Northern Highlands - New Year 2005

Sim came for a flying visit, for a few days after the New Year. The blizzards had returned, but in a brief gap we took the opportunity to take a spectacular local work and a tour in the car.

A Walk to Torrisdale

This was an excellent walk around the large and impressive Torrisdale Bay, adjacent to Bettyhill on the north coast. We crossed the Naver at the Achina and walked along the riverside. Then straight across the hill (you can see the path on the map, although it's more a case of following the electricity poles,) to the salt-marshes and dunes of Torrisdale As the tide was out, we could (just) walk along the sand all the way back to the River Naver and back to the bridge. The wind on top of the hill was fierce and bitter, but the scenery was spectacular.


Walking along the river. The hill (Druim Chuibhe) behind us.
Hen about to head up the hill.
     
Wasn't much evidence of a path up the hill, but we could follow the electricity poles. You can see Bettyhill is on the other side of the river.

The top and The river Borgie on the other side.
Sim attempts to accept a call on his mobile. With the speed of the wind, this was rather over-optimistic.

It looked like a tiny dip we could follow, but we'd got the scale wrong.
Sim was heading too enthusiastically  downhill.

He sort of 'slid over,' rather than falling.
The dunes at Torrisdale.

Sim enjoys a can of ice-cold Dr P.
Hen is regretting not bringing a flash of tea.

The sea was looking quite scary.
The happy couple, with the 'outskirts' of Bettyhill behind.
      
Hen with the River Naver behind.

 

Tongue, Hope and Naver

We took a tour in Sim's hire car along some of the most beautiful roads in Britain. You can see a small scale map of each section by clicking the links below. 

  1. West from Bettyhill to The Kyle of Tongue, with a de-tour to Talmine

  2. Across to see the spectacular Loch Eriboll sea loch and then a  U-turn

  3. South along Loch Hope, and south-east along Strath More to Altnahara

  4. North-east along Loch Naver and Strathnaver, back to Bettyhill

Large scale map links are provided in the commentary to selected photos.


The causeway over the Kyle of Tongue.

The road snakes around Loch Eriboll.

Ard Neakie - not quite and island.

The beautiful Loch Hope.