At the start of the month, even though the Man was ill, the three of us headed north for a few nights' stay at the Isles of Glencoe Hotel in Ballachulish, a drive of just over two hours. He had antibiotics so he said he'd be fine.On the way up, we took a pet stop at the Artisan Cafe in Tyndrum for a much-needed lunch of soup, tea, cakes and dog biscuits. The waitress and many of the patrons found me gorgeous and lovable. I liked it so much I wanted to go back straight in.
Our hotel room was lovely but, at first, I couldn't settle, noises through adjacent walls alarming me to potential intruders. Slowly, with much cajoling from the Woman, I began to relax.
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| I think I managed it. |
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| Definitely! |
On our first afternoon, we explored the local tourist spots.
Then we took the short trek to see the Slate Arch.
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| Not much to see here. |
Then the humans went to find somewhere to eat, deciding eventually on the local chippie. Which was lucky because the shop was closing for a week's holiday afterwards. They ate their suppers on the benches at the local Shinty Park. Isn't that view fantastic?
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| I'm not sure I was meant to be there (see below). |
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I'm confused.
No dogs but clean up after your dog?
Which is it?
If it's only dogs for the blind, the council will rake in a fortune in poo fines.
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On Sunday, they took me to breakfast in the hotel's bar area. I wasn't the only four-legged friend present. I was disappointed not to partake in the buffet but the waitress made me feel at home with cuddles and dog biscuits. Next time we visit, I hope they've introduced a dog's breakfast, like the one at the Trigony House Hotel, only with edible menus to snack on while you wait (my proposal).
We spent part of the day exploring Glencoe Lochan.
The views were amazing. The Highlands are so beautiful. Luckily, the weather stayed dry.
Afterwards, we stopped off at the Crafts and Things Coffee Shop in Glencoe. It wasn't dog-friendly so I had to stay outside. Maybe they should rethink their policy and call themselves Crufts and Things.
Our evening meal (and by that, I mean their evening meal, for I had to eat mine in the hotel bedroom, not what I would regard as room service) was spent in The Larach, the local dog-friendly bar restaurant. The humans thought the prices were more to their taste. Luckily, the food was too. They loved it so much, they wanted to go back the next night too.
Only they couldn't because it's closed on a Monday and Tuesday.
Monday involved a trip further north to visit the Glenfinnan Viaduct to witness the Jacobite steam train (or the Harry Potter train as Lindsey would call it). It was an early start so we could get there before the car park filled. A popular attraction, the hillside was already busy by the time we arrived.
There were heavy showers as we stood on that hillside. We thought the train was scheduled to pass at 10.30 am but it was closer to eleven before it showed. Lots of steam puffed out its chimney and the train driver waved to us from his window. He got a round of applause afterwards, not that he could hear it having already choo-choo'd past. |
| Why is the Man up that hill standing in the mud? |
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| I hope Tom Cruise is not on board |
Afterwards, a bit drookit, we explored the vicinity and I posed for pictures, copying the Chinese influencer who spent ages posing and pouting her lips against the viaduct backdrop.
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| Now we get blue sky |
I found a local resident but she wasn't happy to have her bottom sniffed and leapt away.
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| Familiar or victim of a Harry Potter spell? |
The humans had lunch on the cafe's veranda (well, on the tables provided) before taking a wander near the Glenfinnan Monument. The dog walk was closed due to a dodgy bridge so it didn't take long. By this time, the Man was feeling weary so we drove back to the hotel, foregoing a stop off in Fort William.
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Robots, click on the image which
doesn't show the Glenfinnan Monument.
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Obviously, although the hotel catered for dogs' needs, they didn't provide indoor toilet facilities so I had to be taken on several walks around the hotel grounds. The view of the loch was outstanding, especially when we were out, standing.
The planned return to The Larach stalled upon the discovery it was shut so the Man drove the winding, narrow road in the dark in search of the Claghaig Inn, another dog-friendly pub nearby. Fortunately, we found it or else they would have had to send out the Mountain Rescue.
I received a handful of dog biscuits from the waitress for being such a good girl, even after a German Shepherd padded past me in the restaurant. It was wearing a muzzle so I had no idea how it was going to eat. The restaurant decorations were quirky using climbing equipment, as shown.
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| They also provided separate cutlery and plates |
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I'm not a chicken, nor am I on the menu, so muzzle off!
Actually, keep it on.
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On our way home, the Man had one more task to perform: to drive along the Skyfall road and get a picture of the spot where James Bond stood in that film (see below).
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| James Bond - Skyfall |
For a single-track road, it was far busier than he anticipated, plus it was raining, so the two humans did their best to quickly replicate the shot. They weren't sure exactly where the original was taken but this is their version.
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The Man - near Skyfall, maybe.
It looks like he's stopped off for a whizz! |
Other October highlights:
