Fort Augustus Adventure (117 miles)
I did my day’s ‘work’. There were no classes as it was an in-service day. I had phoned Bill last night and arranged to meet at 4 for a wee trip. We left Contullich heading through Evanton to Foulis trying to keep me off the A9. This is the level crossing at Foulis Station. Bill didn’t drop his scooter! Anne and I tried to buy a wee house here many years ago.
We headed over the Cromarty Bridge and crossed the Black Isle via Ferrintosh to Beauly. Then at Brockies Corner we headed over the Culnakirk to Drumnadrochit. We stopped before the Culnakirk to empty old men’s bladders. Here is our stop.
The day had been cold and overcast on the East but the sun was starting to shine and it got a bit warmer.
We just kept going down the Great Glen by Loch Ness till we reached Fort Augustus. We got chip suppers. I had steak pie and chips with Pepsi. Bill had fish and chips with Irn Bru. We took a wee wander to get some photos.
This is by the canal.
Filled with fish and chips.
The view up Loch Ness is stunning.
This brightly coloured barge was moored at the end of the canal.
This is of the Abbey.
But pleasures are like poppies spread,
You seize the flower, its bloom is shed;
Or like the snow falls in the river,
A moment white–then melts for ever;
Or like the borealis race,
That flit ere you can point their place;
Or like the rainbow’s lovely form
Evanishing amid the storm.
(Tam o’ Shanter, Robert Burns)
We had to get moving and we headed back by the Southern side of Loch Ness. It is a stunning route. This is Loch Tarff.
We climbed (very) slowly to the top because of my outrageous power. This is at the top. The road is a General Wade Military road so that is why some of it is so straight.
A bit further on before turning off to Foyers we stopped to relieve ourselves. It was a nice spot on a nice evening.
We headed down to Foyers which takes you down to beside Loch Ness. The cloud formations are amazing. We stopped beyond Foyers to get some photos.
At Dores I nearly met my end. A car driver didn’t see me and just pulled out. I had to take major evasive action. I put my lights on after this. We were coming back into cloud. This is looking back down Loch Ness from beyond Dores.
We called in to see our mum in Inverness. Then headed over the Black Isle taking the back roads through Munlochy. We hit the A9 beyond Culbokie and crossed the Cromarty Bridge. I was holding 50 even into the slight wind so kept going till Broomfield beyond the Invergordon turn off. Bill and I said goodbye here. It was getting dull.
I headed back home through Alness. Another grand day.