This was our winter week off.
Like in February 2017, we went to this cottage in Bridge of Orchy, in Argyll and Bute (Scotland).
Our home away from home
Off to Argyll and Bute
We set off from Edinburgh Waverley and went to Glasgow Queen Station.
From there we travelled to Bridge of Orchy on the West Highland Line, which is just under two and a half hours away.
Liath, Mounty & Bike on the train
Last year it was just Simon and I. This time we were joined by my sister, so we had a crazy number of panniers and rucksacks to juggle.
Plus our bikes, of course: Liath, Mounty and Bike.
View of Beinn an Dothaidh from the cottage
In this area of Argyll and Bute you find the village of Bridge of Orchy, and the river Orchy, which meanders through Glen Orchy.
There are also several Munros. This time we climbed Beinn an Dothaidh, which you can see from the cottage windows.
Beinn an Dothaidh & Beinn Dòrain (two Munros)
Our Bridge of Orchy cottage
The cottage is a warm and quiet place with three bedrooms and two shower rooms.
It’s also got a kitchen with great views of Beinn an Dothaidh and Beinn Dòrain, the two Munros to the west.
The kitchen end of the cottage
The rail tracks run next the cottage. Because the train station is just fifty yards away, the trains pass very slowly, so there’s not much noise.
Besides, there are only four trains a day each way, plus a cargo train, and they never run during the night.
The cottage & the rail tracks
Next to the cottage there’s the old school, a sad looking building that hopefully has seen better days.
The old school next to the cottage
The cottage garden kept us entertained when we weren’t tramping on the snow or concocting dinner.
There are dozens of birds coming to the seed feeders at all hours.
If you don’t scare them, they’ll even let you take their picture.
The garden shed & the new summer house
In the evenings we would sit in front of the log and coal fire to plan the next day’s excursion.
Our beloved fire
Trains galore
Every few hours, like clockwork, a train would appear.
The daily cargo train
Sometimes it was a long train.
The front of a very long cargo train
A very long train.
The cargo train stopped at the station
Others it was a curious looking one.
A most interesting train
Our teeny neighbours
We weren’t the only ones waving at the trains.
Hello!
Everyone loves the trains around here.
A robin in the sun
A pensive blue tit
Another robin, because they’re dazzling
Rambling around Argyll and Bute
Some days we left the cottage on foot, others on the bikes.
One day we put on our snowshoes and went up Beinn Odhar, or part of it. Another day we bum sledged on Beinn Inverveigh.
We had a whale of a time.
The road down to Bridge of Orchy
And we walked on the West Highland Way, north and south.
The West Highland Way going south
The sun’s often shy in this part of Scotland, but not on this occasion.
We had some gorgeous days, and we also got a lot less wind than a year ago, and a lot more snow on the ground.
The river Orchy flowing through the village
It’s hard to believe that, after such a glorious week, the weather would become atrocious just a few days later.
Storm Emma hit the UK and getting to and from Bridge of Orchy by train became mighty difficult, if not impossible. But by then we were safely back in Edinburgh
At Bridge of Orchy station, heading back
We got back from Bridge of Orchy with a bag full of memories, and left behind some wee friends.
See you next time!
I took all the photos with the Panasonic.