Todays leg was to Applecross 120 miles away. The weather has well and truly changed. The day dawned grey and overcast and the first showers of the day had started.
We rated the Caledonian Hotel 6/10. The staff were great and welcoming. But the twin room was the smallest we have had yet. The shower cubicle was tiny and you could hear every noise from the rooms above and beside us. That said the breakfast was good so 6/10 it is.
The road struck south on the A835 and was easy going albeit a bit wet. At Corrieshalloch Gorge we turned off the main highway onto the A832 to Gairloch and immediately started to climd. As we did so the temperature dropped and the wind increased. By now the cloud base had descended to cover the tops of the peaks. We had allowed plenty of time for this leg of the journey so we could stop frequently to warm our hands and just take a break. The scenery is staggering. The rain had charged the waterfalls.
At one particular viewpoint we stopped at, the sun was shining on a distant peak which made for a nice photo op. The temperature on my bike said it was 4C but the wind was around 30 knots and gusty. It felt raw. A delightful couple travelling Scotland in their motorhome were already at the viewpoint when we arrived. Andy waved at them, they waved back and we were invited into the motorhome for a cup of tea and a chat. Mick and Yvonne were from Sheffield and had just purchased their camper van and were touring Scotland in it for the first time. What a smashing couple they were. We were to meet them later in Applecross before they set off your Plockton and we said our goodbyes. That chance meeting reaffirmed our faith in humanity. They were running short of teabags so I gave them some of my Yorkshire Gold to see them through.
We turned off the road at the tiny village of Aultbea looking for a cafe and stumbled upon MacLennan Park overlooking Loch Ewe. Here we found the story of the Russian Convoys that would congregate in Loch Ewe before heading for Murmansk and Archangel. It was fascinating. Worth a detour to see for yourself. There is also a museum to the Russian Convoys here but it was closed when we passed.
The road continues along Loch Maree to Kinlochewe where the road to Applecross splits off to the west.
From here on in the single track road twists and turns its way along the exposed coast, blasted by the stiff North winds and throwing the rain horizontally at you. It was slow going on a narrow strip of tarmac. It was chilly and the wind found its way onto the back of my neck no matter how hard I tried to cover it. It was like a little needle.
The road finally drops down into Applecross. The wind dropped away and it was dry. This was a little oasis of peace. We took a late lunch in the Applecross inn before checking into our rest for the night at the Hartfield House Hostel.
Whilst having a cup of tea in the lounge we met Johannes and his fiancé Renee from Den Haag in the Netherlands. They are touring on a motorcycle and getting married as well. We chatted for some time about our motorcycles, their jobs and loved to hear of their wedding plans in Scotland. We wish them all the very best for their future together. Meeting people like this couple and Mick and Yvonne really makes me appreciate getting out and doing this. A chance meeting and saying hello is all that it takes.
Tomorrow we head for the Isle of Skye and it looks promising for better weather. We shall see.
Woodend Wanderer 