Wigtwizzle - Norman Smith's Travel Blog.: black mount

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Back to The Highlands

It had been a long time, much too long a time since I was last in The Highlands, and it certainly felt great to be back. I was only up there for three nights but managed to do what I had planned to do, plus the weather was very kind to me. The only time it let me down was on my day out to Sanna Bay on the Ardnamurchan Peninsula where there was a sea haar which was OK for photography but a bit grim for coastal exploration.

On my drive up, I made a detour into The Trossachs National Park, visiting Loch Ard and Loch Chon before going over The Duke's Pass to Callander. The pass was originally built by the Duke of Montrose in the 19th century to improve access to his estate, and was later upgraded to accommodate the Victorian tourists drawn to the area after the publication of Sir Walter Scott's epic poem 'The Lady of the Lake' which celebrates the beauty of Loch Katrine. It may not have been as impressive as some of the higher passes, but what it lacked in that, it made up for in sheer beauty.

I also made a detour along the far side of Loch Tulla, and it was there where I got my first cleg attack, no midges but loads of clegs. Fortunately, I had given myself a good spraying of Smidge, so the little blighters were just bouncing off me.

I arrived at The Moorlands Hotel at Banavie early evening, settled in to my room and then had a short stroll along the Caledonian Canal's towpath. After driving for so long, it took my legs a short while to get going, but I still thoroughly enjoyed my walk in the late evening sun.

Had a couple of beers sat outside on the hotel's patio which overlooked the canal and just watched the world go by. I can't see me staying in Fort William again, this place was perfect for my needs.

https://twitter.com/BBCSpringwatch/status/1430439807747072001?s=20

The Trossachs

Loch Ard

Loch Chon

The Trossachs

The Duke's Pass

The Trossachs

Ben Dorain

Loch Tulla

Caledonian Canal at Banavie

A Highland Winter Wonderland

My weekend away all too quickly came to an end but what an end it turned out to be. I awoke to clear blue skies so got packed, had my breakfast and checked out of the hotel as quickly as I could. First stop was Glen Nevis. Once the sun has risen above the head of the Glen it us useless for photography so I knew I only had about an hour. GI managed to get some nice shots of the River Nevis and also some good wintry close-up shots of the morning sun hitting the tops of The Mamores before having to move on.

Then it was back in to Fort William and to Glen Coe. I stopped off at the Visitor Centre for a coffee and then rose up through the Glen. Once again the sun was directky in front of me so no photos were taken in the Glen itself. It was only after I'd strarted to drive across Rannoch Moor that I noticed the fabulous view behind me. Pulling in to the first laybe I crossed the road to the edge of the moor and took some spectacular photos back towards the Three Sisters and The Buachaille Etive Mor hills.

The sun was beginning to melt the overnight snow so I quickly carried on to The Black Mount area of the moor. Climbed up to the viewpoint over Loch Bà for some photos and then walked along the road to the edge of Lochan nà Stainge with its fantastic views over The Black Mount. I sat there for ages waiting for the ripples to die down on the Lochan so that I could get a reflection of the hills and lochside tree. I was eventually rewarded with some of the best photos I've taken in this area.

Within a few miles the ground level snow had all but disappeared so I decided not to waste any more of my time and just carried on back to Cumbria, only stopping on the way for a couple of coffee breaks.

Little did I realise on my drive back that in the space of a couple of weeks, I would be iscolated in my own home due to the Covid-19 virus. In fact, if Britain had followed the rest of the world (which it should have done), I would not have been able to make this trip.

As I write this blog at the beginning of May, nearly 30,000 people have died from it in the UK and there is no sign of the lockdown easing anytime soon. I have also had to cancel my two week holiday in Somerset and rearrange it for next year. I have a week booked in Wales in July and I'm not very confident on going there. I don't think this blog is the place for my thoughts on the so-called governmeny of ours and the useless waste of space of the man who is supposidly our Prime Minister, hopefully they will all be held to account one day.

These are strange times we are living in.

Ben Nevis

The Mamores from Glen Nevis

Lower falls, Glen Nevis

The Mamores from Glen Nevis

River Nevis

Glen Coe

Glen Coe hills

Buachaille Etive Mor

The Black Mount

Loch Bà

Lochan na Stainge

Heading Up North

Little did I know when I came on this weekend away how my life and the world would change over the next few weeks. The coronavirus was just beginning to cause concern but, as a lone traveller who keeps himself to himself anyway, I decided to bite the bullet and booked two nights in the Alexandra Hotel in Fort Willaim.

I had every weather imaginable going up but that only added to the enjoyment. I did manage to get out of the car a few times and take some photos, namely on Rannoch Moor and at Glencoe Lochan. All the hills had snow on the tops so, by using my 300mm lens, I could zoom in and get some really good wintery shots. The sun actually made an appearance whilst I was out walking round Glencoe Lochan but it didn't last for too long and was soon replaced with drizzle.

It was still wet when I arrived in Fort William so I just booked in to the hotel and got my feet up for an hour or so. In the evening I popped out for a couple of beers, having one in The Grog and Gruel and then one in the Black Isle Bar which is the best pub in town. They were both very quiet so social distancing was never an isssue. The town was deserted as well. I decided to have a pizza in The Black isle bar on Saturday night as they looked and smelt so good. When I got back in to the hotel I had a bottle of lager in the bar and then had an early night.