All’s well that ends well…

Today shows a bit of promise weather-wise although still a bit cloudy as we set off. We haven’t any real plan but have a vague idea of visiting the remote bit of the west coast that has the remote Summer Isles opposite.  We have been there several times but if the sun comes out it should be great scenery.

Our route takes us around the windy (as in U turns) single lane road that tortuously twists itself in knots going around the Strathan Glen and various lochans.

We get to a more mountainous area (but less twisty) when we reach the Coigach range.  The mountains are still topped with a chunk of mist.

and make our way to Achnahaird.  You get a wonderful view from the top of a hill down to the Achnahaird bay and its multi-coloured dunes.

We have never actually been down on to the sand and find that there is a lane that goes down to a small carpark.  We are so glad we have found it!  There is a grassy headland which is easy to walk…

… and I even find myself taking photos of the rocks below.  I think I’m a bit braver than I was when we went over to Handa Island three years ago to find the Puffins!

Oystercatchers pose beautifully on one of the rocks…

We are researching this unusual violet coloured flower that is curious to look at with its hairy stem that attaches over the flower head itself. It has basal leaves that are succulent. We have just found out!  It is in fact the carnivorous Common Butterwort whose leaves are covered in glistening sticky glands which trap and digest small insects. The flowers have a spur at the back.  A first for us!

A seat is always handy for a brief rest (hat is needed for the stiff breeze!)

The beach stretches out in front of us and there is an easy descent.

The sand is so beautifully firm to walk on and there is a dramatic view across the dunes to the mountains far beyond.

Interesting patterns abound in the sand from the movement of the tides and some have small crabs – now unfortunately deceased…

As you can see, the sand is very pink in hue, rather like that at Clashnessie.  The sea is a striking turquoise…

We met a very pleasant couple with a two spaniels, one of which delighted in picking scraggy bits of seaweed and asking for them to be thrown!  We have seen so many dogs on this holiday that I am getting quite twitchy about having another one.

Eventually we tore ourselves away and left them to it…

An amazing place and one which we’re sure to return to.

We drove on to Altandhu with fantastic views of the Summer Isles laid out in front of us…

How about these lambs with black and white heads, black bodies and legs with white ‘socks’ and white tails that look as though they have been crocheted!  Mother is brown!

Apologies for bad photo!

Another young stag who stood nicely for several photographs!

At Achtilbuie there is a famous Hydroponicum:

and a bay that features rusty old seafaring items!

Time was getting on and we started the long journey back.  Half way along the route we had a phone call from our eldest daughter to say that she had had a phone call from one of our neighbours to say that our house alarm had been going off for several minutes.  The alarm people were also on the phone to her to say it is a fire alarm and a fire engine is being sent out!  They were going straight over and would ring us when they got there. We then spent a very uncomfortable 40 minutes or so while we drove back to civilisation as our phone connection had cut out!

Anyway, the long and short of it was that it was all a false alarm.  They had sent two fire engines out but on investigation there was no sign of an electrical fault so goodness knows what had set it off – perhaps dust in the smoke alarm?  Phew!  Thanks go to Sally and Sean for going over anyway and ringing us back to reasure us – what a thing to happen on her birthday!  Shows the system works anyway…

The day finished with an amazing sunset (header) and the view from Bessie was equally fantastic.