Snowstorm and Heilan Coos 16th Dec 2019

Vince wanted to try to put the drone up over Glen Coe and the forecast was for intermittent showers - so we thought we would chance it. We backtracked the 27 or so miles as far as Dalness. It was cold with snow all around but very picturesque. However, the rain soon turned to snow and it wasn’t possible to put the drone up. Morag enjoyed playing in the snow.

Headed back toward Fort William we made a stop at the Glen Coe Visitor Centre (free using our National Trust pass) which was very interesting and one of the staff there briefly explained some Scottish history and the massacre of Glen Coe. We had a spot of early lunch (some tomato and lentil soup for just under 5 pounds each) then back on the road.

We topped in the Glen at a scenic look out and I did attempt to climb up the steep bank covered in snow and ice but it was very slippery - and given I am only just recovering from my broken leg fiasco in Bali (15 Feb 2019) Vince suggested I think twice about it. The snow storm ramped up and Vince took my first Vlog on location in Scotland - check it out if you haven’t already!!!

https://video.wixstatic.com/video/7a4f65_6d940f3be332416a8fd45b1bbc7c0614/1080p/mp4/file.mp4

We passed through Fort William and had hoped to visit Glen Nevis to photograph Ben Nevis, and Vince wanted to drone over Inverlochy Castle which we saw yesterday. Sadly neither were possible due to the snow fall - everything was blanketed and the peaks not visible.

Glen Nevis is nestled at the foot of the majestic Ben Nevis and easily accessible from Fort William. It is said to be one of the most beautiful and spectacular glens in Scotland. From its floor you can see some of the different rocks that make up the Highlands of Scotland, as well as dramatic evidence of sculpting by the huge Ice Age glaciers which once filled the glen.Not far down the Glen is “Braveheart” car park where the Glen Nevis Visitor Centre is located. People at our hotel told us you can see Ben Nevis from the carpark. Ben Nevis is the highest mountain in the British Isles. Standing at 1,345 metres above sea level, it is at the western end of the Grampian Mountains in the Lochaber area of the Scottish Highlands, close to Fort William. It was first ascended on 17 Aug 1771 but James Roberton.

Just over the Spean Bridge we visited the Commando Memorial (designed by Scott Sutherland and cast by H H Martyn Ltd), which depicts 3 bronze commandos in typical WWII Uniforms (1700 commandos lost there lives,many others were seriously wounded with 8 being awarded the Victoria Cross). The monument looks south towards Ben Nevis, as they trained all over Lochaber, and the plinth beneath there feet reads "United We Conquer". They trained at Achnacarry Castle and would march pass the site where the monument now stands coming from the Spean Bridge railway station. The Memorial was unveiled by Queen Elizabeth (Queen Mother)on 12 Sept 1952.

The road became treacherous and we saw an accident just out of Loch Ness at Fort Augustas. The scenery was picture book perfect as the snow fell and blanketed everything - man, beast and building alike.

I was very excited to see a herd of Heilan Coos and despite the snow fall we double backed so I could get some shots. Considering it was a main road with little room to stop I had to be quick - so just hand held on my 400ml (which I later discovered someone had switched steady shot off on!!!) with very dark conditions (so needed a higher ISO of 3200) but none the less I bagged my first Highland Cow shots.

These were the second time I saw a Highland Cow, there was one yesterday just out of Fort William in a field, but despite transversing an side bank covered in brambles and stingy throned nettles the little bugger dropped his head each time I lifted my camera! So EPIC FAIL in terms of photos despite the huge effort I put in. Today was much more appealing and cows much more cooperative.

It was harrowing on the roads and Vince did a striking job of getting us to our destination at Breahead Guest House, 2 Old Edinbrough Road. He was white knockled all the way and I was a bit like a zombie just staring into the white blanket before us. The danger was black ice which can’t really be seen on the tarmac.

We received a warm welcome from Moira and her beautiful golden retriever Archie, whom we had stayed with in 2015 (when I was in the burns unit at Raigmore Hospital following my Chemo treatment for Skin Cancer.) We chatted and caught each other up on the past 4 years (both good and bad) and she thanked us for the Christmas gifts for her and Archie (Whisky Chocolates and Doggie Christmas Chocolate Balls).

Up the stairs (all the hotels and B&B’s have millions of stairs) with our luggage - it will be so good when we are finally settled at Willie McLeod’s house for 3 and a half months and don’t need to humph our luggage from place to place!

After settling in, freshening up and downloading some images and footage to our laptop, we took our live in our hands as we went out in the severe weather warning to get down the hill to the Castle Tavern where we enjoyed a steak pie, smothered chicken (about 13 pound each) and two Bowmore Single Malts (3.15 pounds each). Then it was back up the hill, again trying to not slip and slide on the ice and snow (although some was turning to sludge). It was very intrepid and we were happy to finally reach the front door of Braehouse. Before long I was tucked up in bed and off to the land of nod - it had been a very exhausting day, mentally, physically and emotionally.