One of these was a great holiday in Scotland away from it all in late May. We had a week on Knoydart, a Hebridian peninsular on the mainland which is so remote you can only get there boat. Knoydart lies between Lochs Nevis and Hourn and faces the Isle of Skye. The peninsula is not connected by road to the rest of mainland Britain and boasts the most remote pub on mainland Britain, The Old Forge.
Knoydart has had a difficult history since the Highland Clearances, but for the last ten years the estate has been run by its residents (about 100 in total) through the Knoydart Foundation . As part of the celebrations of the tenth anniversary of the foundation we spent a marvellous evening at Inverie listening to Ian McEwan reading from his forthcoming book.
We stayed the week in the Stone Lodges at Doune as a party of eight. The owners of the lodges are friends of Juliet and Mike Peet, who have been boating with us on Albert, and they had been to Doune before. We travelled to Mallaig by car and got picked up by boat in the pouring rain. The wildlife was spectacular, with red deer, otters, seals, dolphins and plenty of birdlife. The food at Doune was a major part of the holiday. All ingredients brought in by boat! The seafood, all caught locally, was particularly memorable and the venison, from the estate, was delicious.
We did a lot of hill walking, which we won’t report on, but here are some images of boating.
Travelling to Doune in the rain!
Doune looking towards the Isle of Skye
Waiting for Gripper II at Doune Harbour
Maggie steering GripperII
Looking towards Inverie
Loch Nevis
Gripper departing from Carnousie landing stage. Maggie off to Mallaig to collect prawns.
A prawn feast at Doune!
Sunset over the Cullins from Doune
Mallaig Harbour
We will long remember this holiday and this wonderful wilderness.
