Month: September 2026

Views of the mountains.

stitchesoftimeLeave a comment

I mentioned when I started working here that my original intro for this blog, written around 19 years ago, ended with my saying I was happiest with views of the mountains.

This season has given me more views of the mountains than I have ever imagined I would have, in every kind of weather, and I am so grateful and happy to have spent the time here. 

Even when I don’t leave the site my daily walks, checking the site, or pitching people have just stunning views, whatever the weather.

We are completely surrounded here on the site, a 360 wonder of some of the most wonderful views in the UK.  Then everywhere you go there are more wonders.

The Glencoe Greenway is newly completed circular path around the valley, they were still working on it when we started the season. 

It runs up the valley to Signal Rock, alongsidethe A82 seen in green on this map, then back down into Glencoe village, passing through low lying wooded areas underneath the Pap of Glencoe, or Sgorr na Ciche. It was on the way back from one of these walks that we saw a deer by the side of the A82.

A little further out, next to my centre of civilisation, Ballachulish, with its wonderful Co op shop, is the old slate quarry, with a short circular walk and interpretation boards, and a longer one up into Brecklet Woods, with views over Loch Leven. 

Another trail I have recently discovered runs the other side of this valley, from the back of Ballachulish, following the River Laroch up past Sgorr Bhan, Sgorr Dhearg and Sgorr a Choise, with views over to Meall an Aodainn and Meall Lighiche. The views back down to Loch Leven were stunning as well.

I have recently learned that Meall means a rounded mountain or hill, and Sgorr a sharp peak, with Ben or Beinn meaning general mountain or peak. These descriptors are often followed by words denoting colour, Dearg is red and Bhan white or pale. 

There are still so many walks that I want to do here, and some I would love to do again. As you know from the last post the weather has not been ideal for tackling the more challenging ones, I am not going to put myself, or anyone else in danger, we see enough of the Mountain Rescue helicopter as ot it is!

Fingers crossed I will be back next year for more adventures.  We only have a few weeks left here now, it really has gone so quickly and we are still full most days, though not with tent bookings thankfully as the rain has been torrential. 

My awning sadly broke last week, a huge split across the roof which made it beyond repair, but it has served me well and I have had many happy evenings sitting looking out at Meall Mor and watching sunsets. I shall be getting a sturdier one for next season!

Hope you are all well and happy whatever you are doing.  Take care and thanks for visiting. 

When it rains in Scotland…

stitchesoftime4 Comments

You get bonus waterfalls! My favourite mountain on the campsite, Meall Mor, which is right opposite my caravan, has a couple of waterfalls which only appear after a few days of heavy rain, so I call them the bonus waterfalls. I have not been able to get a good picture of them, as they are so far away, but love watching this mountain change with the weather. 

I have also been out visiting many of the local waterfalls, both on my own and when my sister Jacky was visiting in August. We were lucky enough to have a couple of dry days to go and do the Inchree Falls walk, about 15 minutes drive from here. There is a fantastic trail up to the Falls, with great views over Lochleven.

I also went to the Glenculish Forest Trails, 10 minutes away. Although there isn’t a significant waterfall there, the streams are full of tiny little falls, which make the most gorgeous sounds to accompany your walks.

A couple of weeks ago I revisited the Grey Mare’s Tail Waterfall at Kinlochleven.  It is difficult to get a good picture of this impressive fall as it is in a wooded ravine. It is a beautiful walk through the forest and I spent time just watching the water flow in the streams.

It is fair to say that Scotland is living up to its reputation of being a country where it rains a lot. This summer has been particularly wet, with locals commenting on the unusual, even for Glencoe, amount of rain we have had.

While the rest of the country has had drought, with visitors from South of England telling us of parched grass and temperatures over 30 degrees for weeks, we are getting torrential rain on a regular basis. It seems as if it’s all come to Scotland this year. 

A recent BBC article named Scotland, and Glencoe in particular as one of the new, ‘coolcation’, spots, where people come to escape the heat. Lots of our visitors have commented that they are dreading going back home to high temperatures.

We have had some nice days, and I have been lucky enough to see lots of blue skies, but they are definitely the exception, and many of my days off have looked like this.

Not that I mind, apart from feeling so sorry for the tent campers we have. It is OK for me in my cosy caravan, with my heated fleece, but we have had so many optimistic people come for the weekends only to be drenched in their tents. Saturday night seems to be particularly prone to deluges.

As you know if you are a regular reader, I cannot tolerate heat, and am very happy at under 20 degrees. Even getting very, very wet many days this season doesn’t take away from my enjoyment of this beautiful place.

So much so that I am delighted to tell you that I have been given Glencoe as my site allocation for next season! We fill in a form in July with our preferences, and then there is an anxious wait until early September for the email offering us a contract. 

Even though in July I did think we might have better weather later in the season I don’t mind at all. I love this place, and have been blessed with some wonderful days out in amongst the wet ones.

Days like today are the perfect excuse for cuddling up in my cosy van, knitting more little Christmas outfits for fundraisers, and drinking tea.

I hope you are happy where you are, whatever the weather. It seems this year as if everyone is having extremes, I’m just glad mine is on the wet side! Take care and have fun anyway, and thanks as always for visiting.