2. Sands Beach
After a night at The Torridon hotel I was lucky enough to wake up to a beautiful sunny Autumn Sunday morning. Perfect for the drive over the famous Bealach na Ba road – often described as one of the scariest drives in Europe. It’s a great drive that’s for sure but I’m not sure it’s any tougher than the Hardknott Pass in the Lake District. I stopped briefly at the top for a look around before heading down into Applecross and onto Sands Beach, just outside the village along the coast road. This is a popular bay and rightly so. Easy to park just off the beach and great views from the sand. As the weather was so good, I climbed the ridge on the other side of the road and walked along it for a mile or so, unable to avoid constantly looking down at the incredible sight of the beach below. After time on the beach and a chat with a guy pulling a trolley containing all his possessions (he was homeless and has spent the last two years walking aimlessly around Britain), I drove along the coast road hugging the peninsula, meeting some rather wonderful Highland cattle on the way.