John O'Groats

DR and his pal, CA, went for a trip the other day from Inverness up to John O'Groats. Y'all have heard of 'from John O'Groats to Land's End' ...


As we've come to expect, DR didn't have his camera, but thankfully CA did. Here are some of his photos.

 The distance from John O'Groats to Lands end is the longest distance in mainland Britain: north-east to south-west.

Even in Scotland, we sometimes have to struggle with the sunlight.

"Where will drive to next, DR?"

Interesting rock formation.

This is Dunnet Head - the most northerly point on mainland UK.

And across the water, you can see Orkney.

Bonny, bonny place, don't you think?

A cruise ship was sailing through the Pentland Firth, with Dunnet Head to its south, and the Orkneys to its north.

Scenes from the North of Scotland

Leaving Stornoway on the ferry, the Isle of Lewis. 

Lews Castle, built around 1850 by Sir James Matheson, who'd bought the island some years before this, is visible at the top left of the photo.

Some photos of the area between Ullapool and Inverness.

The area of Scotland around Inverness is fertile, with farms and fields a-plenty.

This photo was taken at the very beginning of March and so the fields aren't green and lush like they will be in a few months' time. I still love it.

Just a few miles along the road to Ullapool, and the landscape is very different.

(There also seem to be drivers who think they're in America. Or maybe they were simply overtaking.)

There would not have been much opportunity for folks to grow their own food or to feed their livestock in these areas in years gone by. Little wonder that so much of this area is empty.

The Fishing Port of Cullen

One of the fishing villages we drove through on the way to Gardenstown is the picturesque port of Cullen.

It was in this fishing port that Cullen Skink originated.

The viaduct was built towards the end of the 19th Century to accommodate the railway. 

None of these fishing ports are strangers to tragedy. But on the day we drove through, it all seemed so peaceful. So sunny, pretty and peaceful.

The coastline is lovely.

When you're driving east, the sea is to the north, 

and wonderful farmland to the south. 

 Beautiful. But poignant that day.   

If you ever have the opportunity to drive in Scotland, I'd definitely recommend driving along this coastline. The first time we'd ever been was the day we first met our dear friends, Alex and Elsie. Providence is an astonishing thing. How little we knew that evening what depths our friendship would reach.