This time, everything went fine. The pass really offered a quite challenging track – it took about 3hrs to get from Laggan to Fort Augustus. And what a view! It really was worth it.

At 1pm I reached Fort Augustus. Arhm, at least I saw the village. All the gates on the track had been open and at the beginning there even was a sign saying something like “driving through is not recommended”. Okay, but if they say so, it should at least be possible. 

Now, let me provide you with some background information: In Scotland all ground is privately owned. When walking, you have the “right of way”, which means that you can walk through wherever you want as long as it is not a private garden. For cars this right does not really exist. 
 
At the end of the track and being quite exhausted I discovered that the last 300 meters were situated on the private ground of a farmer who probably did not like off-roaders too much. The gate was closed. There was a smaller path going on, but somebody has moved high and heavy stones in the way. Even with much ground-clearance it was not possible to pass. I left the car and walked to the farm and a nearby castle. Not a single soul.

Hmm, what possibilities do I have? Smashing the gate would not be a problem, but then again, I did not want to do that. Driving the whole way back? Not an option – I was tired enough and should arrive in Inverness by 6pm to meet Sarah.

A bit down the smaller path there was a gate leading to the same private ground – a cow field. This one was open. I walked along the wall next to gate and, right, some 200 meters down the field, there was another open gate leading to a public street in Fort Augustus. 

Solution finding: I used the winch to move on of the stones out of my way, drove down the cow field as fast as I could and with a strange feeling in my stomach (I half expected that a window suddenly would burst because of a farmer madly shooting at me), closed both gates again and ran off without looking back. I had the Indiana Jones music in my ears.

Later a met Sarah, an astonishing young lady who has travelled everywhere and my host in Beauly/Inverness (she does not like being photographed so you cannot see her here). She works as a forest ranger and has a key to all the locked gates in the Highlands. Would be useful to find new off-road tracks... Too bad I have to leave for the Orkneys by tomorrow! You should have seen the place she lives: Wow! Hidden in the middle of the forest in a nice country house! Really a wonderful flat she has!

We then met some representatives from the Highlands Off-Road club, talked cars, had some beers all together and a funny evening… It was a great day!