Lairg - Crossroads of the North

It was another lovely morning in Fort William as we packed up and prepared to move further north. Before leaving, we took the opportunity to drive up onto a hill overlooking town and catch a clear view on Ben Nevis. We then got on our way after finally finding the remains of the Old Fort on the edge of Loch Linnhe - there wasn't much left to see which is probably why it was so poorly signed. 

 Looking down on Fort William

Ben Nevis - free of cloud

We headed north towards Inverness, travelling most of the way beside Loch Ness. Nessie wasn't showing herself which is not surprising with the number of tourists around. We did, however, find Urquhart Castle which is about half way along the Loch at Strone. This is another castle that is is ruins but, unlike the two we looked at yesterday, this one is set up as a tourist attraction with lots of interpretive information. It also had a cafe so it was an ideal spot for lunch.

Urquhart Castle on the shores of Loch Ness

Another view of Urquhart Castle

Looking for Nessie but she wasn't to be seen

We pressed on to Inverness, a city that is regarded as the capital of the Highlands. We drove around for the town centre before setting off for Lairg which is further north. Lairg is a relatively large village that is in the centre of the northern highlands and we decided to stay here as it provides access to the whole area - as the locals say, it is the Crossroads of the North.

Looking down on Dornoch Firth, north of Inverness

Our B&B is Highland House, a traditional stone built croft house. It is located in farming land about a mile out of Lairg so it is a really peaceful location. For dinner we went into the village and eat at the Lairg Highland Hotel. The one thing we are still having trouble adjusting to however is the length of the days. At a latitude of 58 degrees north, the twilights are very long.

Our B&B in Lairg
NB: This photo was taken at 10:30 PM