The Western Seaboard-Scotland MAY-JUNE 2007

I thought it might be a nice idea to share with you a visit made to Scotland in early summer of 2007 - I am doing it in the form of a diary and would welcome any comments about the visit.

 

Diary of Travels to Scotland's West Coast
and
Isle of Skye and Outer Hebrides

May 24 ~ Left home early and had a good run up the M6 to Tebay for breakfast. After a break moved on to Dalmally for two nights at Orchy Bank Guest House with John and Jinty Burke.

May 25 ~ Visited the Ben Cruachan Hydro Power Station. Here you board a bus and it takes you right underground  to where the turbines are situated. At times of peak demand the turbines are linked to the national grid and are fed from a lake high up in the mountains. When power is not required, the turbines are linked to the grid and become pumps which pump the water back up to the lake from Loch Awe. After the visit to the power station carried on to Ballachulish and returned back to Dalmally via Glen Coe and Glen Orchy. In the evening went to Glen Orchy Lodge Hotel for meal.

May 26 ~
Left Orchy Bank for the journey to Isle of Skye. After crossing Rannoch Moor the weather deteriorated until it was nearly dark in Glen Coe, with a mixture of high wind, rain, sleet and snow! Once through the pass, the weather improved and by Onich the sun was shining on the snow on the mountains. Stopped in Fort William for a snack and visit to the Tourist Office to send some e-mails, then journeyed on to Mallaig. Took the ferry from there to Armadale on Skye in sunny weather. The road from Armadale to Broadford had, for the most part, been rebuilt since last visit, and made for a fast run. After booking into Mary and John MacLeod's at Earlish, went to the Ferry Inn at Uig for evening meal.