IT’S SCOT THE LOT
INSTANT WEEKEND Edinburgh
to watch seabirds dodge the crashing waves (in summer it’s one of the best places to see pufflings). A day later we lay out on Melvich Beach, blinking in the sun. Scotland, we discovered, is best approached with a wardrobe of gear to suit any weather at all times.
But it was at the north-west corner of the country that we really started to fall deeply in love with the NC500. Years of drifting off to sleep listening to warnings of gales in Malin and Bailey on the Shipping Forecast has given Cape Wrath a mythical status in our house. We were determined to reach the enigmatic outpost.
It turns out even once you’ve driven this far it’s not easy to get there – there’s no road for a start. You can walk it in two days, camping rough, or take the tiny boat across the Kyle of Durness. From there, a minibus drives the 11-mile track to the end of the world (visitcapewrath.com).
But as our host at Mackay’s Rooms in Durness pointed out: ‘‘It’s a long bumpy ride on a dreich day if you can’t see the views.’’ We stayed three days in Durness, drinking sweet cups of the world’s best hot chocolate from Cocoa Mountain (cocoamountain. co.uk), visiting Smoo Cave, walking the white sandy beaches and waiting on the weather. It was worth it. Our
THE WEST IS BEST
MOOVE!
Cattle along the
route
bus driver showed us seals laid out on the sand banks, stags among the heather and red kites scanning our potholed progress from the skies, while telling us about the history, geography and how useless the dating app Tinder is when you live in the Highlands.
The sun shone, the lighthouse at the end of the world gleamed and the sweet lass in the tea shop – she and her dad are the only permanent residents – franked our postcards with “Love from
Cape Wrath” stamps.
Nothing prepared us for how beautiful the west coast was. Beaches stretched out like miles of Caribbean white sand curled into mountain-backed bays that reminded me of rugged Greek islands. The lochs shone cobalt-blue, glassy on still days, with the grass running right to the water edge, like Norwegian fjords in the sunshine.
At Lochinver we hired The Hideaway (booking.com), which has views over the loch to the rounded cone of Suilven Mountain.
The compact cabin had a kitchen with everything we needed for fried breakfasts and simple dinners, but the town is less than a mile if you prefer to eat at the famous pie shop (piesbypost.co.uk).
The highlight was the hot tub – cheerily steamy even in grim weather, though we were blessed with blue skies and pin-sharp views of the Milky Way at night.
I could have spent the whole two weeks in Lochinver, exploring the Assynt valley, watching sunsets from Achmelvich Bay and hiking up to the Falls of Kirkaig where a small detour took us out to Loch Fionn for an impromptu swim. But the route beckoned on to our final showpiece stop.
Opposite the tiny village of Badachro, little more than a street and a friendly pub, is Dry Island (dryis landuk.wordpress.com). It’s cut off at high tide, except for a floating footbridge over the estuary, and it’s home to Ian, his family and some otters.
Around this tiny fiefdom are two cabins and an old curing station where you can stay (two with hot tubs). Ian does shellfish safaris in his boat, where you can catch your own dinner to eat back at your terrace.
There are great walks (one to a wartime plane crash site where the rusting fuselage still lies), but sitting with a glass of wine, watching the silent estuary was perfection for me.
It turned out we didn’t drive 500 miles – when we returned our car after the trip, we’d just pipped 1,000.
‘‘It’s not unusual,’’ said the chap at the desk. ‘‘There is a lot to see.’’
West coast beaches stretched out like miles of Caribbean white sand
With its fairy-tale skyline of turrets and spires set among craggy hills with views out to sea, Edinburgh is one of Europe’s most spectacular cities.
Cultured and cosmopolitan, its medieval streets are a treasure trove of museums, galleries and gardens. At the top of the Royal Mile, Edinburgh Castle oversees proceedings from its perch high on a volcanic rock.
One of the world’s great showcase cities, it provides an inspirational backdrop for artists, writers and scientists who gather for its annual festivals.
Home of the exhilarating Edinburgh Military Tattoo, as well as the bucket-list
Hogmanay New Year’s Eve party, there’s lots to savour...
SEE
Edinburgh Castle
Dominating the city for 900 years, the 11th century castle, which has served as a military fortress, royal palace and state prison, is now Scotland’s most popular tourist trap.
Explore its cluster of museums, vaults and chapel. The Crown Room houses the Honours of Scotland, the oldest crown jewels in Britain. edinburghcastle.scot
Royal Yacht Britannia Retired in 1997, the Queen’s floating holiday home is moored at Leith’s Ocean Terminal. Voted Scotland’s best visitor attraction for past 12 years there are five decks to explore including the state apartments. royalyachtbritannia.co.uk
Real Mary King’s Close The lower levels of this medieval alley have remained unchanged for 250 years and they give an insight into life in a bygone era. real marykingsclose.com
DO
Take a walk around the Old Town. Find Greyfriars Kirkyard, an evocative and peaceful spot right in the city centre. Many famous Edinburgh residents are buried here, including William Smellie, the first editor of the Encyclopedia Britannica.
Join a guided tour of Deanston Distillery, a one hour drive away in
Stirling. Brave souls should try the New Make Spirit, whisky direct from the still and not yet matured, which comes in at a stiff 63.5% alcohol. deanstonmalt.com
EAT
If you fancy a tasty lunch at the birthplace of a multimillion-pound franchise, head for the Elephant House Cafe at 21 George IV Bridge. This is where J.K. Rowling wrote her first book, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone.
There are articles and photos galore of the renowned author on the walls. From the back room, where Rowling
used to sit, there is an amazing view of Edinburgh Castle, which is thought to be the inspiration for Hogwarts. elephanthouse.biz
DRINK
At number 8 Young Street you will find the Oxford Bar, famously the watering hole of Detective Inspector John Rebus, the hard-nosed copper at the centre of Ian Rankin’s hugely popular series of novels.
An old-fashioned, down-to-earth, front room-type pub, you can see why it would appeal to a grizzled old cop.
When Ian Rankin drinks there he enjoys local brew, Deuchars IPA, made nearby in Edinburgh’s most historic brewery. oxfordbar.co.uk
STAY
The Glasshouse is a five-star hotel with 77 rooms in the heart of the city centre.
Formerly the 170-year-old Lady Glenorchy Church, it was converted to this luxury abode in 2003. Its crisp, modern interior is in marked contrast to the building’s Gothic church facade at the front.
It has a huge outside space in a roof terrace garden with views to Calton Hill. Rooms from €231.
If you want a really special treat, go for the Glasshouse’s Elite Whisky Experience weekend.
The package for two includes two nights’ B&B in one of its four most luxurious suites, a seven-course, fine-dining and whisky-tasting dinner, a whisky distillery tour of your choice, lunch and a dinner for €2,087.
theglasshousehotel.co.uk
For the brave, try whisky direct from the still that comes in at a stiff 63.5%
FOR Bandon bullet Phil Healy, the stakes have never been higher.
The fastest woman in Irish history is hoping to produce the performance of her life in this evening’s European Indoor 400m final in Torun, Poland and win her first major championships medal.
Standing in her way are three athletes who appear to be a class apart: Femke Bol and Lieke Klaver of the Netherlands along with Polish star Justyna Swietyersetic.
But Healy knows as well as anyone the chaos that can ensue in an indoor 400m.
In her heat yesterday, Healy powered to the front at halfway and coasted to victory in a controlled 52.00, a 100th of a second shy of her lifetime best.
In the semi-final last night, she was only second at halfway but surged to the front up the home straight, edging to victory in 52.41.
“I could feel the other athletes around me but I wasn’t giving in, I was getting to that final,” she said.
“I wasn’t in front at the bell but Shane (Mccormack) told me to back myself, that I had the gears and when I was over on the far side I knew I could take her.
“I’m just buzzing to get out with the win. Anything can happen in the final.”
In the men’s 1500m final Andrew Coscoran and Paul Robinson acquitted themselves well once again, finishing 7th and 10th respectively.
No one in the field had an answer to the stunning pace of Jakob Ingebrigtsen, but the 20-year-old Norwegian was disqualified shortly after taking victory in 3:37.56 because he stepped inside the line on a bend.
Teenage star Cian Mcphillips announced his arrival with a stunning performance in the men’s 800m heats, the Longford 18-year-old advancing with ease to the semi-finals in 1:49.98.
Joining him is two-time European indoor medallist Mark English, who survived a close call in his heat to advance in 1:49.79. John Fitzsimons was edged out after clocking 1:51.00 to finish fifth.
Nadia Power marched on to the women’s 800m semi-finals with an assured showing in yesterday’s heats, the 23-yearold positioning herself in the leader’s slipstream and holding off late charges from behind to take second in 2:03.16.
Síofra Cléirigh-buttner was eliminated after finishing fourth in 2:04.47.