Cathy's photo from the moving car
MadChauffer, where were we in the Highlands on the narrow road with mountains looming on both sides and the occasional lake round the bend when we had to say "Oooh!" and "Aaah!" on command? I have to use Cathy's pictures when I write, because I have none, because my camera did not work taking pictures from a moving car window. Can you send me a map with the approximate location of that ride? It was achingly beautiful.And lo! MadChauffeur sent me the map with the arrow pointing to the road we traveled, the one-lane road with two-way traffic, which we sped along amidst the breathtaking views. We made a couple of stops, but not many. Cathy and I were careful to "Oooh!" and "Aaah!" at the proper time, when MadChauffeur raised one hand to point out the view, because we feared consequences of non-compliance, such as, "Get out of the car!" MC's other hand stayed on the wheel, TBTG.
(Not the correct map. See update below.)
To ride along with gorgeous mountains closing in on either side, with only the occasional break for a glimpse of a sparking blue lake was, for me, an indescribably joyful experience. I'm waxing lyrical, because the beauty was nearly beyond what I could bear. I love mountains, and I've visited quite a few mountainous areas. The Highlands are right up there with the best I've seen.
Another photo by Cathy from the moving car
Although stopping places were few and far between along much of the road, we passed a small number of areas with parking, but our driver did not stop. Finally, we paused to stretch our legs, and, I'd guess, to give the driver a bit of a rest. The man can drive.
Below is a picture of Cathy taking a picture of the beautiful landscape. We seemed to do quite a bit of snapping away at one of the others snapping away.
Keep in mind that for much of the ride that day, and every day, so long as MadChauffeur drove, the sound of soul music filled the car.
Look below. I have tears in my eyes, as I type. Ah, it was beautiful.
I hand it to MadChauffeur. He stopped for the deer, as you see below...
...and for the waterfall.
At the pub where we stopped for supper, I ordered a wild boarburger, which was quite tasty, but too large for me to clean my plate. Nevertheless, I chose to share a dessert with Cathy, but she'll have to say what we ordered, because I've forgotten.
From right outside the pub, last, but not least, what you've all been waiting for, a photo of a Rowan tree.
The perfect end to a perfect day, yes?
UPDATE: I'm clearer now on where we were when we took the ride that was, to me, the most beautiful of all. It seems that MadChauffeur sent me the wrong map. Not that the scenery wasn't beautiful where the arrow points on the map he sent me, but that was not the place I referenced in my email. Below are Google maps showing the area around Glencoe to which I referred and the location of the pub where we ate supper. Thanks to Cathy for her help in getting the location right.
The Clachaig Inn where we ate supper.
In fact I don't remember what we ordered for dessert in the pub either. Oh yes I do - it was cloutie dumpling, right, here we go:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.scotlands-enchanting-kingdom.com/clootie-dumpling-recipe.html
You can spell it cloutie or clootie. A "cloot" is a cloth. It's a suet fruit pudding of the kind that used to get wrapped in a cloth and boiled, like Christmas pudding. It's yummy.
Round Glencoe, it was so staggeringly beautiful. It was really jawdroppingly lovely in a way you don't get anywhere else in the UK.
ReplyDeleteI will take the tree over +Cantuar.
ReplyDeleteLovely photos, ladies. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. (Otherwise our envy would turn bitter but this way we just sigh.)
Thank you Paul - I honestly think from my point of view that Scotland is so photogenic it is impossible to get a bad picture of it.
ReplyDeleteCathy, I remember now. The pudding was delicious.
ReplyDeleteAnd the scenery!
Paul, thank you. The ride was lovely, lovely, lovely. I'll never forget.
Kristin and I took that ride on Mull with MC and Mrs. MC and the dogs. Spectacular.
ReplyDeleteAnn, spectacular and more. No wonder MC knew which scenes to point out. At times, I was looking right, when the best of the view was on the left.
ReplyDeleteSo far every photo that I have seen has been astounding... If I wanted to go here before, I *really* want to go now.
ReplyDeleteFran, it's like a dream. The ride was like a dream as it was happening.
ReplyDeleteThis is Glencoe, not Mull. Mull is equally scenic though not quite in the same way.
ReplyDeleteGlorious!
ReplyDelete[re the tree. It looks a bit shaggy, but not quite as much as its namesake. Moreover, if in the presence of CAPA/GAFCON/Whatever, I think this *tree* would say "You people are fecking nuts! And immoral b@stards to boot!"]
Thanks Cathy -- I was confused reading the map - we did go to Tobermory with the MC.
ReplyDeleteAmazing and gorgeous photos. Makes me yearn to go to the home country which I have never visited. Is there a good hiking path of several hundred kilometres?
ReplyDeleteWell, now I'm thoroughly confused about where we were. Wherever, it was lovely.
ReplyDeleteCaminante, I'm quite sure there are hiking paths. Check it out. I read that a not a few folks hike off the paths in the mountains, which may not be a good idea.
Lots of hiking in Scotland- we met hikers at most every place we stayed - here is a start
ReplyDeleteThe scenery does bring tears to the eyes, it is so beautiful. My wv is haicnick. Sounds Scottish to me.
ReplyDeleteSo glad to read that Madchauffeur seems to have behaved himself. Well done on those photos Cathy, I'm especially impressed with the one taken from a moving vehicle.
ReplyDeleteJCF, "glorious" is a fine description.
ReplyDeleteAmelia, I'd like to know a bit more about the pronunciation of the Scottish names.
So glad to read that Madchauffeur seems to have behaved himself.
Petty, I didn't say quite that. ;-)
OMG, the deer was magnificent. I am so conflicted about deer. I love venison, but looking on all that regal beauty, I don't understand how anyone could actually kill one.
ReplyDeleteI don't understand how anyone could actually kill one.
ReplyDeleteNor do I, BooCat, and I love venison, too. Does that make us hypocrites?
Thank you Petty :-)
ReplyDeleteCathy, you and MadChauffeur refer to two different areas, right?
ReplyDeleteUmmmm Mimi, me no understand the question, sorry :-(
ReplyDeletePS I just met Susan (IT) for lunch and she told me all about how she met BP and I told her all about our trip to Scotland!! Then we went to Evensong at Westminster Abbey to hear the choir sing stuff by William Byrd etc. It was gorgeous. :-)
ReplyDeleteAbout my question, I posted pictures of yours which are not in the area that the arrow on the map indicates, right? My mistake.
ReplyDeleteCathy, I just left a comment at Friends of Jake, where IT posted about your meeting. I'm so pleased that you two got together. How I wish I could have been there for lunch and for Evensong.
ReplyDeleteYou're quite right - Mad Chauffeur has supplied you with a map of Mull. I hadn't looked closely at it before. It's his mistake, because you did specify "where were we in the Highlands?" and by that you meant Glencoe (which is where the pub where you had boarburger and we ate cloutie dumpling was), so you have used the correct pictures and talked about the correct area - it is Mad Chauffeur who has got it wrong with the map. I see now why Ann thought we were talking about Mull.
ReplyDeleteCathy, thank you. Confusion lifts! I added an update with maps showing the area that I referred to in my email.
ReplyDeleteConfusion always reigns when the High Priest of Misrule is involved.
ReplyDeleteI should've glanced at the map in the car from time to time, and I'd have a clearer idea of where we went.
ReplyDeleteAccident-prone, that chauffeur.
ReplyDeleteWe shouldn't be too hard on him, Cathy. He got us to our destinations in one piece, physically, if not mentally.
ReplyDeletePS: Do you remember the name of the pub in Glencoe?
ReplyDeleteYou're missing a prime opportunity to pretend Mad Chauffeur is a bit "disaster prone" and needs to be organised at all times or he'll do things like miss his train, Mimi :-)
ReplyDeleteThe pub was the Clachaig Inn and here is the menu: http://www.clachaig.com/pdfs/menu.pdf
You're missing a prime opportunity to pretend Mad Chauffeur is a bit "disaster prone"....
ReplyDeleteCathy, I know, but...
"Vengeance is mine", sayeth the Lord.
and...
Do unto others....
...and all that.
Thanks for the name of the pub.
Mimi it's meant to be a joke!!!! LOL
ReplyDelete...it's meant to be a joke!!!!
ReplyDeleteCathy, in truth, I'm biding my time.
Fair enough, Mimi - I shall desist and assume that on that question you must be left to your own devices :-)
ReplyDeleteBesides the post and comments have gone long, perhaps a bit too long for MadChauffeur's attention span, and he'll probably never read them.
ReplyDeleteVery true, but then it's more for your benefit and mine than his anyway :-)
ReplyDeleteYes.
ReplyDeleteFran: you have to go via Leeds!
ReplyDeleteFran, Leeds is a bit out of the way, but it's well worth the detour. Besides, for me, the plane fare was much cheaper to Manchester than to either Glasgow or Edinburgh, which put Leeds right in my path from Scotland.
ReplyDelete