September in the Scottish Highlands
We set off on our trip to Scotland via a layover in Liverpool. After a day visiting family and enjoying the autumn sunshine, we began the eight-hour drive to a lovely cottage overlooking the waters of Beauly Firth. Copious cups of tea and a couple of teacakes settled us into what would be a wonderful few days.
On our first morning we headed to Ness Islands for a brisk walk along the River Ness. There was mizzle in the air, but this somewhat added to the romantic feeling of the place. You can traverse the collection of natural islands by beautiful, white-wrought iron Victorian footbridges. While we did not venture into Inverness city centre, it is only a short stroll from the centre. Make sure to keep your eye out for wildlife as the tall pines, mature trees, fast flowing water, and pure sense of peace attract a wide array of birds and river life.
We spent the afternoon on the waters of Loch Ness. We departed from Dochgarroch Lock and spent two hours on the water. The sheer scale and depth of Loch Ness was palpable when cruising through its viscid waters that, on an overcast day, were the colour of petrol. There were plenty of impressive and interesting landmarks to look at, in addition to wildlife to spot, including a heron that has taken up residence at Dochgarroch weir.
The captain caught sleeping on the job.
A buttery yellow structure pierced the greyness of the day in what was our first attraction of the tour. This is Dochfour Estate, which has been owned by the Baillie family since the mid-1400s. The house, in its current iteration, is in the Italianate style. The house, emulating an ornate Italian villa, possibly a little out of place on a Scottish loch overlooking slightly chillier waters than the Mediterranean, provides a pop of colour on a grey day.
Possibly the most famous of Loch Ness’s landmarks (besides Nessie, of course) is Urquhart Castle. You can disembark here and take time to explore the castle’s ruins, however, we decided to stay on the boat and take in its extraordinary history from the water. Right on the shore of Loch Ness, the site offers a snapshot of 1,000 years of stirring Scottish history. It was once one of Scotland’s largest castles. As a medieval fortress, it was the site of many bloody battles during the Scots’ struggle for independence against the English. Control of the castle passed back and forth between the two warring countries. It saw great conflict over 500 years as a stronghold on Loch Ness. Only the ruins remain, ruins because the last of the government soldiers stationed here during the Jacobite Risings blew the castle up when they left. Legend has it that there are two secret chambers beneath the castle, one containing gold, the other the plague. No one has dared to search for the treasure for fear that they uncover the wrong chamber. Sat proud on the shores of Scotland’s most famous Loch, one cannot help but marvel at its longevity as a key site of some of the most dramatic moments in Scottish history.
The third impressive building on our tour was Aldourie Castle, a castle that could have been plucked straight from a fairytale, turrets and all. Designed in the Baronial style, it is fit for any noble family. Aldourie was popular with Victorian aristocrats who followed Queen Victoria and the royal family on their holidays to the north of Scotland.
After the boat trip we enjoyed lunch in An Talla, the café at Dochgarroch Loch. This was made extra appealing by their resident Highland cows, which you could get very close to.
After all the fresh air on Loch Ness, we returned to our cottage for an early night where we were treated to a glorious sunset over the Beauly Firth. Honeys and golds transformed into lavenders and mauves.
On our second day, we drove to Chanonry Point for a seaside stroll with views of Rosemarkie Bay, the Moray Firth and Fort George. We began our walk at the charming Chanonry Lighthouse. The sun was shining, sea birds, including cormorants, swooped and bathed in the blue water, it was the perfect day. We could not have imagined the sight we were about to see. Suddenly, we were mesmerised by a pod of bottle-nosed dolphins dance and leap from the water. Their acrobatic show lasted a while and we could not avert our eyes from their performance. This was our first time seeing dolphins and to watch them in the wild was absolutely breathtaking.
Once we reached Rosemarkie Beach Café, we sat down to enjoy homemade cakes – a salted caramel slice, Victoria sponge and carrot cake – all washed down with frothy hot chocolates with the most incredible view of the Moray Firth. Every now and then you could see a dolphin fin peek up from the waves.
To the left of the café, the south shore of the Black Isle peninsular, is a rocky area of beach that will eventually lead to around twenty old sea caves. High tide was imminent, so we did not get far, but the water sparkled, and the red rock of the rugged cliffs looked fabulous against the blue sky. Further bursts of red were provided by wild poppies growing from coastal crevices.
After lunch, we decided to do the 2km walk to the enchantingly named Fairy Glen Falls. The walk through the woodlands, which were glossy with dew, shining bright in the early afternoon sun and caught in that moment between the full greenery of summer and the goldening of autumn, was truly beautiful. The Markie Burn runs through the middle of the glen and two waterfalls can be found at the upstream end. On your way to the waterfalls, you pass an old mill pond which is home to mallard ducks, coots and moorhen, a fast flowing stream, moss covered rocks and plenty of trees covered in fluffy lichen. Birds chirp and the sound of falling water gradually grows in intensity. An additional sprinkle of magic is provided by the delightful fairy village that has popped up on tree stumps and fallen trunks along the route, including intricately carved toadstool and teapot homes.
After navigating the paths, rugged in places from established tree roots, you are rewarded with two beautiful waterfalls that tumble into the pool below.
We spent the rest of the daylight hours watching the waders from our cottage window with our binoculars. We spotted curlew, oystercatchers, a buzzard on a hale bale and dozens of herons.
On our penultimate day we headed to Glen Affric, a magical mix of native woodlands, lochs, and moorlands. It is home to one of Scotland’s largest ancient Caledonian pine forests. We headed off early and the morning frost glinted across the rolling fields. Empty roads allowed us time to spot plenty of wildlife, including a doe and her fawn and several red squirrels scurrying across the road. Glen Affric is one of the most spectacular glens in the Highlands and stretches nearly thirty miles from Kintail to Cannich. Given its size, we had to choose one aspect of the Glen to explore. We decided on Plodda Falls.
To get to the start of the walking route by car requires the navigation of quite a remote area with small, pot-holed roads. The effort, however, is absolutely worth it. We took one of the trails that concluded with a view of the falls. It was drizzling and a little misty, which transformed the Caledonian pine trees, which were growing from a forest floor of spongy mossy mounds and ferns, into an ethereal landscape. We took it in turns to walk down to the base of the falls, which required a lot of concentration as jagged, uneven, and slippery rocks covered the route.
Plodda Falls is the highest and arguably the most spectacular waterfall in the area at over forty metres high. Cascading passed towering trees, a babbling burn – Allt na Bodachan – launches itself vertically down a rock face into the dark pools below. The roar of the tumbling water, set against the verdant trees, is magnificent. Once you’ve climbed back up from the base, you can get a whole new perspective from a wooden viewing platform that juts out over the valley. This allows you to take in the waterfalls in all their splendour.
After our walk we headed for lunch at Bog Cotton Café in Cannich. Sadly, they do not allow dogs inside and since it was raining, we were unable to sit outside. Nevertheless, we got a delicious takeaway of homemade sandwiches, cakes and coffees and enjoyed them with a view of the local woodlands.
Our day concluded back in our cosy cottage where we played games all evening. Our cottage came with a collection of great games, and we discovered Mapominoes, a card game which we found highly addictive, especially when our competitive geographer sides came out.
On our final day we decided to explore Loch Ness by road. We headed first to Fort Augustus, situated on the southern most tip of Loch Ness where the end of the loch flows into the Caledonian Canal. You can watch the boats sail through and negotiate the impressive canal lock staircase.
Our journey to the other side of Loch Ness took us via Great Glen Way, an unbelievably spectacular route. We passed Loch Tarff and in its centre was a small island where we caught sight of the most incredible animal, a huge stag staring right at us. He held our gaze for about ten minutes before going on his way. It felt like we were right in the middle of Edwin Landseer’s Monarch of the Glen painting. Heathers carpeted the hills with pinks and purples and the views of the low mountains extended for miles.
Before heading back, we stopped for tea and cake at Camerons Tea Room. This delightful café offers freshly baked cakes presented on dainty plates and tea served in floral china cups. We chose slices of Victoria sponge, spiced apple cake and lemon drizzle. Large windows allow you to enjoy your treats with picturesque views of grazing deer, Highland cows and horses. It’s dog friendly, very cosy and the staff offer a wonderfully warm and attentive service. It was the perfect way to conclude our four days in the Scottish Highlands.
In memory of our wonderful chocolate Labrador, Obi, who we sadly lost in October. The memories from this holiday will be cherished even more knowing that we were able to spend it with you.
Rest in Peace Obi, 18 November 2010 to 29 October 2023