Yesterday, from Thurso to Sconser on the Isle of Skye. A long drive right through the highlands.

We decide to take the north coast up to Tongue, then down through Lairg, Dingwall, and then across to the Isle of Skye.

The drive along the coast west of Thurso is beautiful and rugged. Almost everything from Thurso is single-lane, so you frequently have to give way to oncoming traffic at passing places.

At Tongue, we turn off onto the plateau into the rugged hills. There are magnificent views of lakes between the mountains.

Only fifteen minutes before Sconser, it begins to rain.

The hotel is by the sea and overlooks the island of Raasay. The owner welcomes us and leads us through the authentic dining, bar, and sitting rooms. They look great.

The hotel also provides dinner. It is super – halibut and hake. Cranachan for dessert. The king of Scottish deserts…

Cranachan (Scottish Gaelic: Crannachan pronounced [ˈkʰɾan̪ˠəxan]) is a traditional Scottish dessert. It was originally a celebration of harvest,[1] made following the raspberry harvest in August. The dessert of cream and fresh seasonal raspberries is bolstered by Scottish oats and whisky.

– wikipedia

With mild amazement, we look closer at the hotel’s interior. Is this a real hunting hotel? Even the lamp at the reception desk is made of deer antlers.

Taking the steam train to Boat of Garten, a town down the road. Steady conductor and conductress. Conductress rudely throws the door, for which a fellow passenger apologizes to us: she always does.

Walk on the path along the railroad tracks back to the village. Mile or 10 on a beaten track. Cappuccino in the village at The Coffee Pot.

After lunch, we go to Loch Morlich. Across the lake, we can see the snow on the peaks of the Cairngorms.

We go back to the hotel to plan tomorrow’s trip. Again, there are many more things to do than we have time for. Six months is still not enough. Choices…

In the hotel pub, soccer dominates. It’s Sunday, and there is a table full of Guinness. One of the screens has a dominant blue tinge, but apparently, that doesn’t matter.
Tartan on the walls.

Frankie goes to Hollywood in the restaurant When Two Tribes Go To War.

Balmoral Castle.