TV presenter Timmy Mallett has been weaving his way across the Highlands in the footsteps of his cousin who made the same journey in June 1934.
The much-loved children’s Wacaday host is recording his trip in a series of videos and watercolours, and it is a trip down memory lane.
Cousin Kitty made the same trip with her friend Bessie. Bessie’s sister Anne joined in on the journey – recording their adventures in a holiday book entitled Er, She and Me.
Cousin Kitty was born in 1907 and this was a real adventure in travel for the women all in their 20s.
One of them even “touched the collar” of a beautiful sailor in Oban.
Mr Mallett, who appeared in Queen Elizabeth II’s platinum jubilee bus parade along the Mall, said about the diary: “It is gorgeous, it is a handwritten diary and was written to be read.
Family gold dust for Timmy Mallett
“When cousin Kitty brought it home they passed it around the family, and people shared the adventures.
“It is gold dust.”
Cousin Kitty died some 20 years ago.
He continued: “I found it again last year and thought ‘Oh, that looks like a route that could be followed on my bike.'”
Encouraged by his friend, Kenny, they set out to follow the route.
In all, the journey is 200 miles. And it will be travelled over three weeks.
The journey will follow a route from Loch Lomond-side, through Lochaber, into Argyll and takes in some of the most beautiful scenery in the country.
He continued: “There are things in the diary that are of its time. For example some days they say that they ‘attended to correspondence’, that is not something we would do now, but it is lovely to read about.
“When they got to Oban their first trip was to the post office to get stuff they had posted to themselves from Killin and to get the letters from people who had written to them from back home.
The women were all from Blackpool in Lancashire, and started at the Glen Douglas military base – near to the train line at Arrochar.
Mr Mallett took the train to Arrochar and cycled back to Glen Douglas to begin his journey.
He stayed at Inverbeg on his first night, as the women did. From there he climbed Ben Lomond and travelled on to Brig of Turk, then Callander and up to Monachyle Mhor, onto Loch Boyle and Balquhidder.
Playing cards on Ben Nevis during journey
He said that many of the train stations that the women had visited were no longer in use. But at the time, they had purchased a 10 shilling “runaround” ticket that allowed them to travel across the Highlands.
At one point the women changed their original plans and went to Ballachulish and took the ferry over to Onich. It was there that they realised the digs were a little expensive.
The diary says they bumped into a fellow traveller – which they saw as a good sign.
But instead of paying over the odds they made their way on the back of a milk lorry to Fort William to more reasonably priced accommodation.
“There is a photograph of them playing cards in the snow at the top of Ben Nevis,” he continued.
“They then made their way down to Oban for two nights. They stayed at a place in Pulpit Hill. They described the town as the Pearl of the West.”
In the bay, at the time there was a fleet of battleships, and sea planes, and they describe meetings “lots of handsome sailors.”
Mr Mallet said: “One of the girls was said to have ‘touched the sailor’s collar’. I don’t know what that means, but perhaps it was a moonlit assignation.”
The women then went onto Loch Awe where they took the steamer on the loch known as the Countess Breadalbane to Ford.
While they were there they described the weather as “just chippy”, or cold.
They were said to have been “dumped” at Portsonachan, where they blew the ship’s whistle.
He said: “The three were not happy at being dumped at Portsonachan, as they were on their own so they walked 15 miles to Inverary, which took them four hours.
Hospitality in Highlands for Timmy Mallett
When they arrived in the Royal Burgh they went to the police station, and the officer found them a nights accommodation in the George Hotel.
Mr Mallett was given the same room when he stayed this week.
He said: “The world has changed in the 90 years since they made the trip. I have been painting the adventure as I go. it has been truly wonderful. It must be one of the finest parts of the world – the people here are very kind.”
Mr Mallett’s journey can be viewed on Facebook.
Conversation