Snowy Scotland (Part 2)
The Ben Nevis Range
After a delicious breakfast at our hotel, we got back into the car and headed north. The fog and clouds dissipated as we reached this viewpoint and we were treated with stunning views of Ben Nevis. (Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the UK and popular for both climbing and ice climbing.)
Views of Loch Lochy (or as I like to call it Lakey Lake. Ahem)
We followed the A82 up to Invergarry and turned left onto the A87. The higher we drove the more snow we found and we couldn't resist pulling over at various parking spots to take in the stunning views.
Beneath the fog is the River Garry or the beginnings of Loch Garry.
This particular stop was breathtaking. The sun was still rising and the morning light lit up the snow.
I believe that is Loch Loyne. I'm not exactly sure... though. We didn't have lots of signposts for reference. ;)
Where it appears the A87 dead-ends into the A87 and the A887, we turned left and stayed on the A87 and continued our drive alongside Loch Cluanie (it was originally just the River Cluanie until they built a dam, thereby flooding it and creating a loch). In the background is Aonach Air Chirith, part of the South Glen Shiel Ridge.
The views were stunning and there was hardly anybody on the roads so we continued our drive, stopping every couple of miles for more pictures of the stunning mountains and loch.
Further along down the Glen Shiel Range.
After passing this corner, we saw three hunters out scouting for red deer. We knew they were deer hunters almost instantly because they were the first people we had seen wearing camo and tallest man was wearing a tweed jacket and a deerstalker cap (just like Sherlock Holmes). Aaron immediately pulled over and started a conversation about hunting for red deer in the highlands as I hid mortified in the car. ;) He gained some valuable information about hunting in Scotland and is excited to hopefully join a hunt sometime soon!
Roadsigns in Scotland are hilarious to me. Most of the time you see signs for people crossing or sheep crossing or deer in the road, but we saw one new sign on this trip: feral goats. For about two miles, there is a stretch along the A87 where there are feral goats and these things are HUGE. The horns alone are probably a foot and a half long. They trot along the side of the road or slip under the guardrails as cars pass by.
Glen Shiel
Glen Shiel where a famous battle took place between the Jacobites and Spanish against the British in 1719. The battle was fought mostly by Clan MacKenzie, Clan MacKinnon, and some 200 Spanish against the English soldiers, a group of Dutch, and some smaller Scottish clans like Clan Fraser, Clan Ross, and Clan Sutherland. The English won, even though they had fewer men, simply because the Jacobites were not well armed or well-fed. The Spanish surrendered after three hours of combat but due to their assistance a nearby peak of Glen Shiel range was named Sgurr Nan Spainteach.
The bottom of the lovely waterfall in Glen Shiel.
The further north we drive in the highlands, the most beauty we see. The A87 is a normal, everyday road for many Scots, but it also features breathtaking views. And as a bonus, it leads you directly to the Isle of Skye!