If you enjoy taking pictures then a feast awaits you
when travelling through the Highland scenery of Scotland.
Pictures are around every corner, the Highland scenery
is truly breathtaking and the area around Loch Carron
will have your shutter clickin merrily.
A peaceful looking scene from Stromferry across the narrows
of Loch Carron to North Strome and yet in years gone by
this was a bustling ferry port. The Skye railway from
Inverness, terminated at Stromeferry and the steamers
supplied the Isle of Skye from here, until the line was
extended to Kyle of Lochalsh in 1897. The ferry continued
to transfer the visitor across Loch Carron from where
they would continue their journey north, or stop overnight
at Lochcarron village. It was the only place in the Highlands
where you would find a traffic jam at the height of the
tourist season. A new road was built along the Strome
Ferry side of the loch which cured the problem of the
bottleneck, but closed the ferry and left the village
desolate. In recent months (October 2002 being the latest
) landslips have caused problems for both the rail and
road user.The Highland council and Railtrack are looking
at plans to re- route both the road and rail line, so
who knows, there may be a bridge in this photograph the
next time I update it. The rail line from Inverness to
Kyle provides the traveller with one of the lovliest train
journeys to be made in Britain, passing through some spectacular
scenery on it's way to the sea.
The village of Lochcarron itself is a grand spot and
with plenty accomodation is a fine base from which to
tour the area. To the left of the large building in the
foreground of the photograph is the ruin of Strome Castle,
which was destroyed by the MacKenzies of Kintail after
a struggle for possesion with the MacDonalds in 1602.
For golfers there is a nine hole course at Kirkton which
lies at the north end of the Loch.
A drive north on the A896 will soon have you in the lovely
village of Shieldaig, whilst a more dramatic journey can
be made by taking the road for Applecross at the head
of Loch Kishorn. Negotiate the hairpin bends over the
Bealach Na Bo Pass or Pass of the Cattle,at the summit
you are sitting at 2,300ft and the vista is wonderful,
this I promise, is a drive you won't forget. Passing through
Applecross the road hugs the coast as you head for Shieldaig
and provides great views to the Isles of Raasay, Skye
and Rona. The picturesque village of Plockton is also
worth a visit and it's not that far to Kyle of Lochalsh
and the Skye Bridge and another ferry which has of course
closed. I'm sure I'm not the only one who misses the ferries,
ok there were queues but you were on holiday, not in a
rush, not trying to break any records, it was all parft
of the romance of the Highlands. Now let me say right
away that bridges (WITHOUT TOLLS) and new roads are of
great benefit to the local people and local businesses,
but wouldn't it be possible to leave the ferries for us
old romantics?.
You can still take a ferry to Skye by way of Glenelg
to Kylerhea, although it is seasonal and only takes a
few cars at a time.