On Friday, we spent the day in the Albuquerque area. Tully suggested a nearby hike amongst the petroglyphs. It’s less than 30 minutes from downtown, and very impressive! It is Petroglyph National Monument. The site, set amongst a volcanic feature named Albuquerque West Mesa, is 17 miles long and is estimated to contain more than 24,000 petroglyphs! The size is 7,236 acres. The mesa was created by volcanic activity 200,000 years ago. Its Gylphs were created by Pueblo people and Spanish settlers. The weather for our hike was classic early spring desert. Completely variable! Sun, then wind, then graupel snow, back and forth, even thunder! The last half of our hike was driving graupel. Graupel can be described as “snow pellets,” or “styrofoam snow.” By the end we were soaked through! But we caught glimpses of really cool petroglyphs.
Interpreting the rock drawings leaves much to the imagination. We guessed we saw crows, hawks, hummingbirds, Ibis, antelopes, snakes, bisons, people in costumes, fish, turtles, and quite a few what might be described as whirlpools or labyrinths. Also there were several crucifixes. The petroglyphs are estimated to have been drawn between 400 – 700 years ago.
I’d recommend visiting if you are in the Albuquerque area!
Today the sun rose unveiling a day our local guides would call a true gem! Just a few days ago we started in a maelstrom with no break in the forecast. But lucky for us the weather forecast turned out to be 100% wrong. We had a series of sunny and very calm days. Perfect for a lifetime memory – a hike out on the Trotternish Peninsula amongst the Quirang.
We parked close to the sea and headed inland, up past sheep and small lakes up to the famous rock formations. Opening the images in this gallery will reveal an unlimited sea view – all calm!
This trail was a moderate challenge with some sections where careful footing was required. And a couple of over-the-fence scrambles. Our guides Tania and Susie kept saying typically there is brooding mist coming and going amongst the crags, and the view never ever this clear. Cathy Ann said last time she was here it was typically Scottish Coast moist and windy.
If this area seems recognizable, it might be you’ve seen it in films! This scene was used for Stardust, Snow White and the Huntsman, 47 Ronin, MacBeth, The BFG, King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, Transformers: Last Night, The Land that Time Forgot, Year of the Comet, and more!
It certainly was, on a day like ours, a memorable spot for a lunch break!
Once done with the hike, we were taken to a spot on the beach, where we all took a little dip into the North Atlantic. Some more than others! Most simply went in up to their ankles. This area is also known for a few dinosaur fossils. One very big footprint comes into view as you walk a stony surface near the shore. I was definitely taken aback by its size and shape! It really sticks out once you realize what it is! Those creatures were HUGE!
Another great weather day dawns! Looking out my cathedral window at the Uig Hotel, the sea is flat and calm. The sun is peeking through the clouds. I dress knowing we’re undertaking a mostly up-up-uphill hike to a lunch spot overlooking the sea. Which means shorts and a long-sleeved UV protecting shirt. After another sumptuous breakfast, highlighted by smoked salmon and cream cheese, I pick up my lunch and join the group for our drive to the trailhead.
We’re parked at Culnamean right on the beach, at the head of Loch Brittle. There are many other cars here parked for a hike, plus lots of caravans camping overnight at its Glen Brittle campsite. This seems to be a destination campground. I can see license plates from many EU countries. Our goal this day is a ledge just underneath 3,234ft Sgurr Dearg. Just behind us is a lagan, pretty well known, called Coire Lagan. From up there, on a day like this, the views are unlimited!
We were so lucky with the weather! Many others said to us that it’s truly rare to have this calm, sunny day! I was feeling pretty taxed after a while and decided I’d take my lunch below the final spot. I was perfectly happy there, with the view. The others scrambled up some rocks to the top where they had their lunch. I was joined by a German couple equally happy to lunch where I was.
Not too long after, my group came scrambling back down.
The rugged landscapes of mountains, dramatic rock formations, and of course the views of the Hebrides made for a truly memorable and satisfying experience. We were due for another hike on Northern Skye the following day.
The hotel has a magical view of the Outer Hebrides – and the ferry swings in from there.
We took a half day’s drive from Glencoe, over the Isle of Skye Bridge, and then up to Uig. It’s a spectacularly picturesque village clustered on a postcard perfect harbor. Our fabulous weather just kept on coming! To die for views. And the hotel? It is superbly over the top cute, cozy, everything one could hope for on a stay on Isle of Skye! There is even a Fairy Glen not far away. And then we arrived at the Uig Hotel.
My room is on the upper right! Perfect!
If anything can match, or even enhance the scene, it would have to be the Uig Hotel! Inside and out, the view, the location, the proximity to real movie scene hikes, its delectable restaurant, and its cozy single-malt whiskey stocked bar, it all just oozes authentic Scottish experience! The original building was a coaching inn built in 1831. There are newer rooms in a building out back. I totally lucked out that I got a seaside view room with a cathedral window!
Settled in, I chose to grab a pint of stout from the bar and wander the grounds. The lighting, the view of the harbor and bay beyond, are pretty much over the top intoxicating beyond the brew I had in my grasp.
On this evening, it was the wedding anniversary of two of my fellow trekkers, Cassie and Taylor Graham! FYI Cassie is the niece of Don Martin, of my Annapurna Sanctuary Trek in Nepal trip! Halfway through happy hour, we met up outside their room for a toast! I brought along my Scotland flag from home, which I proudly fly from my home. I have a LOT of Scottish heritage!
And then? It’s time for supper! Over there, a “dinner” would be mid-day. Supper is the evening meal. Once again, we were at liberty to order anything on the menu. No restrictions! I LOVE seafood, and on Scotland’s Isle of Skye, that is plentiful. So, I ordered baked salmon for the main course. But WHOA wait a minute. The starters! One cannot allow oneself to neglect an opportunity indulge! I noticed one of my absolute rarely indulged favorites, steamed mussels in white wine sauce with lemon! And I was not disappointed. What came to my place set was huge! So delish it was, that I ordered it again the next night.
Cathy Ann and our local guides Tonia and Susie announced our hiking plans for tomorrow. We’d head south, to the Black Cuillens, to a place named Culnamean, which is at sea level. We’d hike straight up to a spectacular lunch spot Coire Lagan, under Sgurr Dearg, the highest point on Isle of Skye. If we were lucky, we’d have completely unlimited views from there!
With that, in my typical fashion, I bid everyone good night! Each night I needed ‘me time’ to write up the experiences of the day!
View from the Glencoe Visitor’s Center. Improving weather!
We were staying two nights at the Kingshouse Hotel in Glencoe. Since I was still mending from my summer-long bout with shingles and Ramsay Hunt Syndrome, I decided I’d take a rest day. The group decided to hike the Pap of Glencoe, a relatively short but steep climb to a breathtaking view of the lochs and mountains nearby. A quick read on information about the area revealed that there is a Glencoe Visitor Center down the Glen. I could learn some of the area’s history, take an hour’s hike, and then catch a taxi back to the hotel. There, I could catch up on my journal, read my novel, and maybe hang out on the picnic tables outside and meet fellow travelers. As it turned out, it went by so fast I was really surprised, and enjoyed it immeasurably.
After another hearty breakfast, we piled into our vans with our local guides Tania and Susie, and headed down the Glen Coe. As the road winds, iconic green mountain vistas open up, many with waterfalls cascading down their slopes.
This was where I learned how popular Scotland is with hikers and international tourists! At pull-outs with views, many vehicles. Later in the day, with my taxi return, it was just packed! And why not. It’s very beautiful. And, of course, it has been captured in many films and is rich with history.
The Three Sisters of Glencoe
We stopped at a pull-out in front of the Three Sisters of Glencoe. Somewhere in this valley, a dreadful event occurred. The Massacre of Glencoe. In 1692, the newly crowned Protestant King William III of England was anxious to secure the loyalty of all Scots once and for all. He issued a decree in which he required all Scottish clans sign loyalty to him, or face punishment. Allies of William, Clan Campbell quickly signed. But local Clan MacDonald had not. Clan Campbell was sent up the Glen to speak with the MacDonalds about the issue. Although they were not friendly to one another, the MacDonalds played host to their visitors. The Scottish government had offered to pay 12,000 pounds to the Scottish clans to sign the oath. But many clans, as in typical fashion, disagreed on how to divide the sum amongst themselves, delaying signing. This delay led to William’s impatience, and an example was made to demonstrate the consequences of a lack of signing. The story goes that the MacDonald chief was on his way, but delayed. William III delivered an edict to liquidate the MacDonalds. The Campbells got that instruction and massacred 30 MacDonalds in the Glen.
I was dropped off at the Visitor Center and bid my comrades a good hike and that I’d look forward to their stories later in the day. I checked out the information to be learned, including a film on the region. There is a nice forested garden out back with a view up the valley. It has a house built exactly as they were hundreds of years ago, which visitors can check out. I paused for a bit to enjoy the sun’s warmth and take in the view.
Next, I hiked the longest of several available trails within the Visitor Center property. It was pleasant, if a bit muddy from recent stormy weather. It only took about an hour to complete. Then I waited for a taxi which I’d arranged prior to my arrival. He arrived right on time, and just like that I was on my way back to the Kingshouse Hotel.
After lunch, I went outside and picked out a spot at the picnic tables, one which had a shady roof. It was getting nice and sunny! I went into the nearby pub and got myself a coffee. I didn’t get much of my journal written, as not before long, two Swiss hikers showed up and we spent the next two hours visiting. The Kingshouse is a multi-functional institution. While it has 4-star rooms and some top notch table service cuisine and a bar with over one hundred Scottish single malt whiskies plus local gins to try, it is also a genuine hiker backpacker shelter/lodge with complete facilities for them as well. Camping is allowed on the grounds. There is a large heated room to dry out tents, boots, and camping gear. It has a budget bunk house. Well, my new Swiss friends were in a pickle, because something was delayed with their bunk house accommodation. However, their luck turned golden whilst we chatted. Something was wrong with the bunk house. And so the Kingshouse Hotel gave them one of the 4-star rooms instead! They had just hit the jackpot.
Meanwhile, my trekking comrades had hiked up the Pap of Glencoe. They surely got the view promised! The evening cocktail hour and dinner was full of tales of their adventure that day.
Today we start with a nutritious breakfast. Choices are fruit, yogurt, eggs, smoked salmon, oatmeal, toast, muffins, and much more. The weather looks squally, and once again, I’ve prepared for whatever comes. The towel dryer worked well on my stuff. So again, I’m wearing full rain shell and pants, and pack rain cover. It’s 11 miles of varying climbs and descents to Kingshouse. Along the way we will hike through woodlands, grasslands, and if the clouds part, experience views of distant lochs and mountains.
We cross the Bridge of Orchy and climb the forested hills beyond. This is the steepest part of the hike. We pass by some clearcuts. With the rain, this part of the trail is a flowing stream. We have wind-driven rain, and that, combined with my perspiration, causes my new Columbia Sportswear rain shell to utterly fail. Soaked through, the only thing I had going for me was my body heat was warm due to the exertion. After an hour the rain ebbs. We emerge out of the woods into a grassy hilltop, where views open up and we can see for miles.
This section of the West Highland way is not only a military road, but a cattle drover road. These roads, built of countless round river rocks pounded into the ground, were used for driving cattle from one place to another. For me, all the round rocks were solid, but made for a sort of “rounded” movement my foot made each step.
Loch Tulla comes into view! Now, we are rewarded with the Scottish Highland views we’re longing for. It’s very picturesque and, as I learned, full of salmon.
It’s getting toward lunchtime. This section of trail is very exposed, so it’s breezy, but the views are terrific. We’re still wary of those pesky midges, so Tania picks out a lunch spot where the breeze will keep them away.
Although today’s trail lunch was better than yesterday’s, I still found the sandwich utterly below par. As the trek progressed, and we got lunches from different places, I began to realize it’s England/Scotland, not the cooks at the places we got the lunches. All of the sandwiches were plain by North American standards. None of them had lettuce, tomatoes or onions or some condiments. Just two pieces of bread with something in the middle. Nevertheless, to their credit, they did include juice boxes, fruit, and some treats like cookies or something similar to a Kit Kat Bar. The weather continued to break up during the rest of the day. Here’s a video of the wonder of Scotland opening up! From this point on, the rest of our trek had fabulous weather!
We came across Inveroran, with its adorable to-die-for, magical Inveroran Hotel, originally a 19th Century inn for cattle drovers. I could see it from above on the trail.
It’s down on the left near the trees!
Descending, and coming across a road, we crossed a picturesque stone bridge, and there it was! We stopped in for a break. Super cute cozy bar and restaurant. I kind of wish we could have spent a tucked in night there!
To-die-for location!
After Inveroran, we continued a kind of monotonous uphill climb for quite some time. It was monotonous because for several miles it was next to a forest and there was no view. However, our stubborn tenacity was rewarded as we came out, as before, into an open high grassland with miles and miles of mountains and endless views all around. Plus, the weather truly broke up and lit up the hills for the rest of the day!
Now we were rewarded with unlimited views, more warmth, and luxuriating in the sights of the Scottish Highlands we’d come for. Along the way we spotted one of Wilderness Scotland’s most iconic fauna – a red deer! We stopped for a rest by a stream flowing with peat-colored waters
And then it was on for the final stretch! Next up is Glencoe, and the Kingshouse Hotel. This was another hotel very visible from up high on the trail.
Built by the British Army in the 18th Century, this hotel is one of the oldest inns. It originally functioned as a stopping point for those crossing Rannoch Moor. Expanded and refurbished in 2019, today it’s got 57 rooms, two restaurants, a bunk house, a substantial gear-drying room, and on top of it all, expansive views of the mountains of Glencoe. It’s a focal point for all things outdoors in the region. Hikers pass through, campers can stay on the grounds. Nearby there is wildlife viewing, climbing mountains, historical sites, skiing, lochs and moors. Our meal was first-rate! Choices were generous plates of lobster-like langoustines, a plate-sized grilled t-bone steak, and venison medallions, amongst others.
The day’s sunset over the Glencoe area said to us, “Your weather fortunes have turned! Go forth!”
Our stay here was two nights. So, I opted for a ‘day off’ the next day. Whilst the rest would go conquer the Pap of Glencoe, I’d sleep in, check out a visitor’s center, work on my journal, and take in some sunshine!
Cabin Fever Chronicles - Getting Outdoors with Rod 