The Cairngorms and Aviemore...

Saturday, 30th April, to Saturday, 7th May - (BIG Catch-up)

After leaving Blair Castle, the road up to Aviemore is quite spectacular (what part of Scotland isn't?), and not a bad drive either. The signage generally is excellent in the UK, and you really get a feel for the way things happen, and so we haven't had tooooooo many wrong turns.

Lee had by this time started to feel the effects of whatever she caught from me, plus some sinus problems, so thankfully we were to have a week in the same place. This was the Time-Share week we had arranged from OZ, and it isn't too bad. We found out it has been functioning since the late 70's, and it shows in some of the furniture, which is all pine, and has been re-furbished/re-finished to take it back to its natural state. They don't seal it and they said they have 'special' cleaners which remove things like red wine, etc.

Still, we were now able to do meals for ourselves, and get some washing done. The town itself has been there some time, but has grown to be a town that services the walkers, hikers, skiers, canoeists, etc. etc. Basic food stuff like Tesco's (think Coles or Woolies), and a plethora of restaurants, but by now we were very happy to do our own thing, and the kitchen was quite well equipped. Flat screen TV, and a small balcony, but we faced out on to the main road which goes to Inverness, and so the double glazed windows and doors really come into their own.

With Lee not too well, we only did a couple of things, like taking a short drive out to the funicular, which is a cable type railway up to a stunning lookout, on one of the highest mountains in the area. The views are just great, (think, above Perisher towards Charlotte's Pass). and some remnant snow from the winter season.
The wooden fences are arranged to catch the snow drifts, so the mountain staff can then 'groom' the snow for the skiers.

Quite a nice morning and we seem to have perfected the trick of being at places at the right times, e.g. get there early and avoid the masses.

This "Nessy" is attached to rubber dinghys and they must float him out for special occasions

The only other things we did were a really pleasant cruise on Loch Ness (no monster!), which allows a look at yet another ruined castle called Urquhart Castle, and the we did a train ride into Inverness city, which allows a different view of the countryside, but it was raining a little and so we just had a small look at the town, got a couple of things at the shops and went back to Aviemore. 


We had to leave very early on the Saturday, to get to Ullapool for the ferry across to Lewis and Harris islands. (They are not really islands as there is no waterway between them, but that is another post...

Ullapool is at least two hours away from Aviemore, and we had to have checked in for the ferry by 9.30am.

Loch Ness