The Far North of Scotland – Part 2

 

North Loop - Day Two // Sound of the Ocean, Mist and Pure Boundlessness

The second day of the journey along the North Loop brought a landscape of incomparably greater dynamism and raw beauty.

The route leading from the ancient, windswept surroundings of Thurso towards Durness ran right alongside the ocean – along a rolling, cliff-lined coast dotted with golden, sandy beaches against which the turquoise waves of the North Atlantic crashed.

The northern edge of Scotland possesses its own unique, grounding vibration. It is a space where ancient Moine rocks (among the oldest geological formations on Earth, over a billion years old) meet the absolute power of the elements of water and wind. This specific energy of the north imparted an incredible vitality to me – each successive stop seemed even more magnetic than the last. Although the series of these places encouraged lingering, an approaching rain front dictated the pace. From dawn to dusk I had roughly 250 miles to cover – after all, by its very design, this journey was a touring loop.

This part of the coast is a tranquil and intimate landscape: tiny, sheltered villages, scattered white houses, and sprawling farms nestled into green hills.

A pivotal turning point occurred in Durness – on the westernmost tip of the island's northern edge. At this point, the route turns sharply south, heading inland towards Inverness to close this powerful circuit.

With the change in direction, the landscape underwent a swift and almost metaphysical transformation. Villages and human settlements vanished almost instantly. We entered the boundless, wild expanse of Sutherland and Assynt – a realm peppered with solitary, majestic peaks crowned with bare rock, rising straight out of green, mossy peat bogs. The road narrowed to a single-track road with densely spaced passing places, requiring complete attentiveness and harmony with the rhythm of the route.

The atmosphere shifted as well – the sky became shrouded in thick mist, and the wind gathered strength, heightening the sensation of being in a raw, untamed world. Fortunately, it remained rainless. Tens of miles of green wilderness stretching for hours created a deeply engaging space, filled with profound impressions and a moving silence.

The closer to Inverness, situated on the Moray Firth, the gentler the weather became, the clearer the sky, and the softer, more inhabited the landscape.

I felt deep gratitude for this road. Beyond awe at nature, this journey had above all a spiritual dimension – the internal, circular circuit of energy was fully closed in Inverness. From there, all that remained was a peaceful return journey to Insch, where I arrived around 10:00 pm, carrying the fullness of this northern space within me.

Photos:

https://photos.app.goo.gl/nSiPuSSQoC1LuqQL8

Ginkgo and Gaia