In 1968 I had the good fortune to arrive at Stonehill College a few miles south of Boston. In addition to making some life long friends over the next 4 years, I found myself on a campus of nearly 400 acres of woodlands and fields. Whenever I could I would go what I called “stomping” in the woods. 50 years later I still like being in the woods but I find myself more wandering than stomping.
Today, realizing that the weather was about to become more normal for this time of year, I headed to Corrieshalloch Gorge National Nature Reserve about 12 miles from my inn in Ullapool. Knowing there was only one way I could get there without car or bus, I stock out my thumb. A couple miles into the day’s walk a very nice woman picked me up and dropped me about 1/2 mile from my destination.
Corrieshalloch Gorge (Scottish Gaelic: Coire Shalach, meaning unattractive corrie) is a gorge situated about 20 km south of Ullapool, close to Braemore. The gorge is approximately 1.5 km long, 60 m deep, and 10 m wide at its lip. The Abhainn Droma flows through Corrieshalloch, below which the landscape opens out into a broad, flat-bottomed glacial trough at the head of Loch Broom.[4]
The 46 metre-high Falls of Measach (Gaelic: Easan na Miasaich, meaning waterfalls of the place of platters, with reference to the pot-holes worn by the action of the water[5]) can be viewed from a viewing platform and a Victorian suspension footbridge. The gorge has been owned since 1945 by the National Trust for Scotland who manage it and the surrounding area jointly with Scottish Natural Heritage. (And that’s why I make a wee donation to Wikipedia)
As I arrived at the entrance to the Gorge, I could see up the road a 1/4 mile or so what appeared to be an overlook so not knowing if the weather would hold, I went to see this view
The path leads to a suspension bridge. With only myself I could feel it sway. With 1/2 dozen people, the limit, it must rock
After crossing the bridge I saw this overlook
I am clueless about the patterns in these rocks. Almost map-like. I’ll head back the same way I got here!
I do like finding these old gem cars
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