Mallaig was wonderful. It has such a peaceful feeling, the people were so friendly. We spent a lot of time during the day at the little shops and the evenings at the local pubs. We'll be back.
In 1999 friends from county Durham took my husband and me on a wonderful drive around Scotland. We had been as far north as Lochinver by car before, but this time we got as far as Orkney. I had longed to see Durness for years, and it was all I expected. We had a gorgeous meal as well at the bookshop at Balnakeil Bay. Northwest Scotland is fabulous!
I expected to be blown away by Durness as I had read about how amazing it was, but I would only recommend looking around for a couple of hours at most. The whole place is terribly backward and a bit like Craggy Island from Father Ted!
Inverness is a lovely town, one of the most beautiful places in Scotland -- and in Europe, I think. It's clean, secure, quiet, with a pretty castle on the top. It's the best place to visit the incredible Lake Ness and try to photograph Nessie, the mythical monster.
I've seen guidebooks write rather demeaning articles about Mallaig, yet I found it a nice place to stay. There's nice scenery, people, food, and it's a good base for traveling further afield.
I have visited Durness on several occasions this year and cant get enough of the place! The views and the locals are second to none. I was unfortunate to lose my dog in the area and the locals could not have done enough to help by letting me put up posters in their shops,pubs, etc. There are plenty of stunning walks along the beaches or the cliffs, the amenities include a general store, camp site, Bunkhouse, Garage, Sango Sands complex (Restaraunt & Bar),Stonemason shop (owner's a smashing guy!), and the nearby Balnakeil craft village. I would recommend Durmess as a "must-go" place to visit.
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