Camping in the Highlands

Hey guys!

I haven’t been on here that much and I do apologise to the few of you that take time to read my blog posts. As I run my small business myself I find myself on my phone or laptop a lot of the day and when it comes to evenings and weekends I want a break from the digital world.

Life and work takes over doesn’t it?

Recently I have been looking back over our trips in the UK from the last few years and reminiscing about not having to worry much about time, replying to emails and messages or stressing about supplies for orders not arriving.

One of the things we have done a lot over the past few years has been pack the tent, sleeping bags & if the weather is good just hit the road with our two dogs. Some trips have been overnight others longer but always amazing scenery.

Some of the most amazing beaches are up here in the very far North of the Scottish Highlands, like the one at Durness. If it wasn’t for the temperatures, from this picture I took, you would swear it was abroad.

This trip was back a few years ago before we rescued our second dog Mabel. The Durness campsite is situated on a cliff over looking the beach. What a view you get in the morning. It is a small place Durness but it does have amazing beaches along its coast and the Smoo Cave which is popular with tourists and locals. There is a waterfall inside it and to get down to it there are quite a few steps. We have been lucky as we have always gotten to there and the weather has been good.

We can do Durness and back in one day but we sometimes camp if weather forecast is good. Nice to get a night away and chill. We stopped for a bit of hot chocolate at Cocoa Mountain, we were joined by a wee visitor. This was a couple of years ago and I am told that their cafe has been done up and move across the road. The Hot Chocolate isn’t cheap but it is a tasty treat.

I often have to take photos, with my iphone, from a moving car so it can be hit or miss with pictures but that is why I let Garry drive, so I can click away.

Broomfield Caravan Park in Ullapool is on the shores of Loch Broom looking out to the Summer Isles. You can watch the ferries heading to Stornaway, passing by the front of the campsite. It’s weird as it feels so close you could reach out and touch it. It is one of our favourite places to camp. Amazing views are one of our top reasons, just chilling on our chairs as the sun sets taking in the amazing views with a dram.

When we just had Hugo he would sit on my lap and watch the views from the window with me. When we stopped to let him have his sniff and pea stops we would find places or views we had never noticed or seen before. I always have and always will be snapping away taking pictures, it is great memories.

We made it to Applecross Inn for a beautiful lunch but getting there is not for the faint hearted. The Bealach Na Ba is a long winding single track road through the mountains of Wester Ross. It is one of the highest road in Scotland, rising to 2054ft above sea level and you will likely have to pull into many of the passing places, some of which are very near the edges of the mountain. But the views are amazing! If you are driving you wont be going that fast so will be able to soak in the scenery. We spied plenty of deer and beautiful wildlife on our way along this winding road.

I had so many pictures from this wee trip a few years ago it was hard to whittle them down. But I hope you have found a couple of places to add to your list of places to visit in the Scottish Highlands.

As Robert Burns said

“my heart’s in the Highlands, my heart is not here, my heart’s in the Highlands a-chasing a deer”

Lynsey