Mountain welcome!

Phew we’ve had a long day!

A chilled start as I hadn’t booked an early crossing but Calmac changed our booking for the ferry to Troon rather than Ardrossan, which is currently out of service, so it was scheduled even later.

No matter, we stopped at the Home Farm visitor centre on the outskirts of Brodick and went to the Arran Cheese shop. Dairy is big on the island and the cheese, milk and ice cream are heavily promoted. Bought a few goodies and then went into Sense of Scotland - Arran Aromatics as I had a 20% off voucher from the hotel so I treat myself to some hand cream.

Then to the Co-op for fresh essentials to save us shopping when we arrived. Poor Co-op is still suffering from the cyber attack and there were many gaps on the shelves.

Finally a coffee at the same place as we started our brief holiday here. Little Rock cafe looks fairly in prepossessing but it is a cafe, bakery, deli and takeaway and very popular. I got a few bits from the deli which we are about to eat now we are here.

The ferry crossing was fine but we didn’t arrive in Troon till nearly 1.00 pm and then we had awful traffic through and around Glasgow. We eventually turned off to the Trossachs park which had a really holiday atmosphere with  the loch side car parks all full and the roads lined with parked cars as people enjoyed the loch side beaches.

A bit further on we found a cafe and stopped for tea and cake. It was the old waiting room from the now removed Balquhidder Station. It was very nice but was supposedly famous for its Shark toilet! The less said the better!

We then stopped in Killin, our reason for coming this way. Again lots of people in and on the falls. I walked to revisit the Old Mill where I’d seen some nice jewellery when we visited kast year. I bought one pair but fancied another, of course they weren’t there.

So off to the A9! Not too bad but road works that might be a problem earlier in the day when we return next Saturday.

The road from Inverness to Ullapool was tricky driving straight into the setting sun and even worse on the single track Coigach road.

I took this photo from the lay-by just before we turn off on that road at 8.30pm. Stac Pollaidh is very recognisable in the middle with Cul Mor to the right and I think Ben Mor Coigach to the left. A lovely welcome.

As we drive past Stac Pollaidh recent fire damage, especially burned gorse was in evidence with new signs warning of the current dangers of fire. The extra is the familiar sight if the mountains from the other side when we arrived! 

Second extra, some of the sights en route