Today we did the Road to the Isles backwards, from Portree on Skye, to Glencoe north of Fort William.

We got up to rain at 6:30, got ready, packed the car and went to breakfast at 7:15 . They don't really serve until 7:30 but they told us they would since we needed to leave early. We had our usual breakfast and left about 7:55. We hated to say goodbye to Skye. We drove south to Armadale and got to the ferry terminal about 8:50. By then the rain had stopped and the sun came out. I blogged while we drove to try and catch up.

The name of the ferry line was the Caledonian MacBrayne and we got off at 9:20 on time. It was a 30 minute ride to Mallaig. It was actually quite warm and sunny. Robbie had told us that the weatherman had said that today would be the warmest day until next summer at 75*. We got off the ferry and headed to Glencoe our destination for today. Our first stop along the way was the Silver Sands of Morar, a series of white sand beaches. It was beautiful and so unexpected in Scotland.    Our next stop was Prince Charlie’s Cairn which marks the traditional spot where Prince Charlie left Scotland after the defeat at Culloden .

Then we went to Glenfinnan and along the way we saw the Jacobite steam train that goes from Fort Williams to Mallaig. When we got to Glenfinnan we found the Glenfinnan House Hotel. Elizabeth in Inverness told us they would have a Sunday Roast which a traditional Sunday meal in the UK. But they did not have one, so we moved on. We next went to the Visitor Center for the Glenfinnan Monument which marks the place where Bonnie Prince Charlie raised his standard to launch the Jacobite Rebellion. It is here that you can also see the Glenfinnan Viaduct shown in the Harry Potter films when Harry and his friends are on the Hogwart’s Express going to school. We went through the exhibit and then walked over to the Monument on the shore of Loch Sheil. Then we went back and walked up to the viewpoint where we had a great view of both the monument and the viaduct. Larry and Erin saw a short passenger train go across the viaduct.

We were getting hungry so we went and found the Glenfinnan Train Station where they have a Glenfinnan Dining Car set up as a restaurant . We were just at the end of the lunch rush and got a seat right away. We got tea, fruit tea for Erin and I, and Larry got Earl Grey. Erin and I got toasties, like paninis. Erin got ham and cheese and I got ham, cheese and sweet pickle. Larry got an egg salad sandwich. Each came with coleslaw and a salad. When we paid the bill they gave us tickets for free entrance into the Glenfinnan Train Museum in the old station. So we went over and toured it. It was pretty good for free! We enjoyed walking around the station too.

We got back in the car and headed to Banavie and Neptune’s Staircase. Neptune’s Staircase is a series of 7 locks that lift a boat 70 feet above sea level in in 500 yards. We were lucky enough to get there just as a large sailing yacht was coming through the Caledonian Canal. We heard the signal to close the road and gates like for a train crossing came down to block traffic on the road. Beside the highway bridge was a train bridge. First the train bridge swung out of the way, then the highway bridge . Then the boat came through into the first lock. When it was in the lock the doors closed behind it and water started spilling into it from the lock above it. Then water came from the lock above but from the bottom. When the two locks were at the same water level the doors in the front opened and the boat went into the second lock and so on. We watched the first cycle which took about 15 or 20 minutes. Then we walked up to the top of the seventh lock, crossed over to the other side, and walked back down. The trail on the other side of the locks is part of the Great Glen Way a hiking trail from the Firth of Moray at Inverness to Loch Linnhe at Fort Williams. There are several lochs along the Great Glen Way that are connected by the Caledonian Canal. So in a small boat or yacht you can sail from one side of Scotland to the other through the lochs and the canal.

When we left Banavie we headed to Glencoe through Fort Williams and Ballachulish. We arrived at Glasdruim B & B . We parked and went to the door and our reservation was never recorded. They were very accommodating and moved other people around so we can have our room for two nights. They have found us another place to stay for the third night. But I hate having to move. We settled into our room and rested for a bit.

We decided to eat at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel as their restaurant is right on Loch Leven. We got a table right by the window as they were not busy yet. Larry and Erin had fish (haddock), chips and mushy peas (like mashed potatoes). I had fresh crab linguini. Erin and Larry had Caledonian 80 shilling Ale and I had Symonds Founder's Reserve Cider. It was a good meal but the fish and chips were not as good as the take away the other night.

After supper we went back to our room until it was time to leave for the Clachaig (clock-EGG) Inn for drinks and live music. I had Thistly Cross Real Elderflower Cider, the same brand as at Sea Breezes last night. Yum! Erin had Cock O' the Walk Scottish Red Ale and Loch Ness 80 Shilling. Larry had Cairngorm Trade Wind Ale and Cairngorm Buzz. The music was open session which is like open mike without the mike. There were six people, two women and four men. They played guitar, ukulele, fiddle, flute, bohdran (Irish drum), squeeze box (small accordion-like instrument) and various percussion instruments. Some of the songs were good and others were not. Some of the players and singers were good and some were not. We stayed a couple of hours and then came back to the room and got ready for bed.