TV broadcaster Jeremy Clarkson has returned here with his crew to record a further episode for Amazon's The Grand Tour. This time they ventured further north than Loch Ness and undertook the now famous North Coast 500.
Last year, they encamped at Fort Augustus, at the south west end of Loch Ness, in a marquee. They even had Sir Chris Hoy floating in a “coracle” type of craft on the loch and, as always, created quite a stir with the local media following there every driving move.
However, this is not primarily what I am blogging about today, writes Willie “Mr Loch Ness” Cameron.
In his column in the “Sunday Times”, Jeremy has written probably the best piece of PR journalism for holidaying in the Highlands I have ever read.
It includes:
“I spent several days recently up beyond Inverness, and I'm not trying to suck up to the Scots, but it really is eye-on-stalks beautiful.
“We often talk about breath-taking views but, in the Highlands, they literally do that.
“I drove along the coast road north of Ullapool and never have I gone so slowly. Sometimes the views were so spectacular, I coasted to a halt and never even noticed.
“The sky was the colour of a Norwegian model’s eyes. Tendrils of cloud spilt over snow-capped mountains before being whipped into nothing by the wind.
“And it went on and on and on. Past turquoise water like you find in the Maldives and islands as weird and as enticing as those in Ha Long Bay. This was - and I will take no argument on the matter - by far the most beautiful place on earth. As far removed as anything we have in England as Timbuktu.”
It is almost poetic in its style but very genuine in its sincerity and what an advert from someone who has travelled worldwide in his television role as a presenter on Top Gear and now on Amazon.
Thanks, Jeremy. Next time you are here, come cruising on Loch Ness by Jacobite.
- Willie Cameron