Holiday near Inverness

Rob and I have just arrived back from our holiday staying at The Bothy, Balblair Self Catering Cottages near Croy, Inverness-shire.

The holiday cottage was as nice as last time (with all mod cons), also cakes and biscuits on arrival. Mr and Mrs Strachan senior run it along with their daughter who lives in the farm building. Trig and Bob (dogs) came visiting most days, along with Jack who was staying next door, so Henry was very happy, as they all got along famously.

Our itinerary went something like this:-

Sunday:- Aviemore & Highland Wildlife Park
Monday:- Dornoch and Tain
Tuesday:- Nairn, Findhorn, Burghead, and Elgin
Wednesday:- Ness Islands River Walk, Inverness, The Black Isle (including Rosemarkie and Chanonry Point, Cromarty and back around the Cromarty Firth)
Thursday:- I was ill in bed all day :( (possible food poisoning). Rob went to Nairn beach with Henry
Friday:- Ullapool on the West Coast, then on to Achiltibuie

The weather was almost always sunny or cloudy, but dry. There were a few showers on the journey across to Ullapool and overnight on two occasions. There was still snow thick on the ground in Aviemore/The Cairngorms, but it had melted (apart from on the mountains) by the time we passed back through on Saturday.

A really enjoyable week with lots of nice meals out and about. We either had lunch or dinner out every day (sometimes both). Sometimes we bought food while we were out to eat back at the holiday cottage.

I particularly enjoyed the trip to Ullapool - a pretty little 'Fairtrade' town on the side of Lochbroom with a small port. The beach near Achiltibuie (at Achnahaird) was absolutely amazing and completely deserted when we got down to it (quarter mile walk from the car park). It had acres of clean sand, blue water with the mountains in the background - just perfect.

A building in one of the gardens at Findhorn Ecovillage.

A walk near the River Ness in Inverness.

View from Cromarty on The Black Isle.

Ullapool harbour.

Achnahaird Beach.

Henry had a wonderful time here, running around like a puppy instead of a 15 1/2 year old dog!

Our Holiday to Inverness III

Day 3: Monday 5 October 2009

Nairn was our first stopping point today. First, a run for Henry on the gorgeous sandy beach; then into the town centre for a coffee and cake, and a few purchases in the book shop and deli, before a picnic in the park under a miraculously blue and sunny sky.


Next stop was Findhorn, a 'new agey'/hippy sort of community with lots of weird and wonderful eco housing, a cafe, artists' studios, a really good food shop that also sold ethically produced clothing and gifts - interesting! The beautiful unicorn mosaic was upstairs in the cafe.


We drove all along the coastal route to Banff, stopping at an old fishing village called Cullen. This is the home of the soup known as 'Cullen Skink'. Cullen is very picturesque, with lots of small fishermens' houses packed together close by the sea; a harbour; disused viaduct; and nice shops.

12 years ago, we visited a brilliant indian restaurant in Forres. We decided to try and find the restaurant and see if it was still as good.

Dinner: Cardamon Spice Restaurant, Forres
JKW: Poppadom and pickles; onion bahjis; garlic chilli vegetable curry; boiled rice; 2 Cobra lagers.
RJW: Poppadom and pickles; vegetable samosas; vegetable balti curry; boiled rice; colcha nan bread (shared); coke.
Cost: £34.75
The restaurant was comfortable, the staff were friendly and the service swift. The poppadoms, pickles, starters and nan bread were excellent: the main curries were rather disappointing, though. Although the sauces were well spiced, they contained very few vegetables at all - mainly chopped cabbage. Seeing as there were aubergines, okra, mushrooms, cauliflower, potatoes and other vegetables offered in side dishes, I think that the chef could have spared a few for the main vegetable meals!
Recommended?: Yes, but order a few side dishes instead of a main curry to widen the appeal.