Zenie & Heather - Scottish Adventure Slideshow
189 views · Published 22 August 2016 · 7:05 · Indexed 20 September 2026
Channel: Jim Ramsay · 2016 · Film & Animation
Sunday 21st August 2016. Peter and I gave Zenie and Heather from the USA a personal guided tour of the best spots between the Bridge Of Orchy hotel where they had spent the night and Glenfinnan on the road to the Isles. Fisrt stop was the carpark that overlooks Loch Tulla and the impressive Orchy Wall which was topped wth clag. This is the 4 munros of Beinn A Chreachain, BeinnA Chaladair, Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Dorian. This was a right old tourist magnet! We then jumped in the cars and climbed up the hill to Rannoch Moor which sits just over 1000 feet above sea level. The road separates Lochan na h-Achlaise from Loch Ba (a black sheep! LOL) Next stop the Black Rock cottage with the magnificent Buachaille Etive Mor (The Great Herdsman of Glen Etive) standing proud and guarding the entrance to Glen Etive. We then popped over the road to The Kingshouse, which I had recommended to Heather and Zenie - alas there was no room at the inn (The Bridge of Orchy Hotel was a more than ample substitution!) They kindly allowed us to use their facilities before we commenced on our way to Glen Etive. We stopped at the little carpark near the head of Glen Etive to take photographs of Bauchaille Etive Mor with the river and waterfall. The midges know this spot and ate us alive, even sneaking into my car for the single car 10 mile journey to the bottom of Glen Etive. We stopped again for pictures with Ben Starav and Glas Bheinn Mhor looking moody with some light clag at the summits. We searched for the layby made famous by the James Bond film Skyfall and we let Zenie and Heather taste fresh Scottish Spring Water. Next up, after teh Jimmy Saville house we stopped at the rammed car park for Bidean Nam Bian and the three sisters with the imposing Aonach Eagach Ridge to our backs. A little gem followed when we stopped off at the end of Loch Achtriochtan to get the picturesque Achnambeithach cottage and some sheep/lambs much to Heather's appreciation. Lunch beconned and what better than to savour a "Game Pie" in the Clachaig Inn. Peter and I were last there when we completed the Aonach Eagach Ridge and it was as good as we remembered it. Thanks for the lunch Zenie & Heather! It had started to rain by now and we drove up to Fort William where we duiumpled by car at Farmfoods and continued in Zenie's Rental Volvo along the road to the Isles in the hope of catching the Harry Potter train (The Jacobite) crossing the Glenfinnan Viaduct. Argh, the car park was totally full as was the next one and the next one. We ended up turning up the road to Glenfinnan station to turn and our luck turned too as there she was, puffing away in teh STation, none other than the Jacobite Steam Train! We also got a parking space, so hurried onto the platform to get photos. The train sat for a while and then we got it pulling away - which was totally awesome and the highlight of my day for sure! After than we returned to the Glenfinnan carpark which now had spaces. FInding £2 in loose change to pay for the parking was an issue but they do accept credit cards in the National Trust building, so sorted. We crossed to the road and walked down to the Glenfinnan monument which sits at the top of Loch Shiel. This was midge alley, they must know that fresh meat is coming as they wasted no time on pouncing. I spotted one on my hand and squished it - blood everywhere - and not mine! Yuck! We then retreated to the relative safety of the viewing point for more photos of the Glenfinnan monument with the statue of Bonnie Prince Charlie sitting on top. In the distance behind, The Glenfinnan viaduct where the train had passed earlier. So glad now we got it departed the station. Then it was back to Fort WIlliam where Peter directed us to Corpach to get the start of the Great Glen, a series of lochs and the view to Ben Nevis with that old wrecked boat on the shore. In true Scottish humour someone had spray pained "Luxury Yacht" onto this vessel - LOL. Ben Nevis was well in the clag. Then back to Farmfoods carpark in Fort WIlliam to decant to separate cars where Zenie and Heather continued their Scottish Adventure onto the Isle of Skye whilst tour guides and photographers Peter and Jim (thats me!) returned down the A82 to Glasgow and Wishaw respectively. 280 miles covered by my car - what a day!
