Not the greatest sleep according to Garmin (sleep score of 46) but a new day dawned, with a less favourable forecast with a bit of rain around, but Bronnie found a recommended short walk nearby Ben Nevis in a place called Glen Nevis. Steall Falls.
We are still in search of authentic Highland both people and/or merchandise, and Fort William and nearby Caol have not delivered :( So, after a check of the local shops and what appear to be a fair bit of imported material/non wool etc "wool", we headed for the outdoors again, knowing that scenery can't really be changed.
Not more than 5 minutes outside of Fort William and we were 100% transported to an epic valley with misty snow capped mountains either side of us and hardly another car being encountered. We've felt really pleased to be here when it's not peak season. It would be a very different experience in that case. About 5 minutes further along the road and we encountered a very friendly set of highland cows...they will make great photos!
The road wound further up the hill until we could go no further and had to continue on foot. A 2km walk from the carpark took us up through the extremely scenic Glen Nevis gorge before opening out to a gorgeous next grassy valley with the 105m high Steall Falls in the backdrop. For one of the UK's best travelled walks and getting 4.9 stars on Google reviews, it did not disappoint.
Closer up to the falls there was a steel rope bridge that I went a bit of the way across but without a certainty of not slipping and falling into the river, I decided not to fully commit. Vertigo had already been tested en route to the falls so enough was enough. We are both extremely pleased with both our wet weather gear and our boots that DO NOT leak which has been so useful already. Worth the cost. After splashing my face (and Bronnie her hands) in the pristine highland water and imagining the lives of people who have lived up there through history, including nibbling up some highland oat cakes for a snack, we headed back to the car, thoroughly inspired. Some of the cloud lifted as we did , further adding to the epicness of the adventure. Cool, clean air with clean streams and waterfalls lining the path, along with ultra moss and lichen all over the trees...it's quite a spectacle.
We have noticed a difference to Aussie outdoors. There is very little clear evidence of organisms. No ants, snails, slugs, insects in general (midges would be here in summer), snakes, fish or tadpoles in rivers. No obvious mammals or scat (I've seen 2 deer and 1 rabbit so far) and no roadkill (well except that one bird). Some birds but not heaps of them, other than the occasional large flock of birds swirling over ocean inlets, and the gulls with their iconic call that is ubiquitous with coastal UK.
Back to our accommodation for a quiet afternoon and a dinner in, making full use of the microwave outside our door and supplies from the ever reliable Lidl supermarket ;) Tomorrow we head to Skye.