Heyoo – Due to the last couple of weeks being an absolute blur, I’m a bit behind in my stories. I’m back home in Australia now, but am telling them as if I was still up to date with my travels. J.x
We left Newtonmore and headed up to Inverness which we would bypass completely and head down one of the greatest driving roads known to man, the A82.
The A82 is the road to drive down if you’re going from Inverness to Glasgow. Not only does it take you past Loch Ness, Loch Lomond and Ben Nevis. It winds you through the incredible Scottish landscapes, from the dark black lochs to the mountainous range in the Highlands.
We started our drive and before we knew it, the deep dark waters of Loch Ness were beside us. I always assumed Loch Ness was just a big lake that you could walk around, but its actually bloody massive! We drove along for a good half an hour before pulling up for a coffee break. The water is jet black and apparently super deep, with its deepest point coming in at 230 metres. You could probably get to China from there! :p
Of course, the most famous aspect to Loch Ness is the elusive Loch Ness Monster. There have been many searches for old Nessie but is now regarded as a modern day myth. Nonetheless, the area surrounding Loch Ness sure market Nessie impressively. There are Nessie ciders, shirts, and even a Loch Ness Discovery Centre known as Nessieland. We skipped past it and headed towards Urquhart Castle, who stands grandly on the edge of Loch Ness.
The castle dates back to the 13th century and was mainly used as a royal residence. However due to many raids, the castle was abandoned in the 17th century until it was opened to the public in the 20th century. It is one of the most visited castles in Scotland, due to its beautiful location and remarkably well kept ruins.
We jumped back in the car continued down the A82 until we reached the end of Loch Ness. Though our view wasn’t about to take a turn for the worse, as soon as Loch Ness finished, we were blessed with several other Lochs, including Loch Oich and Loch Lochy. The dark, still water contrasting against the mountains topped with fog were anything but an eyesore. This part of Scotland was just too good lookin’ for words.
While we didn’t find Nessie (though I swear I saw ripples!), the beautiful scenery kept up spirits high. We had only covered a part of the A82, but I was eager to see where the rest of the road took us.
Keep reading for what the rest of the Highlands brings us!
J. x
A Blonde and Her Passport 