After another blustery night feeling like there was a hurricane outside, we woke up on Boxing Day to another huge Scottish Breakfast. We hadn't tried Haggis the previous morning but were under strict instructions from our hosts that we had to try both Haggis and Black Pudding before leaving.
So we gave Haggis a try and were pleasantly surprised to find it tasted delicious and left a slightly peppery taste in our mouths.. perhaps we'd try Black Pudding the next morning.
Our plan for the day was to drive along the Road to the Isles, the long road that goes from Fort William, past Glenfinnan Viaduct to Mallaig, a lovely fishing town were you can take ferries to the Inner Hebrides, like the Isles of Rum and Eigg, and the more famous Isle of Skye.
In the Summer a steam train runs the same route, and is known for being amongst the most beautiful train rides in the world.
Our first stop was the Glenfinnan Monument, built in 1815 to mark the place where Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised the flag of his family, and raised a call to arms for local chiefs to support the restoration of the Stuarts to the British throne.
We were also going to visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct, famous from the Harry Potter movies where the steam train goes over it on the way to Hogwarts, but it started pouring with rain, so we got back in the car and continued along the road.
The scenery along the Road to the Isles is amazing, we had seen some stunning landscapes at Glen Coe the day before, but we passed so many beautiful Loch's we couldn't help but pull over at every one and take some photos. We've got so many photos now that I can't tell which is which, but they're all beautiful.
Once we got closer to Mallaig, we ventured off the main road and headed towards the coast and a small town called Arisaig. The coastal route had views over to the Isles, but also we had been told there were beautiful white sand beaches, to rival those of the Caribbean, so off we went to discover for ourselves.
Along the tiny one lane road, we came across these fluffy Highland Cattle. We pulled over and got out to get closer. We spent a long time taking photos, utterly entranced by their cute faces. They just stared at us the entire time, and refused to come any closer.
Having had no luck trying to entice them closer for a pat, we got back in the car and headed for the beaches.
We discovered the beaches of the Arisaig coast were just as beautiful as we had been told. Whilst I don't think it ever reaches the warmth of the Caribbean, and I'm not sure it would ever be warm enough for me to venture inside the water, the sand was just as white as any of those beaches, and the water just as clear.
We happily wandered along the white sandy shores, exploring rock pools and peering into the crystal clear water.
Getting hungry for lunch we headed further along the coast to Mallaig, where they do some of the best Fish and Chips in the country.
Unfortunately for us, everything except the Co-op supermarket was shut, so we contented ourselves with a lunch of chicken drumsticks and salad overlooking the harbour.
After lunch we headed back along the road, stopping at the Glenfinnan Viaduct, where the rain had cleared up and the sun was now shining.
The Viaduct was built in 1897 was one of the largest structures built using concrete without reinforcing. It has 21 arches and is 30 metres high, overlooking Loch Shiel.
The Viaduct is one of the most popular attractions in the area, but was empty of tourists on Boxing Day, we only saw a few other people on the track there and back.
Bradley taking selfies without me!
Leaving Glenfinnan we still had a few hours of daylight left, so we continued along the road until we reached Fort William. We turned off just before arriving in town and drove through Glen Nevis, a valley bordered by huge mountains with a single track road running through the centre. Our destination was Steall Falls, a huge waterfall at the end of a walk through Nevis Gorge.
We stopped at a car park at the Lower Falls and took a few photos before debating whether to continue since it was now dusk and we weren't sure we'd have enough time to see the falls before it got dark. Neither of us was keen on driving along the windy one lane road though the valley in the pitch black.
The Lower Falls - still quite impressive
We decided to continue since we were already most of the way there. We drove along for what felt like an eternity, watching as the sky grew slowly darker, before arriving at small car park at the very end.
We arrived at dusk and began the walk up through the trees toward the falls. We met several people on their way down, but we were the only ones heading up.
The walk up towards the falls was lovely, we passed several smaller waterfalls on the way and in places the track was very narrow. At one point we had to clamber up the side of one waterfall and cross over the middle.
It was at this point that we realised we couldn't really continue as the track wasn't safe enough to be able to make our way back down once it was too dark. We walked a little bit further and had an amazing view out over the valley below, before turning around and making our way back down.
While slightly disappointed we didn't get to see the falls, we did see some amazing smaller falls and the scenery was so spectacular we didn't feel like it was a wasted journey!
Back in Fort William we stopped at a local pub for our first sit down meal in two days, a huge plate of chilli and a cheeseburger, definitely what we needed after a long day.
Spectacular photography! Spectacular scenery.
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