In July 2003 Anne and I went on an alternative beach holiday to the North of Scotland.



This was a holiday of contrasts:
  • Wild camping in a midge ridden bog to staying in a luxury huntin', shootin', fishin' lodge
  • Instant camp food cooked on a petrol burner to beautifully prepared three course dinners
  • Sweeping white sandy beaches to majestic rocky mountains
  • Stone age burial chambers to modern micro breweries
  • Huge smelly seabird colonies to fragrant orchids
We travelled north on the Caledonian Sleeper to Inverness, and hired a car. From Inverness we drove North West to Richonich where we camped for 3 nights before being driven to an official campsite in Scourie by the midges. After 4 nights in Scourie we then went to Borgie to stay in a hotel for the rest of the holiday. We clocked up just over 1,000 miles during the fortnight travelling around the North coast, before heading back to Inverness to catch the sleeper south.
Caledonian Sleeper
Anne and I on the Caledonian Sleeper on route to Inverness and the North
Bog
The bog where Anne thought we were going to camp
Adrmore camp
Our actual campsite. Idyllic... Except for the midges...
Oblong Leaved Sundew
Oblong leaved sundew (Drosera intermedia)
Oldshoremore
Oldshoremore beach
Foinaven
Foinaven from Oldshoremore
Oldshoremore
Oldshoremore
Oldshoremore
Oldshoremore (with seagulls)
Cooking
Wild cooking
Balnakeil beach
Balnakeil beach
Balnakeil beach
Balnakeil beach
Anne at Balnakeil
Anne on Balnakeil beach.
Faraid Head
Faraid Head. We saw puffins! :)
Smoo cave
Smoo cave
Loch Inchard
Loch Inchard The view from the Richonich public bogs
Scourie campsite
Our second campsite at Scourie
Scourie sunset
Sunset at Scourie
Anne on Handa
Anne on Handa island
Handa Great Stack
The Great Stack off Handa
Handa Great Stack
Lines of Guillemots on the Great Stack
A puffin
Look, a puffin
Cliffs on Handa
Torridonian sandstone cliffs on Handa
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay Looking north towards Cape Wrath
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay
Sandwood Bay
Swimming pool
Anne in a convenient pool in preparation for a swim off Sandwood Bay
Me in shorts
Look - me in shorts
Waterfall
A waterfall at Sandwood Bay
Stoer Lighthouse
Lighthouse at the Point of Stoer
Stoer Lighthouse
Stoer Lighthouse
Old Man of Stoer
Old Man of Stoer
Sheep
This sheep was determined not to be rounded up and sheared
Dun Dornaigil Broch
The Dun Dornaigil Broch, at the foot of Ben Hope
Castle Varrich
Castle Varrich (or Caisteal Bharraich in the Gaelic) above Tongue
Rainbow
A rainbow looking over to Skerray from our hotel in Borgie.
Ben Loyal
Ben Loyal
View from the summit of Ben Loyal
The view from the summit of Ben Loyal
Lunch spot
Our lunch spot on Ben Loyal
Dwarf willow
Dwarf willow (Salix herbacea) on the slopes of Ben Loyal
Golden rod
Golden rod (Solidago virgaurea) found on the slopes of Ben Loyal
Alpine ladies mantle
Alpine lady's mantle (Alchemilla alpina) on Ben Loyal
Invernaver beach
Invernaver beach
Invernaver beach
Invernaver beach, looking towards Bettyhill
Strathy Point
Me at Strathy Point
Castle of Mey
The Castle of Mey
Thurso Castle
Thurso Castle
Dunnet Head
Dunnet Head
John o' Groats
Just to show we went to John o' Groats
Duncansby Stacks
Duncansby Stacks
Sheep
Me feeding a sheep at the Elphin rare breeds centre
A Neolithic chambered tomb
A Neolithic chambered tomb at Achcoillenaborgie, Strathnaver. Built between 6000 and 4000 years ago. There is evidence of human habitation in Strathnaver covering the last 9000 years, starting from the Mesolithic and Neolithic periods all the way through to the present day. The glen is very fertile, a fact that interested the cash strapped land owners in the 1800s, who proceeded to rid the land of their human inhabitants to make way for sheep. Strathnaver suffered more than most during the clearances with people evicted from over 60 villages.
Inside a chambered tomb
Inside the Achcoillenaborgie Neolithic chambered tomb.
Chambered tomb
Looking down into a Neolithic chambered tomb at Skelpick.
Coldbackie beach
Coldbackie beach
Farr stone
The Farr stone
Achininver Beach
Achininver beach, near Strathan.
Port Vasgo
Port Vasgo, near Strathan.
Anne at Port Vasgo
Anne at Port Vasgo
Port Vasgo
Port Vasgo
Port Vasgo
Port Vasgo
Scottish Primrose
Scottish primrose (Primula scotica)
Forsinard
Forsinard
Locations
Full resolution