The day began under an overcast sky but soon transformed into blazing sunshine.

We started our day at the stunning beach where John Lennon spent his teenage holidays with his family at Sango Sands Bay, Durness. They stayed with his auntie Lizzie, who lived in the area. Inspired by these memories, he penned the song ‘In My Life’. He visited his Aunt Lizzie’s cottage with Yoko in 1969.

While perhaps not as magnificent as Strathy Bay, this beach still ranked among the finest we had ever encountered. It was absolutely stunning.

Our next stop was Balnakeil Craft Village. Despite the mixed reviews on TripAdvisor, we found it delightful. We visited several studios: Mudness Ceramics, Balnakeil Glass, Cast of Crafts, and Cocoa Mountain, a charming chocolatier and café.

A short drive brought us to the breathtaking Smoo Cave, a magnificent, cathedral-like cave that was free to visit.

Our journey then took us down the stunning West Coast toward Scourie. This involved driving down 14 miles of twisting single-track road. Despite several cars and camper vans on the road, the many pull-in stops meant I did not have to practice my reversing skills.

The West Coast scenery was nothing short of extraordinary, outshining even our cherished memories of New Zealand’s landscapes. The highlands offered an endless array of breathtaking vistas. Amazing.

We enjoyed a lovely lunch at Crofters Kitchen, a food wagon in Scourie that serves the fresh seafood caught by local fishermen. We can’t recommend it highly enough; the food was wonderful.

In the afternoon, we set out to discover Wailing Widow Falls. We had heard you had to walk up a stony path and scramble over small boulders, but we found it a little more demanding than people had made out. Despite this, we made it to the falls and witnessed a powerful waterfall cascading 50 feet from Loch na Gainmhich.

We are staying at Ardmore House Bed and Breakfast in Lochinver, which we can highly recommend. Jo, the lively, outgoing owner, enthusiastically welcomed us and delighted us by showing us around the house and our bedroom. She even offered us a laundry service, which we gladly accepted. Our spacious, well-equipped, spotlessly clean bedroom features excellent Wi-Fi, a rare find in the highlands.

The house is nestled down a long driveway, offering an isolated and peaceful refuge. This evening, Jo’s chickens made a charming escape, frolicking in the garden, and while Sue sat in the sunshine, she spotted a couple of deer gracefully wandering by.