{"id":7073196,"date":"2026-10-02T18:19:43","date_gmt":"2026-10-02T18:19:43","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7073196"},"modified":"2026-10-02T18:19:43","modified_gmt":"2026-10-02T18:19:43","slug":"dolphins-highland-cows-and-a-birthday-on-the-road","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fivemor.com\/?p=7073196","title":{"rendered":"Dolphins, Highland cows and a birthday on the road"},"content":{"rendered":"


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Six days, a couple of sunny ones, one birthday and a lot of rain. This stretch of my Scotland trip took me from\u00a0Gairloch<\/strong>\u00a0on the west coast of the Highlands, over the Applecross road, to\u00a0Portree<\/strong>\u00a0on the\u00a0Isle of Skye<\/strong>, where I\u2019m now housesitting with a dog called Hera.<\/p>\n

If you\u2019re new here, Roads & Stories is where I write about what actually happens on the road, the good days and the ones that go sideways. For the practical side, with routes, stops and what I\u2019d do differently, head to my Scotland road trip guides.<\/a><\/p>\n

In my last newsletter, I mentioned to you that I was going on a boat trip in Gairloch to look for Eagles and dolphins. That day I woke up to rain, so I moved my boat tour to the afternoon slot. I spent the morning organizing photos and videos and writing a bit, then went out early to check out the museum and the tourist information. There was a cute restaurant above the museum, but I decided to wait until after the trip<\/p>\n

The sky was blue right up until we stepped on the boat. Then it started raining, and everything turned grey, of course. It was still a wonderful afternoon. We saw an eagle, lots of harbor seals and grey seals, and at the very end, tons of dolphins and the sun was back eventually. My phone chose that exact moment to die, so you\u2019ll have to trust me on the dolphins. But I will share all the footage I manage to get from this tour on my YouTube channel<\/a> as soon as possible.<\/p>\n

I found the tour by chance the day before, stopping in a fishing village just outside Gairloch on the drive back from Red Point. The company is called Puffin Along<\/a>, and it\u2019s run by Cornelius and Hannah, lovely people and expert guides. I am happy to vouch for them.<\/p>\n

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PRO TIP:<\/strong> Bring a charged power bank on any wildlife boat trip. My best sighting came in the last few minutes, when my phone had already given up. And if you wake up to rain, ask if you can move to a later slot. That is if they have availability.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

After the boat, I just grabbed dinner from the supermarket, but the day wasn\u2019t over. By the time I got back, the sun was out again, so after a quick dinner I went back out with the camera, enjoying a beautiful sunset over the bay with sheep and a mountain backdrop. The light was phenomenal.<\/p>\n

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\"Small<\/source><\/picture>\"Small<\/figure>\n
\"Blue<\/source><\/picture>\"Blue<\/figure>\n
\"Spotted<\/source><\/picture>\"Spotted<\/figure>\n
\"Cormorants<\/source><\/picture>\"Cormorants<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

Where I Stayed in Gairloch<\/h3>\n

My base in Gairloch was Macre Croft<\/a>,<\/strong> and I can\u2019t recommend it enough. The room is beautiful and spacious, with my own bathroom, and it was made up fresh every morning. The towels and sheets are fine quality, the shower is hot with great pressure, and from the window you look over sheep grazing in the garden and out to the sea on the horizon. WIFI is great. After a night in a bunk room in Ullapool, it was exactly what I needed.<\/p>\n

Marie, the host, is lovely. She gave me tips on where to eat and what to do in the area, and we had a nice chat. You can check availability on Booking.com<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

\"Sunset<\/source><\/picture>\"Sunset
Macre Croft<\/a><\/strong> My place in Gairloch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"Road<\/source><\/picture>\"Road
The itinerary from Applecross to Gairloch<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

This post may contain affiliate links. If you purchase through them, I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Thanks for supporting my small business.<\/p>\n

Driving the Applecross Road to Skye<\/h2>\n

This was one of the highlights of my whole trip. First because of the road itself, the Applecross route, a piece of the famous NC500. Second because it was sunny, which in Scotland is not something you plan around. I think I got three sunny days in total, and even on this one it still rained at some point.<\/p>\n

I had the drone, the GoPro and the camera out all day, and somewhere along that road I had the idea for this journal. The Applecross drive<\/a> has its own full post with my photos and the stops worth making.<\/p>\n

I also filmed the entire drive on my GoPro. If you want to ride along, here it is.<\/p>\n

<\/figure>\n

I got to Skye later than expected, but in time to meet Sharon, my host, and her dog Hera, and to settle in for my next housesit in Portree<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Booking the Next Leg Before Anything Else<\/h2>\n

Once my host, Sharon, left on the following day, I did the much-needed laundry, took Hera for a wee walk and set up my working desk. It was raining, so I didn\u2019t venture out.<\/p>\n

Before anything else, though, I booked my stays for the week after Skye. I still remembered how hard it was to find anything affordable the first time around. I had to splurge for a couple of nights, but for the rest I found decent places in some of the best spots along the NC500 coastal road.<\/p>\n

Here\u2019s the plan. I\u2019m driving the Applecross pass again, in the opposite direction this time. Partly for a different view, and partly because at one end there\u2019s a walled garden with a cute cafe and deer that I skipped because I was in a rush. I want to go back for that and for the beach. Then it\u2019s Ullapool again, where this time I found a decent place at a reasonable rate, and more stops north toward Thurso for the ferry to Orkney<\/strong>, where I\u2019ll be housesitting a cute and wild cat.<\/p>\n

I\u2019m praying for good weather, and I don\u2019t mean sun. Just no wind and no rain, so I can fly the drone and take interesting pictures. I love grey clouds, so those can stay.<\/p>\n

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PRO TIP:<\/strong> Book your Highlands accommodation as early as you can, especially in September and in small towns like Ullapool. If you leave it for the last minute, the affordable rooms will be gone. I learned that the hard way and booked the whole NC500 leg a week ahead this time.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

\"Colorful<\/source><\/picture>\"Colorful
Portree Waterfront<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

A Rainy Walk Around Portree<\/h2>\n

The next day the weather wasn\u2019t much better, so I walked into Portree to look for a pair of hiking boots, since mine are wearing out. I didn\u2019t find any.<\/p>\n

Instead, I found a pop-up art gallery. I got to talk with the artist, and besides complimenting her on her work, I left with a lot of inspiration for my own. She left thinking about housesitting herself next time she wants to get off Skye for a bit. I love these random exchanges. They\u2019re the part of travel I can never plan for.<\/p>\n

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\"Person<\/source><\/picture>\"Person<\/figure>\n
\"Shaggy<\/source><\/picture>\"Shaggy<\/figure>\n
\"Close-up<\/source><\/picture>\"Close-up<\/figure>\n
\"Hairy\"Hairy<\/figure>\n
\"Fluffy<\/source><\/picture>\"Fluffy<\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

September 26: My Birthday on the Trotternish Peninsula<\/h2>\n

A glorious day. It was my birthday; I woke up to messages from the people I love, and the sun was out. What else could I ask for? Probably a million-dollar cash \ud83d\ude02<\/p>\n

I wanted to hike the Quiraing<\/strong>, but I realized I couldn\u2019t do the full loop. Hera (the dog) can\u2019t be left alone for more than four hours; the drive there is already an hour and a half, and the hike itself takes 3 to 4 hours, which means 5 for me because I stop for photos. I also kept stopping along the way to shoot, and time flew.<\/p>\n

I still came home happy. I photographed Highland cows <\/strong>and the Old Man of Storr<\/strong>, and I stopped for a cookie to celebrate. The cookie is a formality, honestly. I celebrate my birthday every day with the life I\u2019ve chosen. I\u2019m watching what I eat, but I always leave room for a treat because it makes me happy, and happiness comes first, even if it costs me an extra kilo.<\/p>\n

My only wish is that I\u2019d had more sunny days here. Skye deserves to be photographed in good light.<\/p>\n

In the afternoon, I tried to drive out to the Nest Point Lighthouse because I had a picture in mind, but turned back halfway. I forgot to get gas, and it was raining with the cloud down low, with no chance of it clearing. So I called it a day.<\/p>\n

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PRO TIP:\u00a0When you drive around the highlands, I try to keep the tank at least half full because you never know when you\u2019ll find the next Gas Station. They are quite frequent, but if you love to explore and venture to more remote places, it\u2019s best to stay safe. Also, don\u2019t plan the full Quiraing loop as a quick outing. With a 3 to 4 hour hike plus the drive there and back, it easily turns into a full day, more if you stop for photos. It\u2019s a loop, so even if you want to do half of it, you need the same amount of time to go back. I would do it all, to be honest. Need to come back to Skye with more time, and maybe not September.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n

I spent the evening on calls with my sister and my aunt and chatting with a friend. I love my life, and I love being on my own, but let\u2019s be clear, sometimes it does get lonely. That evening it didn\u2019t.<\/p>\n

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\"Waterfall<\/source><\/picture>\"Waterfall
A dramatic waterfall spills over towering cliffs into the calm blue sea. Rugged rock and sweeping coastal views create a striking scene.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n
\"White<\/source><\/picture>\"White
A quiet white farmhouse rests beneath dramatic mountain slopes. Soft light breaks across the rugged valley.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<\/figure>\n

A Second Try at the Lighthouse<\/h2>\n

Yesterday it was raining. What a shock. So I stayed home with Hera, wrote this and kept organizing photos.<\/p>\n

Then in the late afternoon the sky cleared, so I jumped in the car and drove toward the lighthouse again. It turned out to be much further than I thought, and I didn\u2019t want to drive that narrow road in the dark. It\u2019s a beautiful road, but not one for night driving. I also didn\u2019t want to leave Hera alone for too long. So I turned back.<\/p>\n

I didn\u2019t mind at all. I loved every minute of that drive: a winding road through sheep who clearly think they own the land, and maybe they do, and the sun setting on the horizon, turning everything around me into a pink and yellow haze. It was phenomenal. I had the GoPro mounted on the car the whole way, so fingers crossed it caught some of it.<\/p>\n

I have a couple of new projects in mind, and I\u2019m hoping to make them real in the next few weeks, so I can share them with you and make you part of them. It\u2019s exciting and terrifying at the same time.<\/p>\n

The next entry will cover what I managed to do in Skye during my last few days here and the next legs of the NC 500.<\/p>\n

If you are not subscribed yet and want to receive updates of my life on the road and travel tips, you can subscribe here below.<\/p>\n

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