I Learn to Felt

June 9, 2019

Today was an especially fun one! We woke up early and left our lovely apartment to drive a couple of hours to Fort William. We are all early risers and see no reason to spend vacation resting! The weather was a little overcast as Joan drove our small SUV along the twisting roadways to our first stop at Loch Ness. Unfortunately, the gift shop is not open this early and we are disappointed because we have shopped at this one before and know it is a good one.

But for another reason we are in luck!! This early Sunday morning when everyone else is apparently sleeping, Nessie makes an appearance! Yes, the old girl decided to grace these Americans with her presence and we hurriedly took pictures before she submerged again into the murky waters. Loch Ness is the second deepest Loch in Scotland and especially murky because of the high peat content of the waters. It’s a perfect hideout for our new friend, Nessie! But I know we will be back to see you again!

Soon the coffee kicks in and a bathroom stop is needed. Fortunately, we are quite near a spot that Ginny and I had explored two years earlier and I know there are public facilities. We hop out of the car and head to the building but there is a sign on the door that says that the WC is no longer available to the public. Drats! So Dana and Joan head up the street to the hotel while I explored St. Columba’s Well.

This well, or spring, has been here since the Pictish times and until the 6^th century AD the water was thought to be poisonous causing ulcers to appear when splashed on the skin. But then along came St. Columba who drove out the evil spirits and blessed the well and the water coming from it for all time, even causing folks to believe it had curative powers. Today there is a wooden stairway down to it and a viewing platform above it. Again, I just love the stone walls here covered in mosses and ferns!

Walking down the roadway we come to the real reason to stop here. The Invermoriston Old Bridge is here and a beautiful place to take photos! The humpbacked stone bridge was completed in 1813 to improve transportation across the Highlands. This bridge over the Invermoriston Falls was taken out of service in the 1930’s when the current car bridge was built. Today, the stone bridge is popular with hikers and photography buffs. It is much easier to get to since I was last here with Ginny in 2017. At that time we had to walk downhill over mud and wet slippery rocks to get to the bridge and falls. But since then a new wooden stairway has been built and it is much easier and safer access.

There is a second bridge just downriver a little bit with a charming round building built overlooking the river and I find myself wondering what it had been used for. As we walk back to the car we pass a charming private cottage with a flat roof on one side covered in grass. Imagine living next to the falls in a picturesque cottage with a fire roaring in both fireplaces on a cold winter night – I am enchanted. That is until I think about navigating these roads covered in ice!

Our next stop is Fort Augustus on the banks of the Caledonian Canal. This Sunday morning boaters were locking through the canal headed to the Loch. There are 29 locks along the canal which is located in the Great Glen, on a geological fault in the Earth's crust. I watched a few go through their locking routine along with several other people who were standing on the edge with me watching. It was pretty fascinating. Interestingly, the ones pulling the boats along the canal were mostly women while the men stayed on board and rode! We wound up this stop by doing a little shopping - dang I am starting to accumulate a lot of stuff! LOL

Wherever I travel in the world, if there is a gondola to ride then I try to ride it! I love being up high and looking around at the gorgeous views! This trip we are riding the Nevis Mountain Gondola, the UK’s only mountain gondola up the north face of Aonach Mòr, the 8th highest mountain in Britain. Built originally for skiers, it is now used year round by hikers, bikers, (no-fear people who take the gondola up 650 meters with their bikes and then ride down the mountain!!) and sight-seers like myself. It is a little foggy and light drizzle is falling but we are in high spirits and climb aboard.

The views from the top are spectacular even shrouded in light fog. We are hoping for clearer views and it is lunch time so we check out the cafeteria. I have eaten in a lot of ski lodge cafeterias and the

food is usually passable. But this place was different! They had several delicious looking choices and I finally settled on meatballs – from the chef’s personal recipe I was told – and carrot cake. Let me tell you, both were wonderful! Dana and Joan ate beef stew and they said it was very good too! This place definitely gets two thumbs up for lunch!

We lingered over lunch and lo and behold – the sun is coming out! We go back outside to the viewing porch and take more photos this time with sunshine and cloud shadows falling on the scenery below. It is truly breathtaking and I am so glad we visited here. My heart is happy as it always is when in the mountains and I hate to leave but we have an appointment with an art class this afternoon!

I have followed a felt artist on Facebook for a couple of years (Sarah @Artisan Felt Studio) and have even purchased some of her work – a wall hanging of the Callanish Standing Stones. When I knew we were coming back to Scotland I contacted Sarah and asked her if she would be able to hold a felting workshop on the afternoon that we would be in her area. Happily, she agreed and we set it up. Sarah is located a short drive from Fort William in the hamlet of Ballachulish and we hustled our way there since we had dawdled a bit too long at the gondola.

Ballachulish means "the Village by the Narrows" at the mouth of Loch Leven and is surrounded by the mountains of the Ben Nevis range. Slate was mined here for roof tiles for many years and was the major industry from the 1600’s until the quarries closed in 1955. The reason for closing is because the slate had too much iron pyrite in it and the iron would rust away leaving holes and a rusty streak. Now, tourism is the major industry in the town.

But we are here to learn about felting! I had chosen a picture of Craigh na Dun that I wanted us to do.

When we arrived Sarah had towels laid on the table and hanks of wool set out. After chatting a bit we got busy! First, we were given wool to pull bits from and make a base layer for the felt from white wool. Then we were given great instructions as to how to layer the colors to form the design of the trees, water, landscape, and the stone. With Sarah’s help and instructions it was pretty easy! Then the soap and boiling water came out and was applied to the raw pieces. Finally, after an hour of rubbing the wool with soap and water the final product of a felted piece came into view! We were so excited and this class was so much fun! It took all afternoon to do but it was time well spent and now we have a beautiful creation to hang in our homes! I am so glad that I pursued this opportunity to learn from a true artist and meet this wonderful lady! Thank you, Sarah!

It was time for dinner and Sarah recommended a seafood restaurant on the other side of the loch. We stopped to take a few photos along the way because it is so beautiful here! The rhododendrons are in bloom and cover the hillsides. We saw some people setting up a tent to stay at the side of the loch. Here in Scotland there is a “Right To Roam” law that allows people access to public as well as private land. Access rights apply to any non-motorized activities, including walking, cycling, horse-riding and wild camping. They also allow access on inland water for canoeing, rowing, sailing and swimming. This law is quite different from the US where private property is no to be crossed unless invited. Once in Scotland I even saw a sign on a fence that said you were welcome to cross the area but to be aware and wary of the bull that pastured there!

I splurged on dinner tonight and enjoyed lobster and roasted potatoes. Yum yum! Darkness comes quite late here and as we headed to our lodging for the night we did not realize that it was as late as it was! When we arrived back in Fort William at our hotel we were ready to rest! But no, we first we had to lug our very heavy suitcases up the stairs to our very small room! Yes, tonight we were very cozy with one double bed and a twin tucked in under the rafters in a round room. It was very tight but we will make the best of it – after all…..we are lucky enough to be in Scotland!!