NC500 - Travel to Applecross (Day 8)

The journey to Applecross was spectacular. There was plenty of single-track roads to contend with, but single-track roads usually means breath-taking views. We didn’t take a direct route to Applecross because this would have been missing some of the stunning scenery, and there were places that we had planned to see on the way. There are numerous lochs to cast your eye over, including Loch Broom, Little Loch Broom, Loch Maree and Loch Torridon. Each have their own beauty, and if you want to see it you will just have to take a journey up there and view it yourself. There is a viewpoint at Loch Ewe which looks over the Isle of Ewe. As we were travelling south, this would be easy to miss as the view point is a little way after you pass by the Isle. It was a very popular stop and many people joined us in the parking bay. There is a lot of history here as Loch Ewe played a pivotal role in WWII as the base for the Artic convoy, and provided essential resources to Russia.

Our next stop was Beinn Eighe National Nature Reserve. This is clearly marked and provides you with a prefect place to stop and grab some lunch before taking a stroll through the reserve. We managed to get a view of Loch Maree to have lunch with, however these spaces filled up quick and I imagine in the busier periods you might have to cope with some cars in your view. Nicole, by this point, had learnt to park into spaces forward to ensure maximum viewing capability which also helped. There are two walks that you can do here. There is a mountain trail or a walk through the woodland trail. You could also walk up by the Loch if neither of these took your fancy. Given more time we would have opted for the mountain trail, but as it was already past lunch time, and the mountain trail took 4 hours we opted for the woodland trail. It didn’t disappoint. Yet again we got lost and started down a path that was not the trail. I blame Nicole for this, but I should have told her sooner that this wasn’t the trail before we headed back and found the correct path. The trail is clearly marked through and, if you follow the markers, you shouldn’t have too many issues. It is quite steep, and my legs found it particularly difficult (although this could have been due to the two big walks that we did the day before), however the views make it worthwhile.  

Our next stop was in the town of Torridon. We were slightly disappointed here as it is home to the Deer Museum, where you can get up close and personal with the illusive red deer. Only, the museum was closed and there wasn’t a red deer in sight. But you can take a walk across the bay of Upper Loch Torridon and then back through the village, so still a nice place to stop and stretch our legs. As with the Puffins, maybe if we had come a little later in the year there would have been deer to see and a museum to visit. If we weren’t conscious of the time we might have took a longer stroll into the village or maybe stopped for a cake at the bakery, however we knew we needed to keep going on our journey to ensure we got to our destination in good time.

Next stop, Applecross. We took the coastal route which is sign-posted. We were a bit sceptical about what this route would be like as Angela (the host of our Ullapool AirBnB) had advised us that the route was ‘an experience’. But what is the point of taking the routes away from all the stunning scenery. Luckily we were behind another tourist so the route wasn’t too hard to judge the bends as they hit them before we did and knew what to expect. I tried at this point to convince Nicole that these little villages would be an ideal place to live, but no such luck. Maybe if we win the lottery! I would advise everyone to take this route, it is definitely worth it for the views that you see. We were also catching a break with the weather now, which made the views even more appealing. When we arrived at Applecross, the views that we had across to the Isle of Raasay and the Isle of Skye were like a painting. There was a low-level haze, which, alongside the clarity of the coastline, was just absolutely breath-taking. We also managed to find a Highland Cow which Nicole was rather excited to see, although she was very disappointed that there would be none on the Bealach na Ba pass like she expected. I told her that it only translated to the pass of the cattle not that there would be cattle on it. They had to get the cattle from one place to the other somehow, right? Anyway, more on that adventure tomorrow.

I had wanted to stay in the Applecross Inn for as long as we had planned our trip, but unfortunately, there had not been rooms available when we were booking our trip and did not want to take the risk. So, instead we stayed at Hartfield House. This would be my first stay in a hostel, and I was very sceptical about it. I was assured all would be fine. We had a hassle checking in as someone had booked a room for two, when there was a party of 3, so the receptionist was trying to help then find accommodation. But in a very small village, with limited options, I don’t know if they ever found a solution. We had our room booked and that was all that mattered. The room was actually very nice, we opted for an en-suite double so that we did not have to share facilities. This possibly made the stay a bit nicer as we were in a little enclosed section of the hostel. There was a kitchen, which had quite a lot of added extras, like tea and milk, that you could use free of charge. They had all the facilities that you could use and would have been able to cook whatever you needed for tea. But, after much heartache when planning with venues all stating they would be closed on a Tuesday, we managed to get a table at the Walled Garden for tea. The hostel offered freshly baked croissants and jam upon checking in which would be provided at breakfast time the following day for an extra £4.50. Although this was a little steep, it was worth it. They also had other options available at the reception if needed. As a first stay in a hostel, I was pleasantly supplied.

We took a small drive back to Applecross, and had a quick stroll across the beach as we were a bit early for tea. When we arrived at the Applecross Walled Garden restaurant, we were a little early, so we went to make friends with the deer and highland cows that are on the way up to the venue. It was clear to see that The Walled Garden was a popular choice so it is recommended that you book as the venue is only small and very busy. It likely didn’t help that it was the only place open to eat in all of Applecross. We managed to book a table on the day, but we also went early in the season and quite a few people that came in after us mentioned that they had tried to call ahead on the day to book without success. Clearly we were just lucky. People were advised that they could order and sit in the gardens, or get a takeaway. The outdoor seating option proved popular, especially with people with dogs. Nicole opted for a vegan burger which she said was the best she had tried whilst we have been out, and I chose the more expensive chicken parmigiana. I always choose to have a burger when we eat out as it is hard to replicate what you get in a restaurant, but I was incredibly happy I opted away from this for once. This was probably the most expensive meal I have ever eaten, but it was worth the £22! The desserts were also to die for! Not sure we have mentioned it yet, but I LOVE sticky toffee pudding, if it is on the menu it needs to be selected. I would hate to find out the consequences of choosing another dessert as I just risk being disappointed. But as a result, we quite often share a dessert because there is always something else I would like to try. So we had a cherry pie and a sticky toffee pudding. Both were exceptional. If we were to go back, we would be stopping in again (even if it was just for the sticky toffee pudding!).