12.26: Boxing Day in the Highlands

I'd been warned that a lot of things would be closed on 12/26 because it was Boxing Day. Most people I asked weren't quite sure about the history or meaning of the day, but it's the day after Christmas and many shops are typically closed. However, this year Boxing Day was a lot like Black Friday in the States as there were incredible sales in shops. The folks on BBC were suggesting that this year's sales on Boxing Day may start a new trend in the UK.

I had breakfast at The Kincraig House around 8:30A, then went up to gather my things for my day's exploration. When I arrived on 12/24 and returned on 12/25, I felt as though I had to sneak up the main stairs in my tromping togs as folks in the lounge were so dressed up. I felt slightly less conspicuous on 12/26 as there were fewer people around. A lot of people were checking out that morning, including Jen and Malcolm. I saw them in the dining room when I went back down, so was able to give them each a hug and wish them "Happy New Year." I gave Jen my business card and told her to give me a call if they're ever in the Chicago area. They've bought a timeshare from Jen's father near Orlando, so perhaps we'll connect some time in Florida.

Then off to Golspie, which was a dreary little town on a dreary day. But I stopped at the newsagent and bought a couple of papers. I noticed the street signs were in English and Gaelic, so took a picture of one that also sported a Coke can which, for some reason, amused me. I went back down the A9 to A839 to Lairg where I saw frost on the trees in a distance. There wasn't much in that town, but I bought a few more papers so I could compare them. The headlines included news of the death of James Brown and I'd remembered that I'd heard Fiona Bruce on BBC Scotland on Sundy talking about what was in the papers and how different papers reported different stories. From Lairg I went to Shin Falls and traveled through some lovely country. I found a phone box at a corner, but seemingly in the middle of nowhere because it was not on a major A road and the road going off to the left had no number at all.

Shin Falls was quite lovely, but the long walk was closed. Scotland had had about three straight weeks of rain so there had been a lot of flooding in many areas. The ground is so saturated that trees have been falling over, so there's been a lot of forestry work to clear roads and make various areas passable and safe. I passed a field that had a boat in it and a dummy dressed and set up to look like it was fishing. The road to Shin Falls is a single track road, so there were passing places along the way. The rule seemed to be that whichever driver had the passing place on his or her side of the road was to pull into the passing place and let the oncoming driver proceed, unless the oncoming driver flashed his or her high beams to indicate that driver was yielding the right of way. Very congenial.

I then took A837 toward Rosehall, another single track road in the foothills, which was a bit more challenging. But I stopped at Ravens Gorge and did the gorge walk, which was very soggy, but very nice. There were just two paths there, though one was about 1.5 miles. It was a nice loop through the gorge and some really green, rich forest.

I thought about driving to Lochniver on the far west coast, but I wasn't sure I would find an open petrol station and I was just under a quarter of a tank. So I went back out to Tarbat Ness and the lighthouse. I was glad I did because there was a wonderful short tromp along the headlands and a great view of the North Sea.

Then back to Kincraig House to clean up before dinner in the bar--just a few of us at the hotel that night, so it was more casual. Most definitely a good visit in The Highlands.