous rock formation which was an eerie end to the vertical climb.
We travelled to Loch Ness for evening cast in a cool grey light, bats above and frogs below.
Cairngorms
The hills were shrouded in fog and cloud, but we could spot a few colourful Heather wrapped hills between showers. We explored the pine forests in search of red squirrels to complete our a scottish wildlife Bingo card. We had a low flying female capercaillie fly over us!
Back on the mainland we travelled to the Cairngorms region. We explored a large loch walk and RSPB site in search for red squirrels but we saw more darting across the roads than in the pine forests. However, I am convinced I saw a pair of capercaillie females flying over the main path.
We travelled across a less trodden path which went through the tall pines. These tall thin tree trunks set the stage for an eerie walk with the whistling wind muted and the heavy rain reduced to a light pitter patter.
We spent the rest of our trip weather watching and exploring where we could. The final stop was the incredible Kelpies sculpture, in a torrential downpour courtesy of the strom we'd been racing ahead of. So long Scotland, we will return!
