Little Gruinard Beach

Beautiful views across the Loch this morning. The light of the sun playing in the water. The island, where the sea eagle lived reflected perfectly in the loch. Bealach ba na under our belts we set off in search of a proper A road.

Just a few miles down the road we made an impromptu stop to take our first photographs of the day of, canoeists packing their boats for a day or overnight stay on the loch. We spoke to a young couple who were getting ready to launch, and watched, as they paddled away from the shore. It was obvious that it was the young ladies maiden voyage.

After completing another section of the north coast 500, we stopped at Gairloch for lunch. John chatted to the lady in the marine wildlife centre, and she told him that there were around 20-30 otters in the area, and that they came down the river to feed at low tide.

Whilst walking around, we were rewarded with the sighting of a seal, which taunted everyone watching by diving beneath the water before photographs could be taken, but we managed to catch it out. On the seabed we could see scallops, sea urchins and star fish, and in the clear water large jelly fish and shoals of mackerel.

A fishing boat in the harbour had had its wheelhouse scumbled, an art form that John's late father was fond of doing as a young man, often telling the tale of how as a very young man he scumbled his parents furniture to give it an extra emphasised woodgrain effect.

Walking back to Marge, we spotted a pair of sea eagles circling high in the sky. We wished they would come down lower so we could see them properly.

After four hours at Gairloch, and no sign of the otters, we left for our night stop at Gruinard Bay.

Just off shore is Gruinard Island where in the dim and distance past the British goverment conducted experiments with antrax.

After a walk on the beach we realised upon our return that the van next to us belonged to the young canoeist couple we’d spoken to this morning, so we chatted with them for a while. Small world.

We have not travelled far today, giving Marge a rest from yesterday’s stresses and strains. Conscious of how far we have yet to travel and the prospect of another lockdown we must make some headway tomorrow.