Morning folks, ive always thought of the Highlands as North and West of the Great Glen, based on the Highland boundary fault.
Im sure it may be more flexible than that.
Ah now hereās a challenge for sure. For all us sassanaks where does the true Scottish Highlands start - only sassanaks live in the lowlands Iāve been told!!
After Bute we were disappointed with Loch Ness ā didnāt see any ripples on the Loch and the place was so packed out that we managed to get the last chalet in the town. We asked the hotelier where was Aultbea ā he explained keep going north and stick to the east coast and you canāt miss it. We had friends staying there but no address or phone ā that was the challenge. We discovered that Aultbea had been a secret submarine base during the war for the subs to refuel un-noticed. Aultbea and its surrounding countryside was a place of vivid contrasts. We discovered our friends by asking at the local store and they said āoh yes they live at the last cottage but one further downā!
There was a majesty of Aultbea and a dullness too. The small housing estate looked like something out of āThe Billā scenario ā dull pebbled walls and unkempt front gardens [perhaps a throwback to workers for the submarine bases?], but the surrounding natural countryside was majestic.
One of our friends was a Scot and wanted to build a modern crofter on a piece of hillside they had purchased. He was having great difficulties getting planning permission. If he had had purchased with a derelict crofter in situ no problems ā renovate and be damned but building from scratch ā no way.
I believe there are only three hotels/pubs in Aultbea and we chose one and went for the ala carte menu instead of bar menu. We were placed in a large dining room with a bay window looking out to sea and we were the only foursome there all evening. It was quite magical and quite expensive too!
They took us next day to a local fair and country house selling plants. I think we had seen the poor and rich side of Aultbea. Across the street from their rented home was a pebbled beach and small dinghies beached on the shores of Loch Ewe I guess, but there are 12 other Lochs around those parts I discovered. So we had spent two evenings and two days and then had to start heading south again for our family gathering in a week time in Cheshire. Iām not sure if there would have been anything else to do in Aultbea anyway but our guests were genuinely sorry to see us go and begged us to stay a few more days.
Plockton and the Isle of Skye here we came!
Eh!!!..Sassenachs in Scotland?.:surprised:ā¦well only the half million or so English Folks and I have a feeling They reside mainly in Lowland Scotland.
A brief but heavy shower of rain stopped the grass cutting fun thank goodnessā¦whereās a handy-Man when Ye need one who would have finished it off regardless. :-p
Meant to be heavy rain here again today but so far only light and not much at all really . Got the two main dog walks of the day without getting soaked so that was a bonus .
Folk festival on here this weekend so might go down to the village later this afternoon to hear some of the music .
Loved your memories Gumbud , keep them coming . 
Och Iām fed up dodging in and out of the showersā¦I wish I hadnāt given up drinking then I would just open a bottle of red and give not a jot about the grass getting longer by the day 
Yes, same sketch here May. Grass just about dry enough to mow, then the drizzle returns. Iād like to get it done before I head to my bolt hole for a couple of days. Ho-hum.
Iād send my Tupperware container to you for filling, BUT the logistics may be difficult :-D:-D Not to worry. I was given a 2lbs gutted trout by a friend. Having it tonight. Wrapped in foil with large knob of butter, slices of lemon etc. Nice potatoes to go with it. Yummy ! Iād send you some but I fear it might be a bit cold and soggy when it arrives !
Mike.
OOO,fresh Trout and tattiesā¦luvly jubblyā¦Iāve had steak mince with mashed tatties & turnipā¦also luvly jubbly.
and no one is eating haggis anymore?
Good Morning Each,a brighter one here at the momentā¦Off out with Daughter & SIL to the Local hotel/restaurant for lunch later so no cooking Today,
I eat haggis only occasionaly Gumbud fried with bacon & eggs for breakfast,and Iāve never drank whisky eitherā¦horrible stuff :-p
Hi May never liked whiskey myself ever. For a long time was a brandy man and when I could afford it drambuie but for some reason I tried an american whiskey - bourbon and been hooked on it ever since - it is of course a whiskey but quite different in taste to scottish whiskey
Sadly we had to leave our dear friends in Aultbea, but would have loved to explore it more [anthropologically you understand!] we had only skimmed the surface and getting to know a community takes more time!
But the Cheshire family barbecue was dated and beckoning so we had one last place that was a must and that was Plockton ā home of Hamish Macbeth. I have the full dvd set which is a treasure and also Monarch of the Glen. If anyone ever says there are no longer trees in Scotland there are plenty in Monarch otg but perhaps they filmed it in Norway.
There is a lovely part of the set when they interviewed all the main actors about their experiences. They complained about the discomforts of living in caravans on site or offered a room in the āhouseā which some found very draughty and spooky too ā we were talking about dear Kilwillie character the other day ā beautifully acted and also the writer of Downtown Abbey no less. I havenāt watched either series for a long while now and just finishing Heartbeat for the sixth time so maybe back to Scotland!
We arrived in little Plockton waiting to see the entire series unravel before us and of course it didnāt. I think the corner shop was the only thing we recognized. It is so easy to give the impression of a place from quick clips that could be filmed anywhere. I understand that most of the pub scenes in Doc Martin were not shot in the local pub [unsuitable] but one in the next village a few miles away ā how disappointing!
Hello everyone 
ā¦ Iām home from my weekend away ā¦ it was eventful to say the least :shock: ā¦ but Iāve had a great time 
Good evening everybody. Welcome home Myrtle glad you enjoyed your coach trip. Met up with my nieces and their families yesterday, it was my nephews birthday and he wanted to go ice skating. They did the skating and I sat with the coats and bags.
Good Morning Each,a dull one here and rain forecast after such a lovely day Yesterday,
There was a Scottish TV series here Gumbud years ago called āTake The High Roadāā¦it was about the Folk in a fictitious Village called Glendarroch on the Banks of Loch Lomond,but was filmed in the quiet wee Village of Luss,once it got going the Village was swamped with Tourists arriving by the Coach Load,itās still a busy tourists attraction after all these Years.
Sounds like You had an interesting few days Myrtleā¦tell all 
I would so like to get a set of Dr Finlays casebook - I watched it as a kid in black and white - probably the first tv we ever had!
We didnāt stay in Plockton long because there was nothing to see ; no one was filming anything ! we purchased some greasy fish and chips from a āfish and chips hole in the wallā had a little drive around little Plockton and that was it. I wonder if it would have been more fun being IN the series? As we were quite close to the Isle of Skye how could we ignore it or miss it, so ten pounds sterling the lighter we crossed on the big new bridge over to Skye. My recollection was a large island with no trees and lovely stone holiday cottages with children playing on the rocky beach and mum sitting in her deck chair with a cup of tea. We drove around the Isle for a few miles and then headed back across the bridge. We hadnāt planned to stop in Edinburgh further south but we did with a flat tire, caused by a very strong Scottish pavement stone made of Scottish granite! I changed to the spare but then decided that we should repair the puncture before venturing much further so a wee stop at a local garage did the trick and then back on the motorway south.
There are so many things one should have done on your holidays, places that should have been seen and spent more time there, but I guess even if you live in a place you donāt get to see all the places you dreamed you wanted to!
Good morning everybody. May I used to love Take the High Road. Gumbud I think they film places and we all wan to visit them. I love going to Edinburgh for the day or an overnight stay. Raining here and Iām off to the hairdressers then into town for a few things.
Good morning
I remember going to Luss when I was on a coach trip many years ago ā¦ but I never watched Take the High Road.
Dancing this afternoon ā¦ have a good day everyone
Good morning from a misty rainy village in Scotland . No gardening for me today !
Loved your memories Gumbud !
Glad you had a good weekend Myrtle , but you must tell us more !
I donāt know if You have an Amazon in Oz Gumbud,but You should be able to order a āDr Findlays case bookā box-set from there.
Aye come on Myrtleā¦spill the beans