Tuesday 27 May 2008

Gairloch and Area

Last weekend, I headed for the north of Torridon around Loch Maree for some walking. On a whim, I decided to visit Gairloch, as I'd never been and was curious to see what it is like. I was taken aback at the quality of the scenery.

Gairloch beach:




These days I've gone off bleak, empty glens, and prefer better proportioned scenery. Gairloch is surrounded by trees, which create a better environment for wildlife than the denuded glens of much of the rest of the Highlands. But more than that, were the beautiful beaches, and incredible views to Skye and Torridon. There is no doubt I will be back.

Seana Camus, Melvich:


I took a side road to Melvich to spend the evening camping, and managed to get up to the Marilyn of An Cuaidh a few hours after dawn. It is the best panoramic viewpoint I have seen in the UK, bar one - Meall an Fheadain above Achiltibuie.

Towards Torridon from An Cuaidh, Melvich:


The Assynt Foreland from An Cuaidh:


Looking at the map, there are a number of little dead-end coastal roads in the northwest. Thanks to my hillwalking focus, I've been to very few of them - but, given the quality of the Melvaig road to Rubha Reidh, about which I knew nothing, I now really want to investigate them all!

Beinn Ghobhlach from An Cuaidh:

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