Wigtwizzle - Norman Smith's Travel Blog.: March 2022

Early Morning, Derwentwater

An early morning visit to the shores of Derwentwater, timing it perfectly to get the sun starting to illuminate Catbells and The North Western Fells. Most photos were taken from the bit of shoreline between the landing stages and Friars Crag. Also a few were taken from Strandshag Bay.

The reflections were disturbed as the lake started to come to life; a group of canoeists were first to appear and then the launches kicked in to life. I don't have a problem with that, the lake is for everyone to enjoy.

Also a slight breeze developed and my stomach started to rumble so I headed back to base, stopping of at the lovely little community cafe in Threlkeld for a sausage sarnie and a cappuccino. I think I earned it.

Looking Down Borrowdale

Castle Crag, Borrowdale

Derwent Isle Boathouse

Cloud on Maiden Moor

Sunlight Hitting Catbells

Derwentwater

Sunlight Hitting Catbells

Strandshag Bay

Friars Crag

Friars Crag From Strandshag Bay

Memorial Flowers, Strandshag Bay

Sunlight on Reeds

Towards Lord Isle

Early Morning visit to Glen Nevis and The Nevis Gorge

I paid an early morning final visit to Glen Nevis before heading back to Cumbria. The light was amazing and it was so calm. I drove up to the parking area for The Nevis Gorge and had a short walk from there. I didn't completely go through the gorge as I only had trainers on and the ground was quite rocky but what I walked, I enjoyed. There was some lovely waterfalls lower down from the car park which just cried out to be photographed.

I eventually dragged myself away and set off back. On the way down I called in at The Glencoe Visitor Centre for a coffee and a bit of lunch and also stopped off at Loch Lubhair where I took some photos of the amazing reflections in the still loch.

I'd had a great few days away but the journey back was marred by the worry of what lay in store on my return. As it turned out the tests on my prostate had come out positive but on a positive note, the cancer hadn't spread to any onther parts of my body.

Writing this blog two months after the diagnosis, I am now having hormone therepy which I will have for the next three years, plus I will be going through a course of radiotherepy sometime over the coming months. The side effects of the therepy have knocked me for six a bit. I get tired so easy and have lost a lot of muscle power but apart from that, I don't feel poorly in anyway, shape or form.

My side effects do seem to be slowly easing and I have been on a few walks in the past week so there are positive signs. I have also been on a two week holiday to Somerset which I will blog later and also been up to my caravan in The Lakes where I have recieved incredible support from my friends. So I'm feeling pretty positive and will hopefully be blogging for many years to come.

Glen Nevis

Lower Falls

Nevis Gorge

Waterfall, Nevis Gorge

Loch Lobhair

Loch Arkaig and Glen Nevis

A local day as I'd covered a fair few miles during my short stay plus I had a long drive home the next day.

I took the back road out of Banavie which eventually brings you out at The Commando Monument at Spean Bridge but turned off it part way along to take me to Clunes on the banks of Loch Lochy.

I then headed along The Mile Dorcha (The Dark Mile) to Eas Chia-aig waterfall at Loch Arkaig. The dark mile go its name from the fact it is a narrow wooded valley which gets very little sunshine, thus the walls are all thickly covered in mosses. Legend has it that when Bonnie Prince Charlie fled Scotland, he burried a stash of gold which the French had sent him to finance the 1745 rebellion and, to this day, it has never been found.

My afternoon was spent down Glen Nevis, walking down by The Waters Of Nevis and then going up to The Lower Falls. The photos give a better insight than my words would but, sufice to say, there is no more beautifull valley than Glan Nevis when the sun is shining and there are no bloody midges biting you!

I returned to my hotel and had a few drinks sat by the side of The Caledonian canal. The perfect end to a very enjoyable day and visit.

Through The Trees

Caledonian Pines, Loch Lochy

Eas Chia-aig, Loch Arkaig

Mamores from Glen Nevis

Glen Nevis

Waters of Nevis

Top of The Ben

Glen Nevis

Distand Ben Nevis at Sunset

Àird nam Murchan

I've been to, and blogged about Ardnamurchan many times so I wont go into the detail again. Basically my route took me across Loch Linnhe via The Coran Ferry and a nice wide road took me past Seal Isle (my name for it) as far as Strontion where I had a coffee sitting outside the local cafe/stores. I usually stop at the Natural History Centre at Glenmore but its season hadn't started which was a shame as it's a great place to stop after the horrors of the 18 mile mainly single track road from Strontian.

The road then rose to Camus nan Geall and around the base of Ben Hiant, an extinct volcano to Kilchoan. A single track side road then led across the Ardnamurchan peninsula to Sanna Bay and heaven. Not only was it heaven because of its scenery but also because I had the entire place to myself. A few dog walkers did eventually appear but I can live with that. Go in summer and its a completely different place, milling with holiday makers and more akin to the beach at Blackpool!

I spent a few hours there and then headed to the Lighthouse at Ardnamurchan Point. The last time I came, the final half mile of this route was controlled by a traffic light system as it is literally single track with NO passing places and very twisty but, horror of horrors, there was none to be seen. In the end I took my life in my hands and just set off and thankfully met no-one coming the opposite way.

The cafe wasn't open so I had the food I'd brought with me whilst looking across the sound towards The Small Isles and The Isle of Skye. A rocky wilderness on the one side of me and blue seas on the other. After leaving the lighthouse I drove a mile or so to a small coastal settlement called Portuairk which is the most westerly settlement on mainland Britain and was another hidden gem but as it was getting late in the afternoon and I had a long journey back, I didn't stay too long but I will certainly return for a longer visit.

I reluctantly left the peninsula and headed back and broke my journey to Banavie with a customary pint at The Glenuig Inn which is situated in a secluded bay overlooking The Sound of Arisaig. I came here many years ago and nearly died when I was charged a fiver for a pint. However on today's visit, it was the cheapest pint I'd had during my entire break, I think it was about £3.60 for a pint of delicious local ale.

It was then a fast road all the way back to my hotel for a well earned rest and another pint.