28 July 2012 – Tain

The last 2 days have been fascinating as we drove up the North West coast of Scotland from Skye. The landscape to start with was dramatic with glacial scoured valleys and lakes. Gradually the hills reduced in height, the lakes get more numerous and smaller and the landscape is more and more bare rock covered in places with a thin green layer. The hills are hard rock still scraped clean by the ice layer during the ice age and the only sign of life is where moss has accumulated on ledges forming a layer of soil. It is a magnificent and barren landscape and it is amazing that there has been continual human habitation for 4000 years.

 The remains of the Mcleod's castle

 

A view down one of the inlets we passed

The weather hasn't helped with low cloud and occasional rain hiding the higher hills, but even so it is impressive with the hints of hillsides disappearing up into the clouds. Most of the coastline is steep down to the water with occasional shingle beaches, often covered with seaweed. However across the north coast there are some stunning sandy beaches between the cliffs, one of which is apparently used for international surfing contests in winter. Although it is the middle of summer there is no-one on the beaches and most people are wearing coats.

Shingle beach at Ardarnoch

Beach near Durness in the North

We arrived in Tain to find our accommodation tending towards Fawlty Towers. It is a country house that has been converted into a hotel and now epitomises “faded elegance”. From the potholes in the long drive, the wooden outdoor furniture sagging and fragile, the carpet frayed at the edges, the window sash cords broken, the spa bath with the air vent jammed shut, the hot water never getting above lukewarm and the sad choice of fading floral wallpaper. However the scale of the building, the magnificent staircase leading up from the lobby and the labyrinth of passages leading to the rooms lend a grand air.

Mansfield Castle Hotel

To top it off we arrived down for breakfast half an hour before the finish time to be told they were out of rolls, croissants, ham and only toast was available. When the toast arrived it was 2 slices of sandwich bread and apparently was the end of the last loaf. Being Sunday they “couldn't run down to the corner store”. It is such a contrast to the high standards and lavish breakfasts that we have experienced to date throughout the trip.

To be fair the building is imposing with elegantly furnished public rooms and beautiful panelling and a large lawn between the gates and the hotel with a fountain and pond. The rooms are spacious and reasonably well finished, but with a little attention to details and a few fixes the hotel would be superb – it is such a shame to see the property downgraded by such second class management.