We woke up to a dry morning after a night of wind and rain, and decided to change breakfast up a bit and have crunchy nut instead! The plan was a bit of everything today – a waterfall, a castle, a cave and finishing next to a beach.
Clashnessie Falls Located just a short drive from where we were staying and with a slightly bigger parking area than the falls yesterday. If you don’t fancy the scramble to get there, you can actually see the falls from the roadside, but we were up for the challenge and set off for a closer look. Due to the heavy rain the night before, the route was very boggy and very slippery. Half way into the walk we saw a sign to the falls pointing us to walk across the water, however this was impossible due to how deep it was. We therefore had to scramble across boulders and stones in a very narrow area to avoid trespassing into the grounds of the cottage by the falls (there were signs making sure this didn’t happen 🤣) The falls were full and dramatic, but also tranquil. There was an easy path to admire the falls from above as well. As long as you have the right shoes, we would definitely recommend these falls.
Lochinver I had read about the best pies ever in Lochinver, so we were keen to try these out. Unfortunate the dine in option wasn’t available today, but fortunately it was a lovely day and we were able to sit outside next to the Loch and enjoy the pies with the view. I opted for the pork, apple and cider.. and it really was delicious. Deep filed and full of flavour.. what more could you ask for. You can even get the pies posted to you! Check out Lochinver Larder if you appreciate a good pie 🥧
Ardvreck Castle The ruin of Ardvreck Castle stands atop a small promontory of land on Loch Assynt. It is easily visible from the road and easily accessed from 2 roadside car parks. Mark decided to enjoy some peace and quiet and sat with a coffee, enjoying the views, whilst I went off to explore. It’s in a stunning location, and although just a fragment of its former glory, this scenic ruin is a must-see. You can see why Clan Macleod decided to build it here.
Bone Caves We nearly didn’t visit here because all of the instructions online seemed a bit vague, saying things like its difficult to park, and look out for said boulder and if you miss it you’ve gone wrong. It also wasn’t on Alltrails, and obviously neither of us can read a map 🤣 But… we love a challenge, so why not! Luckily, the car park is very clearly signposted and big enough for loads of cars. The paths up to the caves are also really obvious, so we’re really glad we decided to do this hike. We headed up the limestone valley to visit the caves, to the loud grunting noises of rutting deer nearby. They get their name because when they were excavated, they were found to contain the remains of species such as lynx, reindeer, and polar bear, which once roamed the area. Pretty cool! You need to be ok with heights with this walk, because around the caves, the paths are very narrow, but I really enjoyed this one. Until the very end.. when the heavens opened and it absolutely poured with rain, and unfortunately we were just too late for the coffee van at the side of the parking area.
There was some lovely P stops on our way to our home this evening. It’s so difficult not to pull over into every single one! We popped into Ullapool to check out the pub scene, as Newcastle took on PSG. Unfortunately there was only one pub showing football.. and that was showing the wrong game.. so because Mark was too scared to ask a Scottish barman to change from Celtic to Newcastle, he grabbed some beers, and we got ourselves settled in Ruby, ready for a night of top quality football. I dread to think what the others on the site must have thought with all the shouting and jumping up and down, thanks to their 4-1 victory!
The Travelling Ginger 