One of the trips I’d been most looking forward to from Dornie, was the trip up to the Applecross Peninsula. Several friends had said this was their favourite part of the Highlands so it came highly recommended. We’d also been advised to book a table for lunch at the Applecross Inn, it can get very busy and they do great seafood.
However, although when we woke up the views across the loch were lovely and calm, as soon as we set off on our journey it began to rain. Today’s variety was very wet rain. There are two roads into Applecross, which is on the east coast of the peninsula. The 23 miles scenic coastal route or the world famous Baleach na Ba. Both roads are part of the NC500 route and the Baleach na Ba is named on the web as the most dangerous road in Scotland! Of course I wanted to try this, it’s a long twisty drive up a road with the steepest, longest climb in the UK and Scotland’s 3rd highest road at 2053 feet. Enid had already said she would not drive today so it was down to me.
The night before I studied the OS map looking at the closeness of the contours and arrows indicating steep bits and hairpin bends. I also checked out the latest reviews on Trip Advisor. It did not make good reading. Lots of people were saying they’d hated it, couldn’t wait to get off it. The main issues people seemed to have were other drivers not using the passing places properly, campervans going up when the signs clearly say they’re not supposed to and fog- making it difficult to see five feet in front of you but also meaning the famous views are nowhere to be seen. I’d made a decision and told the girls I had an announcement to make. I would NOT be driving the Baleach na Ba, I was too scared.
So off we set, taking the much longer scenic coastal route. There was some lovely scenery along the way including really beautiful stands of Scots Pine trees. First of all around Lochcarron and then up and down to Shieldaig where we took a short break. There’s not much here but you could just about see the Torridon mountains and the vague outline of Skye the other way. There was a small general store where we bought lots of presents for folk back home. It was a popular store for such a small place but the shopkeeper was busy on the phone reporting someone who had woken up with a cough that morning……hand sanitiser girls!
Then we started on the coastal road proper which is really just a tarmac track which winds its way up the bumpy coastal route. Again the scenery was lovely but long distance views quite limited today. However, were weren’t necessarily looking for views today. What had been promised was highland cows on the road and red roofed buildings so iconic of this part of the world! It was a slow drive with just a few stops as we’d been warned not to arrive late for lunch. We found the iconic building and then just before Applecross there they were – 10 highlands coos and their wee calves standing right beside and in the road, near a passing bay. You’re not supposed to park in the passing places but I couldn’t resist. Out we all got in the rain. We totally forgot that they may not be that friendly as they looked so docile! In fact the first one we passed in the car was so still, Jane and Enid thought it was a dummy cow! Joyce tried to put her hand out to one that was very close to the car but got an abrupt ’pffnnuffh’ warning her off.
By now other cars were starting to arrive so we had to move on but my mission today had been accomplished! Happily we drove on into Applecross, not caring that there were no views and it was still absolutely pouring. We were a bit early for lunch so we did some more shopping in the really tasteful gift shop there called The Coalshed. Whilst we waited our turn to go in we chatted to some motorcyclists from California who were riding from Inverness to a remote part of Skye today. They were excited about going up the Baleach na Ba next…….
We went for our lunch at the Applecross Inn eating all sorts of traditional scottish fare, haggis, oatcakes, smoked salmon, dressed crab and Cranachan for pudding! It was very good and had a nice atmosphere. Loads of people turned up to get a table but were turned away to get a snack from the airstream parked outside and the sit in The Lambing Shed to eat. Yes, we were smug and warm.
As the meal finished I got chatting to the barmaid who looked at me like I was mad when I said I was too chicken to drive the Baleach na Ba. She said it’d be fine unless it was cloudy, it was quite quiet at this time of year and it was much easier to go back this way. Hmm……I’d already had a text from my friend Leera, telling me to do it, it was EASY. So, I told the girls I’d changed my mind and we were going to do it, even though I now felt slightly ill at the thought of it!
But outside, it was still raining and I could see clouds swirling over the hills opposite. Nope…we weren’t going to do it. Joyce and Jane looked disappointed, Enid looked relieved. Back in the car we got, there are some nice walks around Applecross but not today.
As we got to the harmless looking junction, with the big warning signs about the perils of driving the Baleach na Ba, I stopped the car. Hm…..heart said yes, head so nooooooooo! I knew I’d really regret it if I didn’t so I turned right and off we started up the famous, dreaded road! Now I’d made my decision I was fine and I’d just take my time. It started off ok, a bit windy, definitely narrow but generally you could see the way ahead and so stop in passing places to let approaching cars go by. But as we climbed higher we did start to enter the clouds and oh dear, I could no longer see very far ahead at all. Now I gripped the wheel even harder. Luckily, there were not too many other cars doing the trip today. When we reached the viewpoint car park at the top there were no views at all back down to Applecross so we just carried on. We did get some views on the other side and now you could see the really long stretch of steep road that you have to climb up in 1st gear! No cars at all on it today so it was an easy drive down, hurrah. The hairpin bends were fine too and as we descended out of the cloud I think we were all mightily relieved. As we came down we saw a campervan parked at the side of the road and just behind it a lone red deer stag looking majestic. It was a fitting end to an exhilarating drive.
It had probably taken about 40 minutes to drive back this way but it was still another 50 minutes back to Dornie. We stopped at another lovely gallery and gift shop on Lochcarron and then returned home. What a very splendid day it had been.
Where shall we go to next? 