West Scotland and Outer Hebrides

We left Silloth after breakfast.  Sat nav said 4 hrs 30 mins via A66 and A1(M).  It was a mixture of sunshine and showers all day. We stopped in Richmond, North Yorkshire, before getting onto the motorway.  Its a very oldie worldy town but very touristic with some very steep streets with stone houses.  It has a castle with fantastic views over the town and countryside which is English Heritage managed so we went in. A tower can be seen in the distance from the castle.  It is called Culloden Tower and was build in 1746 to commemorate the Duke of Cumberlands victory over Bonnie Prince Charlie at the Battle of Culloden Its funny how we have been to many historical places linked to the Battle of Culloden over the past month and it appears again on the way home but this time on the victorious side. Richmond market cross Market Place Steep narrow street Even steeper street Residential houses in The Barr Street called The Barr built in 1312 to get pack horses and pedes...

It was hammering down when I got up for my run at 6am so I went back to bed but couldn't sleep.  Half an hour later it had stopped and the paths were drying so I went out and around Silloth Green and along the promenade to Skinburness and back.  It was now warm and sunny with good views over the Solway Firth to Scotland.   Silloth Green    Silloth Green    View over the Solway Firth to Scotland  After breakfast we caught the bus to Cockermouth.  We had to change at Workington but got a connection within 5 minutes.   What a lovely, historic place.  We walked around the town which is where the River Cocker and the River Derwent meet.  It once had a castle which is in ruins but is now privately owned.  It is the birthplace of William Wordsworth and the house where he grew up is a National Trust property so we went and had a look at the gardens as the house isn't currently open to the public.   Memorial garden to Wil...

We left Ganavan after breakfast at about 9. It was pouring with rain.  The route took us north before we reached the A82 going south.   Shortly after leaving we passed a very striking bridge over the mouth of Loch Etive called the Connel Bridge and realised that we were not that far from Glencoe. Connel Bridge We carried on through some dramatic scenery.  The rain gradually eased and then stopped.   We had a short coffee stop at Firkin Point, Loch Lomond.  Fortunately it had stopped raining so we had a little walk. Loch Lomond Loch Lomond Loch Lomond  We continued past Glasgow and had a lunch stop at Strathaven, a little market town to the West of the motorway.   It was a lovely place with nice shops and a small stream running through.   Strathaven Monument to Rifleman Khan, a German Shepherd dog who won the PDSA Dickin Medal for Gallantry in 1944 when he saved his drowning master from the sea after their boat sunk during heavy...