North Coast 500 (with whisky detour!) (1 Viewer)

[DavidG58]

that's a decent trek off the main road, some years ago Bev got into Hydroponics for her green house was buying mail order stuff from a place in Scotland. turned out to be Achiltibuie, we have since been there a few times

They have a large green house with café and hydroponics shop, interesting (after a fashion), but a bloody long way off the main road and you are going even further off

loved your sea food platter BTW, have passed the hotel but not stopped before, will be next time, although my Bev will probably sit at another table while I eat

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

That's you 3 coming home fat and skint
Perfect holiday

I know mine was on the expensive side , but worth it !

That looks like a super meal
Looks like you enjoyed it !

it was the best seafood platter I've had ever !
@DavidG58 yes it is a treck no 3G to upload pics so I'll wait till I've got a better signal or it will take an age . We put the campsite post code in on the sat nav and it took us through a lovely country estate. When I say single track , hair pin bends , cliff side drops , low trees I mean it .
Ralph was a little bit bum squeaky even in pug ! I wouldn't have even attempted to drive it . There was an easier way , we found out , once here! Pictures when I can .
We pushed the boat out at the Kylesku
hotel . We had a couple of bottles of Prosecco and Ralph was sampling some good whiskeys . But there's no pockets in a shroud !
We're in the bar at the campsite now with limited wifi access. So that's it for now .
Booked in for a meal later . The site is lovely . Facilities are great . Ralph says it's the best Elsan area ever . He's had the whole thing out and washed , disinfected it .

 

[landscaper]

Will report on yesterday's and today's points of interest once we get to our campsite tonight Port a Baigh, Achiltibule.

This is one of our favourite places - the pub is good too. Lovely friendly people

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[DavidG58]

I am amazed there are two roads, the 'main' road seemed long and narrow enough in a car

Hope you get a decent sunset tonight, forecast from tomorrow looks tad windy up there

 

[Techno]

Great that you are using Apple devices for this blog
The food you are having is to die for and I'd really like a go at your seafood platter but to be honest I think I need to have lessons Some of that looks alien

 

[JockandRita]

Ralph had fish n chips

he's not one for shellfish !

Good choice Ralph. I'm not one for shellfish either, ie, too blooming fiddly, and I don't do jellied, other than that which goes with fruit and ice cream.

Enjoy tonight's meal too.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[DavidG58]

Did you park up at the hotel yesterday?

I have stopped close to the old ferry ramps before, but not been down there for a couple of years, lovely and quiet. you cant really even see it from the new bridge

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Did you park up at the hotel yesterday?

I have stopped close to the old ferry ramps before, but not been down there for a couple of years, lovely and quiet. you cant really even see it from the new bridge

Yes we phoned and asked first . There are spots on the way down to the hotel to park up too . They said as long as we were eating and drinking, it was fine . AND as you know , you can eat n drink in style .
Still not got good enough signal for pictures yet sure we will sometime soon .

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Wh

Great that you are using Apple devices for this blog
The food you are having is to die for and I'd really like a go at your seafood platter but to be honest I think I need to have lessons Some of that looks alien

It's just from Ralph's iPhone , instead of the ipad ? It's great when/if you get 3G.
Those alien things are called spikeys , otherwise known as squat lobsters . Looked like 3D fossils ! Very sweet n juicy . As were the oysters . (Last nights meal at the am farran bar on the campsite was lovely too. Pics of the site and meal to follow once we've time and a good signal . )
Eating at the Fat Whippet tonight it's Ralph's birthday meal tonight .

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

I am amazed there are two roads, the 'main' road seemed long and narrow enough in a car

Hope you get a decent sunset tonight, forecast from tomorrow looks tad windy up there

Rained through the night , most of the night last night with really heavy rain. It was blowing a hoolie on the campsite . But we were tucked up by then . Grey but bright so far today .

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

This is one of our favourite places - the pub is good too. Lovely friendly people

You are so right . We got chatting to the locals in the bar . David from Middleton in Leeds , recognised our accents . He was in his wellies and fishing gear having a fair few drinks . Turns out he owns the place with his wife . It's been in her family for years and years . We had a good night . Pics to follow .

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Right a strong signal at last . We're at Ullapool at the moment . Getting done supplies .
Smoo Cave ( a couple of days ago now )

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

Spot of lunch . Mushroom omelette with lovely floury Scottish bread cakes .

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

 

[JockandRita]

@Ralph-n-Bev. If you are going out for Ralph's birthday meal tonight, I have to assume it's his birthday today, yes?

If so, Many Happy Returns Ralph. Have a smashing day pal, and an exceptionally good meal tonight. And if it's not your birthday today, you can do it all over again, when it is.

Cheers,

Jock.

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[Ralph-n-Bev]

Fantastic food . Well worth a trip .

All the seafood caught from just outside .

Ralph into the whiskeys

Nipp nippp nippers.....

Here's the Kylesku bridge

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Here you are @JockandRita( were at the Fat Whippet restaurant tonight in Altbea Hotel . At Wester Ross .Link Removed Getting fatter by the day .
Happy Birthday Ralph xxx love you lots and lots .

This morning in Pug

That's all for now . I'll catch up once we can with more places and yesterday's points of interest .

 

[Baileysbus]

Happy birthday Ralph. Don't forget to call in at the Drumchork hotel for one (or more) of the 500 drams they have behind the bar

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[Robert Clark]

Happy Birthday Ralph
Enjoy your special day

 

[JockandRita]

I want either an "Oor Wullie" mug or "The Broons" mug too.

Cheers,

Jock.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

We are now at Applecross . We've gone up the hairpin pass , not for the faint hearted ! We are now in Applecross pub with wifi . Though uploading pics onto fun is annoyingly slow .
We've not got midges still . But we've had strong wind , and that's not just Buster stressing in pug !
We've had very heavy rain through the night and most of today too . It's grey moody and misty , normal Scottish weather .

Then on to the famous Clachtoll beach though we preferred the one above . And the campsite looked a lot nicer too . Though we didn't stop on either . We called in the little shop for a bacon bap and some food toothpaste and bits n bobs .

Everything certainly looks better in the sunshine and blue sky , as you will see on today's picture haha

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[big bertha]

Great photos, havent been to Clachtoll with motorhome but have twice stayed at Stoer nearby in holiday cottages.

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

What a great campsite this is . We will be back for sure .

Ralph was very impressed with the Elsan area !

Here's the bar and restaurant . Fantastic a lot better than normal pub food and great service . With a comfy homely feel . Especially when it was just starting to get windy and rain outside .

Scallops for me , my fave !

Salmon for Ralph , his fave !

We both had rib eye . But I had shelled langoustines on mine .

This is who we thought was a friendly local at the bar in his work clothes . Ralph bought him a whiskey . Turns out David ( originally from Miggy Leeds ) owns the place , the campsite and most of the land in the area ! Just shows how you shouldn't judge a book by its cover . Needless to stay we ended up being the last couple in , and sampling various whiskeys and talking about Leeds and life back in the 80's !

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

Here's one Ralph's not tried before and local to the area .

Here's a bit about the history of the bar .

David used to come up on holiday as a child from Middleton , Leeds.
Married Catriona and they now have 5 children ! What a difference here to Miggy !
I know where we'd rather be. Great night , lovely bloke . Well worth a trip up . Off the NC500 track .

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[Baileysbus]

Wonderful pics and you're having some great weather considering the rubbish we're getting here today

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

It's been very windy , grey and rained most of today . But we've been driving for most of it . A trip that would normally take 1/2 hour has taken 2 hours plus due to the terrain . Plus stopping off for photo opportunities ! The ones today , up the hair pin bends section were great . We ate lunch in Pug today due to the weather too . Still having a fab time and enjoying the trip immensely .

 

[weekenders]

Happy birthday for yesterday Ralph, sorry we missed it yesterday, we are in Majorca at friend's apartment.x

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[landscaper]

What a great campsite this is . We will be back for sure . View attachment 125763Ralph was very impressed with the Elsan area ! View attachment 125764Here's the bar and restaurant . Fantastic a lot better than normal pub food and great service . With a comfy homely feel . Especially when it was just starting to get windy and rain outside .View attachment 125765 View attachment 125768Scallops for me , my fave ! View attachment 125770 View attachment 125771Salmon for Ralph , his fave ! View attachment 125772 We both had rib eye . But I had shelled langoustines on mine . View attachment 125773This is who we thought was a friendly local at the bar in his work clothes . Ralph bought him a whiskey . Turns out David ( originally from Miggy Leeds ) owns the place , the campsite and most of the land in the area ! Just shows how you shouldn't judge a book by its cover . Needless to stay we ended up being the last couple in , and sampling various whiskeys and talking about Leeds and life back in the 80's ! View attachment 125776 View attachment 125767

This is one of our favourite stop overs - the drive in is really stunning!

 

[Anthea M]

Happy belated Birthday! I'm either 2 days early or a day late!! Looks like you are having a wonderful time!!

 

[Ralph-n-Bev]

The weather has turned . We've arrived at Glencoe . I've a 3G signal again ! So here's Ralph's Birthday meal at the Fat Whippet at Aultbea . For the foodies amongst you , It was Superb . Here's the hotel . We were allowed to park overnight in the carpark , where it blew a gale all night !

Here's the fat whippet restaurant menu. There's a bar one too .

I had scallops again , I know but I love them with crispy black pudding .

Ralph had treacle cured venison with candied pumpkin and parsnip crisp .

Ralph then had the highland grouse .

I had the a full lobster which they had very kindly shelled . Next post for the puds !

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