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With the promise of continuing fine weather in the northwest we decided to brave a very wet A9 and set off northwards. Miraculously as we left Inverness the rain ceased, and the lighter sky to the west enticed us onwards.
Our destination was Gairloch where we had booked a bed for the night. As we watched from our B&B set high above the bay, swirling cloud partly obscuring the views to the south and west, began to dissipate. The distinctive outlines of the Torridon hills came into view while in the distance we could just make out the Cuillins.
There is a vastness and grandeur to our northern landscape; no wonder every other person we met seemed to come from Continental Europe intent on discovering the reality of the Scottish wilderness.
The following day, in perfect weather conditions, we climbed into a large rubber craft, and with our guide at the helm driving a very powerful motor, we set off to look for cetaceans and birds. Orca are known to come down this coast, but Nick said he had not seen them this year. An experienced boatman and naturalist, he told us a great deal about the wildlife of the Minch.
We set off westwards towards the Outer Hebrides and the Shiants which lie five miles to the east of Lewis. The three islands belong to Tom Nicholson, the third generation of his family to own them. Four hundred foot high columnar basalt cliffs provide nest sites for tens of thousands of birds, and Nick promised we would approach the cliffs if the cetaceans failed to appear.
Suddenly there was an excited shout from above the noise of the engine. We all peered ahead and saw a massive black creature breaching; it disappeared and a Frenchman sitting next to me shouted, ‘ils sont derriere’. We all turned round to see several of the black and white killer whales with their grey saddles; they are not true whales, but the largest member of the dolphin family. They proceeded to swim all round us, and we had unforgettable views of these remarkable mammals. Ideas of inspecting the cliffs faded as Nick manoeuvred the boat while we tried to commit our sightings to film and to memory. The well-known family group, or pod, had five members with a huge male identified by notches on his fin, called John Coe. He has been recorded in Hebridean waters since 1992. This venerable creature has a towering dorsal fin, which is well over six feet and sword-like above the water. Orca have a wide-ranging distribution, but prefer cooler waters. Despite their name, they do not harm humans.
Finally they left us and we began our return journey rather later than scheduled! On the way we were entertained by common dolphins leaping out of the water all around us, some even swimming under the boat and reappearing. They seem to love amusing themselves and others, and appear to smile with delight. Landing back at the harbour, we admired its beautiful setting. Once famous for cod-fishing, few boats work now. Nearby Flowerdale Glen, known for its trees and glorious wildflowers, offers numerous walks and a good pub.
Gairloch, (meaning ‘short loch’ in Gaelic) is a string of communities around the wide sandy bay. We spent time in the Museum which opened in 1977; it describes many aspects of the area, including its early history including Bronze Age roundhouses. We admired the huge light taken from Rudha Reidh lighthouse, northwest of Gairloch. The building (now privately owned) was designed by David, a member of the Stevenson family which was responsible for so many Scottish lighthouses. The huge light’s gleam was visible from 23 miles away. In World War II Loch Ewe, to the north, was vital to the operation of Arctic convoys, taking cargo from Britain and North America to Russian ports.
Travelling north, one passes Inverewe Gardens, known for their enchanting setting and plants from around the world. Created in the 19th century by Osgood Mackenzie on an almost frost-free peninsula, he had to wait twenty years for trees he planted to create adequate protection from salt-laden winds. This allowed a huge range of tender species to grow on the same latitude as St. Petersburg. At the time there was no proper road to his home, and everything had to be brought in by sea.
A visit around the ‘short loch’ offers plenty of variety, and you will be surrounded by some of the country’s most impressive scenery. For us the highlight was seeing Orca, and we will continue to appreciate our good fortune. So far they have not returned this year.