Scotland-Rugged BeautyDAY ONE 11-02-2010
We flew to Inverness early this morning from good old Luton Airport. After many years I was travelling to meet my old mate Rob Jones and his wife Cara in their idyllic retreat at Bonar Bridge in the far north of Scotland. Rob, a very old college mate from the 70's had moved to Scotland at the end of the 80's and with Cara had set up with Cara's then young daughter Phillipa. Since then both have forged careers for themselves and in Rob's case, the kind of career one would gladly do as a hobby. In his case-fishing. He is what they call a ghillie. That is he takes people fishing on beautiful Scottish lochs and gets paid for it! The season starts in May and ends in September and during that time he works 'flat out', staying at a spacious hotel in Scourie with owners and friends Patrick and Judy. The hotel is famous for being surrounded by excellent fishing and rugged countryside and so Rob is in heaven for five months of the year. The seven months out of season are spent at his and Cara's delightful East Gilgo residence on the lochside at Migdale. During this time he loafs around and entertains guests such as we.
East Gilgo
Rob picked us up at Inverness airport and we were soon checking into our hotel, and as it turns out, the only hotel in Bonar Bridge. Here I need to point out that the only reason for us staying in said hotel is the fact that Jones loves animals. His mengerie, now recovered since my last visit when they were decimated, consists of two dogs, five geese, ducks, too numerous to mention, and unfortunately for the allergic me, four cats. More about our hotel later! In the afternoon we were whisked up to East Gilgo, where we spent the rest of the day catching up on old times and realising friendships.
View From Balcony Of East Gilgo
