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Loch Shin and the charming village of Lairg

Take the high road

to the Highlands
In the opening instalment of a two-part special on touring
the Scottish Highlands by car, Norman Wright heads
north past lochs and mountains to John o’Groats
PART ONE

PHOTOGRAPHY: CLIVE NICHOLLS

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The long and winding road from Lairg to Tongue Dunbeath Castle clings to the cliffs as we head south down
the east coast from John o’Groats

John o’Groats’ famous waypost

The Altnaharra luxury oasis in the

Great walking country at Altnaharra Sutherland wilderness

I
T WAS a blow when the satnav
advised that our planned route
straight along Loch Ness was
blocked and advised a diversion
that would add 40 minutes to our journey
to the top of Scotland. With a couple of
Firths and the central Highlands to cross,
we were keen to press on.
But the diversion turned out to be a
blessing as we would have missed out on
a wonderful drive. Turning off the direct
route at Invergarry, we travelled along
Loch Garry then Loch Loyne, looking out
over the water’s silver sheen to the hills and
mountains in folds of misty shades of grey.
Looping back eastwards, the road
followed the River Morriston down the
glen between wooded hills and rocky
crags back to Loch Ness at Invermoriston.
Not much progress made towards our
destination but a lovely slice of scenery
that would have been missed.
Resuming the arrow-straight road along
Loch Ness to Inverness, the landscape is
no less impressive as the hills rise above
the opposite shore of the Loch.
At Inverness we turn north and
headed towards the Kessock Bridge
crossing the Moray Firth but chuckle
as we pass the compact football ground,
home of Inverness Caledonian Thistle,
remembering one of the great headlines
in The Sun when the mighty Celtic
were humbled in a cup tie by the tiny
Thistle. The shock result prompted
the headline ‘SuperCalliewentballistic
Celticwereatrocious’. Mary Poppins
may not have been impressed but it is
legendary in the world of journalists.
Then it’s on to the Cromarty Firth
bridge, like a causeway across the
gleaming water of the North Sea. The
A9 presses on along the north shore of
the Firth to the next major inlet, the
Dornoch Firth.
Opting to leave the main north south
artery, we stay on the southern shore of
the Firth and track it westwards to cross
its narrowest point at Bonar Bridge. From
there we follow the northern shore, then
the valley of the River Shin until it joins
Loch Shin at the pleasant village of Lairg.
The waterside at the entry to Lairg is
sleepy on the day we arrive. A couple
of youngsters are sailing their dinghy
along the shore. In the car park a cycle
tour company have set up their mobile
headquarters and are sending their
customers on their lycra-clad way topped
up with food and drink, with the bikes

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The Wee Hoose at Lairg
checked and adjusted by the mechanic
at the back of a workshop van.
Offshore is a small island with a
tiny house – titled The Wee Hoose on
an interpretation board at the water’s
edge. The board tells the story of how
it was built by a poacher, Jock Broon,
who was given the island by a local laird
in return for showing him the secret of
making whisky.
Taken in by the story at first, I read on
to learn how Jock moved his family in.
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The first inklings of doubt started at this
as the building is no more than shoulder
height and about 10ft long. I realised my
leg was being pulled when the board
revealed Jock died after shooting himself
in the foot while poaching deer.
Anxious not to shoot myself in the
foot, I sought out the real story, although
the board goes on for quite some time
bringing the history of the Broons right
up to date.
It turns out that the house was originally
part of a float in the village’s gala some 20
years ago. Rather than scrap the house, it
was put on the island (it has been rebuilt
several times after storms) and the legend
was invented and embellished. Now it is
a tourist attraction after appearing on TV
and in articles, and no longer just a joke.
About four miles south of Lairg, the
Shin Falls is one of the best places
in Scotland to see salmon leaping as
they battle upstream to their spawning
grounds.
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Lairg is also a crossroads connecting
southern Scotland and both coasts with
the northern Highlands. We were about
to take that northern route into the
remote part of Sutherland that is one
of the last remaining wildernesses in
Europe.
Paul McCartney wrote his classic
song The Long and Winding Road at his
Scottish farm in 1968 inspired by the
roads across hills of the Highlands. The
A836 from Lairg up to the north coast
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Altnaharra, definitely in the middle of nowhere
at Tongue may not have been the one
he had in mind but it certainly would
qualify, although not in most people’s
book as an A road.
The highway quickly becomes single
track with passing places. As a ribbon
of light through the dark heather and
bracken-covered slopes, it curves and
dips for 38 miles. The traffic is light and
there are plenty of passing places, but
the scenery is so magnificent you don’t
want to hurry.
There are plenty of cyclists, however; it
really is a perfect route for them and, sure
enough, we round a bend to find another
refreshment wagon from the bike tour
company complete with red checked
table cloths and a trusty mechanic.
The cyclists aren’t racing and neither
are we. We give each other plenty of
room and drive about halfway along the
stretch to find an oasis in the wilderness
– the Altnaharra Hotel.
It certainly is an oasis, too, a luxury
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Easy to relax at the Altnaharra

New twist on an old favourite prawn

The fishing fleet in harbour at Scrabster cocktail Altnaharra style

hotel with fabulous food and roaring
fires when the weather is cooler. It’s
ideal for cyclists, walkers, anglers and
those who want to take in the wild
scenery more gently by car.
Whether your day is strenuous closer
to the hotel or, like us, taking a tour
of the coast, you are going to look
forward to returning in the evening.
The food is fabulous, with the service
and atmosphere to match the qualities
of the chef.
The ingredients are chiefly local.
Highlights for me were venison; trust
the chef’s judgement and enjoy it rare.
It was as tender as any fillet steak (I
tried the Aberdeen Angus steak the
following evening).
A Scottish cheese board was beautifully
presented and, led by the magnificent
‘blue murder’, made at Tain in the
Highlands, finished off two outstanding
dinners. We were also sent off on our
days with excellent breakfasts.
For cyclists Altnaharra offers secure
overnight lock-up for the bikes and a
perfect wilderness ride on that long and
winding road.
Walkers can find paths near the hotel or
can take the 30-minute drive to the Borgie
Forest Walk alongside the River Borgie,
a one-and-a-half mile stroll. Or drive 25
minutes to Rosal Forest for a 90-minute
ramble through a wood with historical
significance as it was part of the infamous
Highland Clearances, with several ruins of
cottages where crofters were turned out.
More adventurous hikers can tackle
Ben Royal, dubbed the Queen of
Scottish mountains. It is 2506 ft high
and offers a six-hour climb. Ben Klibreck
is a ten-minute drive and is more than
3000ft. Steep in parts, it is also a six-hour
hike but the rewards of making it to the
top are spectacular views.
For anglers the hotel has a private
stretch of the River Mudale and it can
arrange access to other neaby rivers and
lochs. Salmon, sea trout and brown trout
are the quarry. You can hire tackle from
the hotel as well as enlist the help of a
ghillie to guide you to the best spots.
The weather of course can be all sorts
in the Highlands. Altnaharra has hit the
news recently for temperatures: it was
the coldest place in the UK on one night
and then had the highest temperature in
the country on one day in March. If you
do get wet on your outdoor pursuit, the
hotel has a drying room, too.

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Superb venison beautifully
presented
The Altnaharra Hotel’s
comfortable lounge
It’s a great place to eat and to stay. Full details
from the website: (www.altnaharra.com).
The hotel is a good base for touring the
north coast of Scotland. Negotiate the
other half of the A836 and you will be
at the coastal village of Tongue. Turning
east, we headed for the UK’s most
northerly mainland point, John o’Groats.
In itself it is a good drive of 60 miles on
mainly single-track roads.
On a clear day the craggy coast is
spectacular. We were a bit unlucky as the
sea mist had come in from the Pentland
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Scottish cheeses
to finish
Firth and settled in for the day. We
diverted just before Thurso to have a look
at the fishing and ferry port of Scrabster
and carried on to John o’Groats. The town
was busy with visitors and a few triumphant
cyclists who had just completed the
ride from Land’s End. Others were just
setting out in the opposite direction
looking apprehensive. Photographer Clive
Nicholls, who has completed the ‘end-to-
end’ a couple of times, agreed they had
plenty to be apprehensive about.
As well as John o’Groats, visitors can
Fishing harbour at Helmsdale
on the A9 south
pay a visit to the Castle of Mey, the
beloved holiday home of the late Queen
Mother. Prince Charles spends a week
here every summer, and visitors can
find out why his grandmother loved the
draughty house and gardens so much.
It was a touch better weather as we
turned south the down the A9 and then
back across for another sumptuous
evening at the Altnaharra Hotel.
Then it was back on the road for the
west coast. We will bring you that in Part
Two next month.
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