What’s missing?

Mountains!

We had a lovely walk again today from Lochinver having taken the ‘Wee mad road’ over into Assynt after breakfast.

The walk starts by following the River Inver (Inbher) which was very pleasant through the woods where we met several groups of youngsters completing their DOE awards, well done to them. The river is interesting as it is used for salmon fishing in season and has piers for the fishermen dotted along the banks. It featured in the film Edie if any of you saw it, when Edie (Sheila Hancock) loses her boot in the water and the young lad tries to retrieve it from the end of one of the piers.
At the end of the riverside path - bottom picture - there is usually a view of Quinag but because of low cloud today the mountains were not in view as on the last time we did this walk in 2014.
(Previous blip on the 3rd May 2014)

We climbed up to a rough plateau which used to provide for 6 Macleod households in Blackhouses. They were removed by the clearances in the 1800’s to make way for sheep farming. I wonder where those families ended up? The path passes the remains of one of the blackhouses before climbing a ridge which should give further views of Quinag behind and Canisp and Suilven to the front and then drops down to Glencanisp Lodge built in 1850 for the tenant farmer.
So much of this sad history in the highlands.

The lodge is now community owned and is one of the starting points for climbing Suilven. It also has stalking parties in the appropriate season and an interesting potter in one of the outbuildings. Had our picnic on a bench in the grounds.

As you can see the gorse is still in flower and we were surprised to see some bluebells in the woods despite the heather flowers now appearing, a real mix of seasons.

A good walk despite the low cloud, ending with coffee and cake at An Cala in Lochinver before a trip to Highland Stoneware and the purchase of pies from the Lochinver Larder for tea.
We’ve learned that one between two is enough so we got a Pork, apple and cider pie for our main and a rhubarb and strawberry to follow!

Watching kite flyers on the beach now with a glass of red. The week is flying by as it always does!