From: Invermoriston to Drumnadrochit
Distance: 15m/24km
The hills opposite the Invermoriston Hotel were shrouded in cloud when we set out today. The walk started immediately with a very long, steep climb and I was glad I’d remembered Sue’s advice: Be bold: start cold. My legs had been a little chilly in shorts when I first walked outside but with the climb they were very quickly warmed up.
The corner shop at Invermoriston
Taking the high road across an area of deforestation
We got the opportunity today to take the high road out of Invermoriston. It was a long, steep climb which zigzagged up through the forest of pines and birch trees. High up, we were eventually rewarded with intermittent views of Loch Ness. Sadly, we didn’t see too much more of the loch for quite some time. Trees and more trees were the order of the day instead and while I really do love forests I was disappointed not to be given the opportunity to see if I could spot Nessie from the tops.
Brief glimpses of Loch Ness
The sun took its time in coming out .. pleasing both of us: Sophie when it eventually came out and me while it took its time. We’re quite different in this respect!
With our shadows
Our way took us past a cave made of stone built pristinely into the side of the hill. Had it been raining it would have made a fine shelter for a tea break, with it’s stone seating and comfy pine-needle flooring. This section has small areas of native pinewood and is an important habitat for pine martens, Scottish crossbill, and black grouse. It’s also home to a rare hoverfly, which may excite botanists but is unlikely to be as much of a thrill as a pine marten or red squirrel sighting for most people .. which sadly we did not see either.
Cave dweller
Tea-break in the sun
Further on we came across a sign by the stream at Allt-sigh. It told us that the last she-wolf of the glen was killed centuries ago at this spot. Nowadays, we often refer to she-wolves as those strong royal women who lived before Elizabeth I, being independent and refusing to do as the menfolk told them. The BBC in fact made a documentary about them.
In this case I’m sure the sign referred to the extinguishing of all grey wolves in the country. The wolf’s population has quadrupled in Europe since 1970, and the fact that they remain extinct in Britain is increasingly anomalous. With the return of the beaver, the success of the wild cat, a growing call for the return of the lynx, as well as an EU directive obliging governments to consider the reintroduction of extinct species, it may well be the time to return wolves to Scotland. David Attenborough certainly thinks we should. Yet 250 years since their eradication, the animal is still capable of inciting powerful feelings. Reintroduction would of course have wide-spread impact .. just for example, on the behaviour of red deer, It’s strongly believed they would become skittish and in turn graze less in open areas, such as the riverside. The knock-on effect would be less pressure on the wet-land grasses, allowing a regrowth of previously struggling species. It’s a complicated business playing with ecology .. let alone the effect it would have on wild campers.
Forest walking without wolves
No sooner were we down at the loch side before we were zigzagging up through the forest again.
Loch glimpses
Honeyed gorse
Expansive moorland scenery
We wound our way down to the popular pottery and cafe we’d heard about from other walkers at Grotaig. We were not disappointed .. home-made cakes and espresso coffees gave us added energy to walk the remaining two hours, along the hot tarmac road. The scenery was pastoral and there were lots of animal treats along the way ..
Foals ..
.. Jersey cows ..
.. a black dog called Rollo for me ..
.. and a black cat, we christened Belle, for Sophie
Close to Drumnadrochit and our stop for the night, is one of the most romantic places in Scotland: Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness. It lies in ruins but is everything that John Ruskin would have called truly ‘picturesque’. The route of the Great Glen Way however, does not go via the castle and at the end of a hot 15 miles we decided to leave our visit till the following morning, when we were fresher and more able to appreciate the tumultuous history of the place.
All day long we had been practising our Scottish accent, wondering what Sophie’s cab-driver Rory would have to say about various bits of trivia. I was still very much in that mind-set when there was a knock on my bedroom door at The Loch Ness Inn, our stop for the night. Thinking it was Sophie, I replied in my best (but really the worst!) Scottish accent that she should come in. As my hands were wet I didn’t get right to the door and continued my conversation with her for a couple of minutes through the door. You can not imagine the embarrassment when I opened the door to find the landlady standing there. She was a true hostess .. smiling broadly before giving me the room key I’d left downstairs. Aye well …
Black Dog Tails
Google doesn’t record the name of this fine black hero dog who gave protection to spectators at the Thanksgiving Parade in Boston.
Back in the early 60s, long before any of us were married, we heard of a doctor’s wife who was nurturing some wildcat kittens in Drumnadrochit and along with two of my friends we drove from Yorkshire camping along the way. What happened about finding the doctor’s wife and the kittens I can’t remember, but I know we ended up in the pub there. We chatted with a local gamekeeper and drank an awful lot of beer. We had left our tents wild camped in the forest above the village. We should have known better, but the gamekeeper invited us to come back to his cottage which we did taking with us one or two bottles of Scotch and imposed on the gamekeeper’s long suffering, I guess, wife. We left there in the wee small hours. I was in my tent with Pete (he now features on my blog when we still walk together almost every Thursday – Pete is now 83 and I am 78 so all that was going on 60 years ago.) Not long after snuggling down there was the most appalling blood-curdling high volume scream from the forest that I have ever heard – we were petrified.
Pete said ” What the **** was that? Are you going to go and see?”
“Not likely” I said.
You made me chuckle, Conrad .. thank you! But WHAT was making that blood-curdling scream?? Your readers need to know!
Jules – If we found out what it was it would destroy the story.
Hey Jules getting close now!! Love those photos (I’m being serious!😀).
All love and best wishes for the final push from all the Marshs. Nigel xx
Glad you like the pics .. so worth holding up the walking for a couple of minutes! Hope the knee is fully recovered. Will imagine you by my side as I head due north. xx
I think you have taken the sun up north…grey today here in Kent and Sussex! The colour of that gorse is remarkable and set against a clear blue sky – eat your heart out Sydney! Getting dangerously close to your destination – mixed emotions? You must have raised so much money for such a worthwhile cause Jules – be proud and hold onto that feeling way into the future.
Lots of love xx
Let me send a bundle of sunshine down to you in the south! Just ten days left with a rest day tomorrow in Inverness and another half way between here and John o’Groats. Mixed emotions? Good question. I think they would be more mixed if my foot weren’t giving me such trouble. Right now I feel I could sleep for a month! With all the kind donations we have raised a shed-load. Very happy about that. Lots of love to you too. xx
Hello Jules, I made contact with you months ago with anticipation of walking with you but haven’t been in touch since. I’m sorry about that, my loss … I must congratulate you on your achievement, and all that’s gone into getting you to it. Massive effort. Something I often think about for myself. I read your blog, enjoy it, and have been inspired to ‘just get out’ without over planning, and it’s been fine. Boy, but won’t you deserve a glass of champagne at JOG! Kind regards,
Julie, lovely to hear from you again. So glad you’ve been getting out and walking. I’m looking forward to that champagne!
Hi Jules- Harry and I loving the trail tales. It’s become his daily read – not sure what he’ll do when it’s over! Xx
That’s so lovely, Lisa! Thank you. xx
BTW – I love your daily illustrations – something I really enjoy looking at, yet have never commented on – you need to make them into a calendar or such like when you get home, to immortalize them – it will be hard to choose the best ones as they are all so special. Love the hare – it reminds me a bit of Bosco! Not sure when you have the time to walk, draw, blog and then rest….
with love
Thank you, Linda .. love the fact that the hare reminds you of Bosco! To be honest, I prepared a lot of the drawings beforehand and during the West Highland Way my sister was the artist. She also drew the harey Bosco. On the days when I do have to do a drawing it makes the day very long as they take over an hour each. xx
Och aye tha noo, today’s bagpipe song is one you all know: The Skye Boat Song:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i05k9p_MMBg
written to commemorate Bonnie Prince Charlie’s escape to The Isle of Skye after the battle of Culloden, a few miles from where Jules is now.
The words of the song, romanticising a bloody battle and inspiring many movies and TV series, leave the door open for “the next instalment”:
Burned are their homes, exile and death
Scatter the loyal men;
Yet ere the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again.
Thank you my own lovely piper! Just tossing up whether I’ll spend my rest day tramping the battlefield of Culloden or going to the spa. Hmmmm ..
Hi Jules, how are your feet doing? Hope they are ‘just hanging in there’ for you xx
They’re gonna have to! Nothing for it. x
Can’t believe how much ground you have covered “north of the wall” and how much there is of Scotland… and as a Frannie says you seem to take the sun with you, so hopefully you continue to experience meeting (black) cats and dogs, rather than it raining cats and dogs.
And may it be the dosh that buckets down…well done you
A & S
X
I beginning to believe that it’s all a myth about the cold and rain in Scotland! Not seen a drop north of the border. Thanks for the message, both of you .. xx
Hello wonderful Jules
Can’t believe you’re nearly there – sore foot not withstanding, I hope you enjoy the last days. Still loving your commentary and pics. If it’s not raining in Scotland – perhaps there is some correlation with your adopted homeland because it is still not raining in rural eastern Australia – officially drought now. Never the less we are all in good spirits, one day closer to when it does rain. Bug hugs xxx
Typically optimistic of you, Beck .. but I know it must be tough. Much love Jx