… I’m back in Plockton after a year’s absence. After visiting 3 times in 2017 beginning with Hogmanay it seems longer. The weather is not as nice as last September but my clothes are ready for it for as we know, it’s not the weather it’s your clothes.
The view as I leave the bus by the High School. The school also incorporates Sgoil Chiùil na Gàidhealtachd, the National Centre for Excellence in Traditional Music so there are more than a couple good tunesmiths in the area. I have a number of the CD’s the students produce each year. The picture on the opening page of this website is a view of Plockton from the communication mast which is located on the top of the mountain in the rear of this photo.
A good breakfast to begin the day. Kippers, eggs & black pudding
A view of Loch Carron from Harbour Street.
This Giant Gunnera, one of my top 3 favorite plants, spreads farther every year. The summer was drier than normal so the leaves are about 1/2m smaller than last year
At the end of the road the owners of a big chunk of land have prepared a very nice walk open to the public. I start with Jimmy’s with it’s harbor views.
In a clearing last year I saw a bandstand had been built but now things are getting serious with charcoal grills, tables and a bar set up! And no, the Plockton Ale was not connected so I couldn’t nick a nip.
The view from the bandstand
And the bench I’m sitting on a around the corner allows for a breather and some quiet contemplation.
The other leg of the walk is Ian’s Walk with this Tolkenesque grotto
And more stunning views.
Looking at Applecross I could barely make out a section of Bealach na Ba one of the highest and most twisted single track roads in Britain by the movement of a wee white car. The road, like the village of Plockton, was used in the TV show Hamish Macbeth in 1995 and is available on DVD.
The Brae runs above and behind Harbour Street allowing me to look down on the outer village.
I noticed that Calum Mackenzie’s seal cruise boat, Sula Mhor, looked like it was about to head out so I hot-footed over to join them. Well, as close to hot-footing as this old gezzer can go! I’ve been in Plockton 8-9 times and for some reason never stepped onboard.
Calum doesn’t charge if no seals are seen so I can only assume he comes out at night with a load of fish to keep a few around like these Harbour seals!
Duncraig Castle is an 80 room mansion situated 1 km east of the village of Plockton, on the south shore of Loch Carron. It was built in 1866 for Alexander Matheson, a Scottish businessman and Member of Parliament and the nephew of Sir James Matheson, 1st Baronet, and made a partner in the family firm of Jardine Matheson, who made their fortune selling opium grown in India to the Chinese resulting in the two Opium Wars. It was donated to the government for use as a hospital during the Second World War and eventually as a private school for girls with a box-like building attached. Thankfully that eyesore has been removed and the castle is slated to open as a hotel/B&B in 2019.
The story goes that this wreck was built in Fraserburgh on the east coast and has been in the current location for well over a decade.
Dinner tonight was braised beef in a Guinness sauce. Had I not been in public I would have licked the plate!
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