Breakfast at the Gleann An Ronnaich was over-the-top fabulous. The buffet stretched the width of the lovely dining room, and the tables were set elegantly, complete with white linen tablecloths and napkins. On the buffet were six kinds of yoghurt, eight kinds of cheese, home-baked buns and scones, croissants, a huge serving tray with dried fruit (apricots, dates, figs, prunes), another huge tray of fresh fruit (pineapple, melon, berries), juices, coffee, tea, and we don’t even remember what else.
Then there was the hot food. Full Scottish breakfast, of course. But the presentation was brilliant, and included nasturtium flowers, which, we were advised, would complement the bacon perfectly.
For the final touch, our host, Stuart, brought out a roll of plastic bags, and gave a bag to each table, encouraging us to take whatever we wanted from the buffet “for the car”.
The weather was a little moist, with cloud cover and lots of mist, so we decided against the two-hour loop around the Trotternish Peninsula on the northernmost bit of the island. Instead, we relaxed for a bit, then set off for Crianlarich — a three-hour drive.
Our first stop was one of Scotland’s iconic castles, Eilean Donan, apparently the most photographed spot in the country. It’s easy to see why — it’s a lovely, compact castle in a spectacular setting, perched on a small island just offshore. Built in the 13th century, it was blown up by the English during the Jacobite rebellion, and remained a neglected ruin until it was restored in the 1930s. We didn’t go in, just took a few photos are continued on our way.
The drive took us through mountains, moors, and along lochs. Despite the limited visibility, the scenery was stunning!
We pulled off at a few viewpoints and took some photos. Then came the big score — we were motoring along the highway when we spotted a couple of Highland coos (cattle) behind a fence at the side of the road. We quickly pulled into the nearest parking spot, which happened to be a distillery lot, and walked back to see them. They stayed there by the fence, munching noisily on grass, while we took dozens of photos of them. Beautiful creatures! So gloriously shaggy, and such long sharp horns!
Crianlarich is very small, and we easily found Inverardran Guest House, where we’ll stay tonight.
There is a tiny grocery store, and only three places to dine: the pub, the hotel, and the inn. The police station is actually in a cute little house with nicknacks on the window sills!
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