Highland adventure part 1

It was only two nights away, but as always the Highlands leave their mark. I was staying with a friend in Ullapool, I opted for the train ride up, mainly because I have terrible sciatica and its easier than driving, but the bonus of the scenery as you roll from the gentle Perthshire hills to the commanding Highlands is just awe inspiring. The heather at this time of year is popping and just sings to me. I had planned to swim Loch Broom and Loch Assynt, but thanks to my wonderful kind friend Anne who ferried me about I was also able to swim Loch Maree. It was a two-day break but it felt so much more, with lots of gut-wrenching laughter and fabulous swims.

Loch Broom is on my friends doorstep and is a sea loch, Loch Broom in Scottish Gaelic Lochbraon means “Loch of rain showers”, how beautiful and poetic. It did not rain though as I set out for my swim, I went in along Leckmelm but there are various points that the water can be accessed. I am not used to sea lochs and immediately in the clear water I could see so much seaweed. I tried not to over think it and waded in. The tide was out so it took me a while and lots of brushes with lots of weed to get to the deeper water, but I eventually got to a depth I could swim. It was chillier than the lochs which hadn’t been expected, but the clarity of the water was incredible. I managed about a ten-minute swimble and then made my way back to shore, I felt exhilarated and refreshed after quite the long journey. I was here, I was within the Highlands, drinking it in all in, the water, landscape and atmospheric majesty filling my cup. I slept like a log that night!! Next day was beautiful blue skies and we headed to Loch Assynt and Annes daughter had decided to come into Assynt with me.

Loch Assynt is just incredible and under the blue skies that found us that day the landscape was being shown off at its best, although personally I feel that under grey sullen skies the heather looks at its best. Anyway, Loch Assynt sits between the heights of Canisp, Quinag and Beinn Uidhe. It receives the outflow from Lochs Awe, Maol a Choire and Leitr Easaich; something that I never knew before I started researching and something that blows my mind a bit. These lochs all interconnected feeding each other, a network of waterways so huge that the land might well appear as stepping stones from above. Ardvreck castle sits on its banks, and you can park in a small carpark there, but we opted for the layby just before this. Sarah and I were keen to get in, it was a spectacular day for it. This was a special swim, the backdrop was incredible and despite the busy road, it felt peaceful and calming; for me it was a buttery swim, smooth and silky. Warmer than Loch Broom at 16c  and I managed a twenty-minute swim. Sarah did really well and stayed in for around ten minutes, I think I forget that as I swim regularly I have become used to these temperature’s. But we all have to listen to our own bodies as each swim is different and our bodies need to be heeded. Swimming under these commanding mountains and with Ardvreck in the background is just such a privilege, I felt very blessed.

We did not see the mermaid that is meant to be in the loch, the lost daughter of MacLeod. Eimhir was believed to have plunged into the caverns of the loch, to hide from the devil to whom she was promised, she made her home under the water, becoming the elusive mermaid of Assynt. Who could blame her, these waters are healing and bring me to a place of peaceful reflection!

I will tell you about Loch Maree in my next blog, there is such a lot of interesting history to that one…..