Day 294/5 Sun 5 – Mon 6 Aug 2007 Gairloch to Drumnadrochit to Edinburgh, Scotland

Sunday morning and we visit Inverewe Gardens, where a southfacing slope combined with gulf stream influences conspire to create a micro climate supporting probably the most northerly subtropical garden in Scotland. There is an amazing collection of plants of all types including snow gums, rhododendrons and azaleas together with exotic greenery in a large walled garden.

Then it's on to Ullapool for a late lunch at the The Ceilidh Place before a trip over the moors to Loch Ness where its raining again. No sign of any monsters as we check into the Loch Ness Lodge. Our 185th and last hotel of the entire trip is good plain Scottish accommodation but we manage to resist the tartan tablecloths and haggis on offer in the wood panelled dining room.

It's raining still in the morning as we head south along Loch Ness, stopping briefly at Urquart Castle (not on the world heritage list) on a rather roundabout journey to Edinburgh which involves lunch in Fort William, a visit to an otter and marine life sanctuary near Oban and a nostalgia trip up the winding east side of Loch Awe. As we approach Stirling the rain clears and its a lovely sunny evening as we arrive at nephew Michael’s flat in the centre of Edinburgh