Easter 2002 – Lochinver
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Area
The week in Lochinver ran
from Saturday 30th March to Saturday 6th April 2002. Held in 5 holiday cottages
on the Cathair Dhubh estate plus 6 more in two cottages in Baddidarrach.
Cathair Dhubh is 5 miles from Lochinver towards Stoer and Baddidarrach faces
Lochinver across the bay, less than 1 mile away.
The Accommodation
We used the village hall most
nights to eat together. This worked very well despite the additional complexity
of cooking remotely and then driving hot food several miles each evening.
We ate out on Friday night
in Lochinver. The food was OK but their service was rather stretched by our
numbers.
The chalets at Cathair Dubh
were more like cottages, were well appointed and situated on a quiet site
overlooking the sea. The houses in Badidaroch were Ok though Peter &
Gretchen reported Inverness as feeling damp initially.
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Cathair Dhubh Estate (22 beds) |
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Lying a few miles north of the attractive fishing village of Lochinver, Cathair Dhubh looks out over Achmelvich Bay and is set against an awesome backdrop of sandstone mountains, with names that roll from the tongue of any walker - Quinag, Suilven, Canisp. |
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These
ancient hills contain some of the oldest rocks anywhere in the world and they
form a quite unique landscape. In the hills along the coast, the wildlife and
bird life are as impressive as the scenery. Wild duck, otters, red deer, seals
and seabirds are but a few of the local inhabitants.
At
Cathair Dhubh it is our wish that our guests come to love this very special
place as much as we do. With this in mind we tailor our service to meet your
individual wishes, whatever you require we will do our utmost to arrange it.
The
luxury holiday cottages on Cathair Dhubh Estate offer you a rare opportunity to
experience the unique atmosphere and many pleasures of this remote and
beautiful part of the Scottish Highlands. Set in 80 acres, each of our cottages
enjoys superb panoramic views and easy access to secluded beaches. Luxuriously
furnished and equipped to the highest standards, with fully fitted kitchen,
jacuzzi, colour TV and stereo, these cottages provide the ideal base from which
to explore this magnificent part of Sutherland.
There
are five cottages: Heather, Fern, Orchid, Myrtle and Thistle all with a double
and a twin bedroom; Heather has an additional twin room. We have booked all of
them.
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Cottages
in Baddidarrach
Lochinver
is a delightful fishing village on the rugged coastline of West Sutherland, a
two-hour car drive from Inverness, passing through the small port of Ullapool.
Assynt
district, which centres around Lochinver, is a vast area of contrasts; from
stunning mountains to white sandy beaches, from ancient caves to spectacular
waterfalls and from a multitude of hill lochs to the crystal-clear sea. This
makes the area ideal for climbers, hill-walkers, anglers, wildlife and
water-sport enthusiasts.
The
village has two hotels, restaurants, two self-service stores, butcher /
greengrocer, newsagent, post-office, fish chandlery / hardware / clothing
store, two resident doctors, and a Royal Bank of Scotland.
Inverness
Cottage (4 beds)
The
cottage is a modernised croft house sitting in its own grounds on a
south-facing hill overlooking Lochinver Bay. Access to the cottage is by a path
and steps, one hundred yards from a private car park, off a single-track road.
It is unsuitable for anyone disabled. The nearest self -service store is a
ten-minute stroll away from the cottage, and the rest of the village a further
ten-minute stroll.
Facilities: Sitting room / dining room with open-plan
kitchen - well equipped and comfortably furnished. This spacious room has three
large double-glazed windows (6’x4’) all looking out over the sea loch, the
harbour and the mountains. Two bedrooms - one with a double bed and one with
twin beds. Modern bathroom with both bath and self-heating shower. All electric
cooker, microwave, fridge, immersion heater, television, washing machine and
tumble drier. Central heating is provided by night storage. Pets are welcome by
arrangement as the cottage has a fenced garden. We would appreciate however if
owners would clean up after their pets.
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Tigh-na-Mara (House by the Sea) (2 beds)
Tigh-na-Mara
is a small modernised Cottar’s house with its own garden - plus a comfortable supply
of garden furniture - and is situated by itself on a hillside, within two acres
of fenced ground overlooking Lochinver. It commands one of the finest views of
the bay, the harbour and the surrounding mountains, and has a private road of
some lOOyds allowing you to take your car to the door.
Facilities: Accommodation is for two people and consists
of a sunroom, a recently rebuilt kitchen and bathroom, and one large
split-level room - the original cottage. Half of this area comprises the
bedroom (two single beds which can be joined together) and is divided off from
the lower end with its lounge and dining facilities. The room is fully
carpeted, comfortably furnished, and has two radiators, an electric fire and
colour television. The kitchen with dining area and large airing cupboard is
all electric with cooker, fridge/freezer, washing machine, microwave, heater
and dimplex radiator, plus a plentiful supply of electrical equipment. The
bathroom has the usual facilities with bath and self-heating shower. The water
is heated by one or two immersion heaters. There is a wall heater and a heated
towel-rail.
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We used the village hall most
nights to eat together. This worked very well despite the additional complexity
of cooking remotely and then driving hot food several miles each evening.
We ate out on Friday night
in Lochinver. The food was OK but their service was rather stretched by our
numbers.
The chalets at Cathair Dubh
were more like cottages, were well appointed and situated on a quiet site
overlooking the sea. The houses in Badidaroch were Ok though Peter &
Gretchen reported Inverness as feeling damp initially.
Walking & Climbing
The Inver Pollaidh area
includes many mountains which lack Munro status - and many are not even
Corbets. This takes nothing from their stature and eye-catching individuality.
Anyone who sees the diminutive Stac Pollaidh and Suilven for the first time, with
their crags plastered will snow will never forget the view. Several did a west
to east traverse of Suilven, the ascent
of the peak also being achieved by Dave L. Richard, Mel and Liz walked through
without the peak – wasn’t too far was it?
When you add to these Cul
Mor, Cul Beag, Quinag (pronounced coinyag) and Ben More Coigach you can
happily spend all week without reaching 3000ft. Inver Pollaidh is founded on
the oldest exposed rocks in Britain (Lewisian Gneiss) which extends through the
whole area, much of it a national nature reserve. This land, barely rising
above sea level has so many lochans that the map looks predominantly blue and
it is from this low base that the Torridonian Sandstone Mountains rise each in
its own majestic isolation.
Of course there are Munros.
Further inland, the Ben More Assynt group offers two. A large group climbed the
South East ridge of Conival and found this to be a fun scramble (with Phil,
Clive C, JC, HP, Clive J and Bob continuing on tho Ben More). . Ben Hope and
Klibreck could also be reached to the North. Gordon, Clive and others had a
super day on Ben Hope. We didn’t reach Fionaven at 2999+ft (with Arkle?) which
would have made a superb outing if we had time.
Handa Island always
provides superb cliff scenery with the possibility of Puffin spotting. Sandwood
Bay is the sort of beach you can only dream of ... if only it were 30oC
warmer (and 5 miles nearer the road)! Despite this Phil Jonny and Harry manged
a few (short!) dips in the sea. Infinite possibilities exist for excursions
into and through the reserve or around the coast (including the famous sea
stack at Stoer) Running along these cliff tops is superb . The wet day optioin
of Eas Coul Aulin (which rivals the Falls of Glomach to be the highest unbroken
waterfall in Britain) wasn’t needed this year!.