Glasgow Gallivanting: July 2022

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Ullapool to Stornoway ferry 16/07/2022

I had a birthday last month and this is how I spent it – on a ferry. Yes, we have been gallivanting away from Glasgow for most of July and it was wonderful. We spent five nights in Ullapool on the north-west coast before taking the ferry to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis.

Ullapool from the ferry

From Stornoway, we drove across to Uig, one of the most remote parts of the island, where we had booked a cottage, a converted byre, for a week. Below is our dining area – how’s this for a room with a view? Not only that, we had an entertaining floor show every evening from the local sheep and a pair of (very amorous) rabbits who all found our grass very tasty.

Carnish Byre dining area

After returning to the mainland, we crossed country to the east coast where we had a final five nights in Cromarty, another fabulous place to stay. We were also able to visit my aunt and uncle in Inverness at both ends of the trip, so all in all it was a wonderful not-quite-three weeks.

Sunset on the Cromarty Firth

There are a few days at the beginning of the month and a couple at the end which I haven’t accounted for yet. We visited two good exhibitions at The Hunterian Gallery, one called Demon Drink and one on Alasdair Gray, in particular the creation of his book Lanark. I could have written about both extensively if I’d had time, but they are still on, so any Glasgow based readers can visit themselves – they are well worth it.

Demon Drink info panel
Alasdair Gray’s Lanark info panel

And of course, we tramped our usual paths around the local canal.

Navvies’ Barge
In loving memory of Big Scott
In loving memory of Big Scott
Tattoed Rose
Three boats moored
Canal boat with strange occupants
Mama and Papa in the Locks
Mama or Papa?
Cygnets on the bank

Now I have loads to write about, but it will have to join the queue. Before we went off I was in the middle of posts about our Easter break, so I hope to get back to them next week.

Happy August!

Scotland, UK ,

57 Comments »

  3. Belated happy birthday, Anabel. Lovely to read that your summer has been memorable. Makes a huge difference to a holiday having good accommodation. Good luck with catching up on your blog posts.

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  5. Happy belated birthday Anabel – that looks a cold birthday! Beautiful settings though and how lovely to have that break and being able to include a visit to your aunt and uncle on the way back. Wonderful photos – cheers Hilary

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  6. Happy belated birthday! Glad you are enjoying being “out and about” again, and that you’re finding such lovely places to stay. I would love to have a dining room with that sort of view!

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  9. I’m really looking forward to reading about that trip. And I’m insanely jealous of that view from the window in Uig 😡😂😂😂
    P.s. did you find any chessmen?

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    • Ha ha, only big wooden ones! The view was certainly wonderful. I remember saying when you wrote about Uig that you might have passed our house, but I know now you couldn’t have, it was tucked away at the end of a very minor road. However, the turning onto it was immediately opposite the distillery and I know you parked there, so you were at the end of our road. And yes, we did sample the wares – both of us, given that it was within easy walking distance. Might even have come away wtih a bottle …

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  10. We are almost birthday twins! Mine is 19th. And we were away too, in Perth. Not your Perth though, the one in Western Australia. 🙂

    What a gorgeous view you had from your dining table. It would have been easy to sit there all day looking out the window.

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  12. The weather was pretty good in July even up there although the west coast Highlands are the only part of the UK getting close to normal levels of rain this year. Ullapool is always nice.

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    • Yes, though I read afterwards that the Western Isles had their worst July for a while in terms of temperature and hours of sunshine. However, in nearly 3 weeks in the Highlands and Islands I only remember needing to put my hood up once, which is quite an achievement!

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    • I do seem to have a knack of finding places which are either quirky or have a great view – or both – though in this case John must have the credit for finding Carnish Byre. I use specialist cottage sites, my favourite being specific to Scotland, but will widen the search if necessary, so it varies.

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  17. What a lovely part of Scotland you’ve chosen to show us in this post. Ullapool and Uig both look wonderful and that view from your byre and that sunset. Well, what’s not to love there.

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  20. A belated Happy Birthday Anabel, and what a great way to spend it. I love the view from the cottage window and that sunset is just gorgeous – I think a whole post devoted to them is a great idea 🙂

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  25. Oh, I’d be so jealous if it were not for the realisation that I’m just not going to drive there, and flying is out, so train…. maybe one day when I don’t have the animals to think of.

    I’m so glad you had a lovely time. Well, what’s not to like about the west (and east) coast!

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  26. I recall a wonderful few days spent on holiday on the Black Isle visiting Cromarty Firth and Moray Firth, and enjoying the terns and waders! Lovely photos Anabel as always.

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