The Applecross peninsula

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View from Bealach na Bà

The first full day of our north-west highland break dawned bright and sunny – a good opportunity to cross the Bealach na Bà (Pass of the Cattle – 2054ft) to explore the Applecross peninsula. This is a classic drive on an old drovers’ road with a 1:5 gradient, switchbacks worthy of the Alps, and views across the Minch to Raasay and Skye. Before heading down the other side to Applecross village we climbed a small hill from where the views got better and better.

View from Bealach na Bà
View from Bealach na Bà
View from Bealach na Bà
View from Bealach na Bà
View from Bealach na Bà
View from Bealach na Bà

As we left, people just arriving reported an accident on the road behind us. An air-ambulance was mentioned, and we learned later in the week that a motorcyclist had broken his pelvis in a collision with a car – a sobering reminder to drive carefully.

Applecross sounds like a very English village, but the name derives from the Gaelic Apor Crosan meaning “estuary”. There’s not much there, though we found a good lunch (of course) – and deer!

Deer at Applecross
Deer at Applecross
Deer at Applecross

By the time we’d had lunch, the road we had come down was blocked by a coastguard vehicle, presumably because of the earlier accident, but we were heading further round the coast to explore the grounds of Applecross House. We parked in a picnic area on the beautiful Applecross Bay from where we followed a 4km circular walk.

A short road walk took us to the Applecross river which we followed upstream into woods. We then climbed up the side of a small burn to a viewing platform – as on several of the walks we did on this holiday, there was much evidence of logging going on.

River Applecross
Roes Walk
Viewing tower

Next we skirted round the house itself – and even saw another “deer”! Applecross House was built by the Mackenzies around 1740, and the village largely grew up to service it and the estate. The Mackenzies also built the Bealach na Bà road in the 1820s – it remained gravel till 1956. Thank goodness for tarmac!

Applecross House
Applecross House
Deer!

Behind the house was a walled garden – you can possibly tell by my determined gait that I’ve spotted a café at the end of that path. I smell coffee! And cake!

Walled garden
Walled garden
In the cafe
Walled garden
Old shed

After refreshments, we explored the gardens a bit further. These two big kids couldn’t resist playing on the swings and treehouse.

Swings
Tree house

Then we headed down the drive and back to the road and our car.

Garden
Entrance to grounds

We planned to return the way we had come, but the Bealach na Bà was still blocked and we had to take the much longer, coastal route. Not a problem with these views and a herd of heilan’ coos (highland cattle) to look at!

Applecross peninsula
Highland cattle
Highland cattle
Highland cattle
Highland cattle
Highland cattle

We made a couple of stops at viewpoints over Loch Carron on the way home. I remember frantically checking my phone here, having had little or no signal until then. It was the day of the Wimbledon Men’s Final which was in an epic fifth set. I so wanted Roger Federer to win, but just after I logged in he dropped serve and lost. I couldn’t help feeling I was a jinx …

Loch Carron
Loch Carron
Loch Carron

And the next day was jinxed too – I wanted to go to Skye, but it didn’t happen. Read on next week for our disaster in Glenelg!

Scotland, UK ,

76 Comments »

  1. Pingback: Plockton and Duncraig Castle – The Glasgow Gallivanter

  3. Fabulous views from the Pass of the Cattle. You and John always go to such interesting places, Anabel. I would guess that both “coo” and “cow” come from Old German, now “Kuh” in modern German. I haven’t researched it, though.

    Jude

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  4. Ah Anabel – it was you that jinxed Federer … ?! Love the tour … beautiful area … stunning – cheers Hilary

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  5. Your photos get better with each article. I just love Highland cattle. We have some in a sort of theme park here and I never tire of watching them although the best ones are to be seen in the New Forest where they just love to lie in front of cars and use their “right of way” to the max.

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  9. When I saw the name Applecross I wondered about it. I’m glad you told us that it’s an Anglicized version of a Gaelic phrase.

    As soon as you interpreted Bealach na Bà as Pass of the Cattle I recognized the third word as a relative of beef (from French) and bovine (from Latin). Surprisingly, native English cow is also a relative but sound changes have made that hard to see.

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  11. What a spectacular day out. I think Glenelg is where I have previously seen a holiday lodge, which I considered. This is definitely an area I want to visit. I shall look at the photos later on my computer, the phone screen is a bit small to do them justice.

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  15. The views look spectacular in the photos! I cannot imagine how amazing in real life. Anabel, you and your husband make me smile. Yes, big kids:) A lot of the photos of the scenery remind me of Iceland. Except when trees are present. Iceland has very few trees. Of course, I am now intrigued on the “disaster?”

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  16. Anabel, I fell in love with those Scottish Highland Cattle, there were a few young ones on our walk. So different from NZ. Weren’t you two clever in picking the right time and having such blue skies. Gorgeous photos!

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  17. Great photos. I’ve been to Applecross a few times but never explored it as extensively as you did on your trip. One downside of travelling to these places with friends who are completely fixated on bagging hills and have little interest in anything else around..

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  19. Such a lovely place to wander, Anabel. The weather looks perfect too. What more could one ask for except tea and cake and that was also on offer, so I imagine you were well pleased with your jaunt. 🙂

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  20. What breathtaking views and especially so in the sunshine. Travelling rural roads can be time-consuming as it is and I have had many such journeys made more complex and frustrating by road closures for one reason or another. Of course, the whole experience is far worse for those caught up in the catastrophe than those of us merely dealing with the side effects. I am glad you made the most of it and found a lot of interest on your diversion. Bit worried about that cliffhanger though…

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  21. Breathtakingly beautiful scenery — I can see that your detour had compensations. Hope the motor-cyclist is ok; the Big T’s motorbike enthusiasm makes me especially sensitive to such crashes.

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  22. What a beautiful day you had despite that accident that rerouted you. The views are amazing, and what could have been more fun than hidden gardens, “deer,” swinging on swings and climbing into playhouses? And to top it all off with cake, coffee and highland cattle. Perfect. 🙂

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  23. That weather is incredibly good, how lucky were you with that? Some of those views are spectacular, you can’t beat scotland especially the North West in the summertime. Beautiful.

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  25. Hi, Anabel – I love how your walks include coffee and cake. A gal after my own heart!
    Great photographs – especially the ones of the deer. It is amazing how different deer can look from one region to another. Ours seem to be smaller but have a less slender shape.

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  26. Looks like a great day with lovely weather and gorgeous scenery. I fell in love with the View in the first shot until I saw the View of the river estuary., that’s absolutely stunning 🙂

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  28. I’m looking forward to exploring that area next year, walking along the coastal route. I guess the lesson there is to drive very carefully!

    It looks really beautiful and it looks like you had perfect weather, too.

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  33. Sigh…. Glad you had a great day for it. The light is always amazing in those parts. Freshly washed, of course 🙂

    And so it was YOUR fault Roger dropped his serve. I knew it must be someone I knew.

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  34. I liked the view of Loch Carron as well as those of the Heilan coos. Ho yes, coffee and cake – a lady on a mission. I liked the photograph of the River Applecross, which, for some weird reason brought “Flow Gently, Sweet Afton” to mind. Puzzles me too. The teaser about Skye sounds intriguing.

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