An impromptu trip to Glencoe with @alycoste at the weekend. With lightning and thunderstorms predicted for the Saturday we used the power of positive thinking to keep the bad weather away. Ok I used the power of positive thinking and Alayne laughed at my attempt to sway the universe. Although it was very humid on Saturday afternoon, the rain kept away, mostly. Sunday was very hot and sunny and we both got sunburnt! Ah Scotland, how I love your twisted sense of humour. We visited four different areas over two days, The Lost Valley, Ballachullish, Glencoe Lochan and Glen Etive.

The Lost Valley

A valley that the McDonald's used to hide stolen cattle in. I have no idea how they got cattle up into this area though, in some areas it's a bit of a scramble to get up! There are lots of great places to stop for photographs, especially the pools and waterfalls on the way up to the valley floor (it's a hanging valley).

Ballachulish

Surrounded by some of the most dramatic and beautiful scenery in Scotland, Ballachulish is a perfect base for exploring the amazing landscape of Glencoe. This village used to be the 'slate capital' of Scotland and the disused quarries can be still seen nearby. The bridge connects North and South Ballachulish. We got there around nine at night hoping for a great sunset but as can be seen there was a fair bit of cloud still hanging around.

Glencoe Lochan

Glencoe Lochan is a tract of forest located just north of Glencoe village. It was planted/transplanted from the Pacific Northwest of Canada in the nineteenth century by Donald Alexander Smith and the area around the lochan is often said to look like a miniature Lake Louise in British Columbia. His wife, Isabella, became homesick after moving to this estate in 1895 and he built this Lochan in an attempt to abate his wife's depression. Alas, she moved back to Canada anyway. Another Scotsman spurned by a crazy Canadian woman. ;-)

Glen Etive

Quite possibly my favourite place in the Glencoe area. I have spent many happy days going down the River Etive in a kayak, however, the river was lower than I have ever seen it due to the dry spell that Scotland has been experiencing. The Glen Etive road meanders for some 14 miles to the head of Loch Etive, where it ends at a car park and an old rusty pier, with some of the most spectacular views in Scotland.

I title the post Strathy Adventure because that's exactly what it was, an Adventure. Finding a cottage in the middle of a small village may sound easy but unfortunately it was pitch black and if not for some friendly highlanders at the local town hall we might still be looking for 'Samhchair'. Strathy is a small village on the very north coast of Scotland, surrounded by sea and hills. It's the kind of place you don't want to leave, it has no cell reception (which is magnificent) and is eerily calm and peaceful. The pictures below don't come anywhere close to doing the location justice, but there isn't much I can do about the weather (that's my excuse and I am sticking to it).

I have had an invitation to visit Samhchair for several years and have never had the time or opportunity to visit. The area is one that I am familiar with as family vacations when I was very young toured the majority of the North of Scotland. It was a long drive from the central region of Scotland (5.5 hours + coffee stops).