Off to a Great Start

After a copious breakfast for the French contingent and a more reasonable one for us, we set off at 9.30am in the direction of the Erskine Bridge which spans the River Clyde. Built between 1967 - 71, it has about 15 suicides p.p. What a grim thought. from here it was on to Duck Bay Marina,
http://www.duckbay.co.uk/about-us/visit-loch-lomond  for a coffee stop overlooking knockout views of Loch Lomond made even better by bright sunshine.

·        Finally managed to get going again and continued for a short drive to Luss, a conservation village, where the STV soap « Take the High Road » was set. http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/luss/luss/index.html  Wound our way up the lochside to our next stop which was the "Drovers”  (pub of the year 1705 !), where we had lunch. http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Hotel_Review-g551929-d581625-Reviews-The_Drovers_Inn-Ardlui_Loch_Lomond_and_The_Trossachs_National_Park_Scotland.html Simple, rustic, lots of dust, staff in kilts and as the name would suggest, it was an inn for cattle drovers making their way down to Glasgow in the 18th century.

     Drove North through stunning scenery making a pause at the « Green Wellie Café » http://www.thegreenwellystop.co.uk/Restaurant/ in Tyndrum. http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/tyndrum/tyndrum/

Feasted our eyes on dramatic scenery as we crossed Rannoch Moor http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rannoch Moor and then through Glencoe which Henri and Michèle knew all about from their MacDonald daughter-in-law. We made quite a lengthy stop at the visitor centre where Christian and I drank hot chocolate (the sun had gone) and the others  immersed themselves in the exhibition.

http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/glencoe/visitorcentre/  

With all this sightseeing and driving, Ballachullish and our B & B stop at the Strathassynt http://www.strathassynt.com/ was most welcome, especially for Christian who has found himself in the role of sole chauffer. There was time however, for Michèle and I to nip to the supermarket  to buy apéritifs while the others slept. Had these before our evening meal in the Laroch Bar which was luckily across the road  so with a quick sprint we didn't get wet. http://www.tripadvisor.fr/Restaurant_Review-g315998-d1937780-Reviews Scottish_Highlands_Scotland.html