Today we left Benderloch
heading northeast for Duirinish. Our first stop was at Fort Augustus. I
knew the Great Glen and Loch Ness from my previous trips, but it was
the first time for Dagmar - and there can't be a Scotland trip without
Loch Ness, can it?
Fort Augustus and Loch Ness
No Nessie anywhere!
MS Lord of the Glens climbing the locks
Not far from Fort Augustus we visited the Invermoriston Falls and the nearby historic
Telford Bridge.
On a short woodland stroll we could watch a Red Squirrel. This native
species is in rapid decline due to the squirrelpox virus introduced by
the alien Grey Squirrel. Grey Squirrel are significantly larger and
more robust, and they are immune to the virus they often carry thus
having a double advantage over the red type. Only in North England and
Scotland there is a population of Red Squirrel left, while they are
practically extinct and replaced by the Grey Squirrel in the rest of
England and Wales.
Telford Bridge near Invermoriston Falls
Red Squirrel
Through Glen Garry and Glen Shiel
we continued on our way to Duirinish. I think Glen Shiel must be very
beautiful in fair weather, but the rain and the low hanging clouds made
the drive almost depressing. Needless to say that there was no view
from Ratagan pass to enjoy, but we had made the climb just in case.
Our next stop was at the famous Eilean Donan Castle which must be
the most photographed castle in all of Scotland. Known from the movies
Highlander, Braveheart and a few others a lot of people don't know that
most of today's castle is less than 100 years old. The restoration was
finished in 1932 after 20 years of work. Until then, the castle ruins
had been almost untouched since its destruction in the Jacobite Rising
of 1715.
Eilean Donan Castle
After our visit to this awesome castle it had been just a few minutes until we arrived at Tigh Arran in Duirinish. Mary and Iain own some 25 Highland Cattle which we could always see from our window.
