I had an almost perfect run back to Durness yesterday. I’m staying here for the rest of the month. I hate driving in school holidays so will do as little as possible.
I only encountered two idiots on the road and both provided more amusement than danger. The first was a near thing. I was proceeding in a southerly direction along the east side of Loch Eriboll. I noticed a car coming towards me and as the next passing place was on my nearside I gave it a flash and carried on. I was about twenty feet from the wide bit doing fifteen or twenty miles an hour when the car swerved into the passing place. I missed him but really think Highlands Council should issue all foreign travellers with instructions on the use of single track roads. The normal muppetry is for them to stop in the narrow bit just before they reach the overtaking bay. This chaps approach was certainly novel.
I was within a mile of Durness climbing the last gradient when over the top of the hill popped a convoy of five motorcyclists. No passing places but there was a yard of gravel either side of the road. I pulled over and stopped. Two came past with a wave but the the third was gesticulating for me to move further over. I thought I’d done my bit so gave him the internationally recognised two fingered reply. Halfway passed he fell off his bike on the gravel. Fortunately it fell away from the van. I got out to assist in lifting it off him and discovered an irate German Lady. The two lads behind her were trying their best not to laugh. A bit of a scrape on the bike but apart from loss of dignity she was fine. Plenty of padding she had…..too many sausages I thought but was wise enough not to say.
We went for a quick wander first thing this morning.
That’s all for today.
Enjoy! Is that your van on the right with the dogs on the back?
ReplyDeleteCarol, I'll do my best to party.
DeleteNo, I took the picture from my van. I'm further up the hill.
Love these pictures Adrian; excellent.
ReplyDeleteGlad you had some amusement on the journey.
Enjoy your stay there.
I'm back off to Wales very soon.
Cheers Keith.
DeleteIt is never a boring run but at holiday times it can be a little too exciting. I drive about all winter and meet low loaders, bin wagons and never do we have the slightest problem.
I guessed as much. Have a great summer.
It's a very beautiful part of the world. Your photo of Ben Hope and Loch Hope is stunning..
ReplyDeleteAnnie, from Bettyhill westwards it just gets better. I'll have to get out to Cape Wrath. It's just picking the weather.
DeleteI really like Sango Sands as a base. It's cheap, relaxed and friendly. The families that come this far generally have nice children. I'll catch and cook one, let you know how they taste.....Pound to a penny like chicken or alligator.
Last year I took the road down the east shore of Loch Hope on my way to Altnaharra. Never again with the truck. It would be okay with your car and it is smashing in parts. There is an excellent Broch just before you join the Tongue-Lairg road. I expect you know.
The Ben Hope Photo is HDR. As restrained as I can do.
Wow! What a beautiful place Adrian but it would have been even more beautiful with a fat German motorcyclist to comfort. You could have had a sausage sandwich while watching the sun go down together... "Herr Adrian I vont more wurst sandwich mein kleines kätzchen!"
ReplyDeleteYP, the poor lasses feet were hardly touching the ground. She was in neutral, thank god. The bike was too big. I hate seeing bikers who aren't confident. British ones have a test almost as hard as the commercial truckers.
DeleteI love riding bikes but they build most of them far too small; with the exception of Harleys and I wouldn't be seen dead under one of those. A lass I know in North Yorkshire has just got a very expensive Aprilla. It is so small my knees almost touched the ground standing still. I wish I was vertically challenged.
Silly cyclists some are like little jumped up Hitlers and I am a cyclist. I have learnt a bit about some cyclists behaviour and some deserve the grief they get...
ReplyDeleteI love the clouds/skies in the images especially the first image
Douglas these weren't the annoying peddling along ones. Theses were your big Yamaha ones.
DeleteSometimes HDR is just too glamourous for me - it doesn't ring true. I have to say these are pretty spectacular though. If the light is low - as now some winter days - I do go to HDR too. Jean
ReplyDeleteJean, I remember exposure blending and the pavement pizza effect. I'll shoot one as it should be shot. Spot metered at one stop intervals from light to dark from a tripod. I just blast three off at -2 to +2. The range was greater in the first and the software greys bits out. I'll stop being lazy.
DeleteThere has to be a way to keep idiots of the road. Your locals know that courtesy is necessary to drive single lane roads. Courtesy goes a long way in all aspects of life.
ReplyDeleteRed, they just get frightened. A frightened person just tends to be aggressive. Neither of these were. They just didn't understand.
DeleteAdrian this landscape it's really stunning, your pics are wonderful really compliments
ReplyDeleteLaura, it is my favourite area. It is getting a bit busy now as the schools have finished for the summer.
DeleteAdriaan that you have a very nicely done.
ReplyDeleteThank you Bas.
DeleteWonderful images of a beautiful place ...
ReplyDeleteAndrew, you ought to plan a holiday here.
DeleteLovely landscape your going to stay 3 weeks. And what about the images, they are superb, the best.
ReplyDeleteBob, I like it here. I still have much to look at.
DeleteThat 1st image is to die for fantastic dont go upsetting the Germans again they did better than us in the football, not hard to do !!!!!!
ReplyDeletePeter, there are lots of Germans here. I only upset one.
DeleteStunning photos, especially the first two, I just love the beautiful little cottage on Ard Neakie. I often have to Google the places you are staying at and ultimately I learn more about the area. I must try to get up there one day.
ReplyDeleteCath, if you catch the right light then it is wonderful here. It is worth the trip.
DeleteAll those moody clouds really add atmosphere to your scenes. I wouldn't want to be sitting where your van is if the weather were like what it is here today. Does that make sense? Blowing a gale and worse predicted. I guess you will get a good blow in the next few weeks. Understand what you mean about strangers on narrow roads. Fortunately few strangers venture where I live.
ReplyDeletePauline, it is windy here but I should be fine. I wouldn't want to be here in winter.
DeleteI hope it doesn't cause any damage. Stay in with a good book.
Has escogido un bonito lugar, ahí pasarás unos buenos días. La señora se llevó un buen susto.
ReplyDeleteBuen martes.
Un abrazo.
Laura, me encanta estar aquí. Fue un shock para la señora.
DeleteThat view is incredible.....and name sounds like something Elvish. As for motorists, I could scream sometimes at the idiotic maneuvers especially when we're out in the wild areas. Thankfully the German wasn't harmed and that their kind have of tough skins. I find an angry German is really a happy one. So she had a good day indeed:)
ReplyDeleteThe names are Gaellic. She didn't seem very happy to me.
DeleteI love views with atmospheric clouds like the first one. The first light over the water is great as well.
ReplyDeleteJohn, some great views fro th A838. It's just a matter of catching the weather
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure why but the Ard Neakie house location fascinates me.
ReplyDeleteGraham, it look derelict. The place is fascinating. It has lime kilns and an old ferry dock plus a little loch on the hill. It would make a great place to live.
DeleteLoved everything about this post including your humorous take on the reality of driving on Scotlands obscure scenic roads. I've just come back from Scotland and witnessed idiotic driving too.
ReplyDeleteJay, I don't know how the delivery drivers manage in summer.
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