Applecross Campsite

There was heavy rain overnight, making quite a noise in the van, but when Poppy decided it was time to get up (6.45 am) the sky was clear with the promise of some fine weather.

As we explored a track beside the old farm buildings we had an exciting encounter – two red deer stags, just a few yards away.  Poppy did not know what to make of them, and the two young gentlemen trotted down the edge of the deer fence, not much concerned.  Again, no camera with me, and the quick snaps I took with my phone in the half dark produced only fuzzy pictures.

 

Mary and I decided to make an early start and explored two restored Hebridean barns, an excavated broch and a thatched round house – not bad going within a couple of hundred yards of the campsite.

After that we had a lovely walk along a marked path through old hazel woods at Carnach.  (Carnach means a stony place, or one bounded by cairns, and there certainly were lots of moss covered stones about.)  The path eventually led us down to the shore road.  The dogs loved the wood, exploring and running free.  They certainly needed that after two long days in the van.

 

Across the water we could see the island of Raasay which we had visited many years before. The flat topped hill called Dun Caan stood out distinctly.  On that visit to Raasay I had copied James Boswsell who had climbed it during his tour of the Highlands with Dr Johnston in 1773 and “danced a jig” on the top.   We had looked across the same stretch of water, and eventually decided we were looking at Applecross in the bright sunlight.   Now here we were looking back the other way, though hardly in sunshine.

Sadly that was the only outing.  We had hoped to visit the Heritage Centre, but after lunch the rain came on and the wind blew up and we were confined to the van.  But at least we had that wonderful morning.

As the rain poured down and the gales shook the van we wondered if we would have to abandon our road trip. The weather forecast predicted more storms to come.  I did not fancy tackling the Bealach again in such bad weather and we had no idea what the coast road was like.