The first day we took our time driving up to Loch Ness, which is where we stayed the first night. The hotel was fantastic, an old hunting lodge built in 1821 for Sir George McKenzie near the Victorian spa town of Strathpeffer. To us, it seemed to be in the middle of nowhere, which was perfect.
Glen insisted on putting on the wellies and going for a nature walk in the rain although I could have stayed in with a cup of tea and a book. We had that wonderful damp highland weather and encountered several interesting species of flora and fauna, including wild raspberries, which I proceeded to pick and eat and the conversation went something like this:
Glen: "What is it?"
Me: "It's a raspberry."
Glen: "And you can eat them?"
Me: "Umm, that's what you do with raspberries."
Glen: "What if they have dirt or bugs on them?"
Me: "God made dirt and dirt don't hurt."
Ahh, my city boy. In the end he loved the raspberries and tried to eat some wild mushrooms but that's another story. The Coul House was by far one of our favorite hotels, just rough around the edges enough to keep it feeling rustic and cozy, and the staff was so friendly and warm.
Trails near Strathpeffer
