The Road To Skyfall
When James Bond and M head to Skyfall, he took the long, picturesque route. The Glen Etive Road. Famed for being the most beautiful drive in Scotland. Obviously. It’s a Bond flick after all. The locations need to be as dramatic as the action.
Lesser mortals, a bit like yours truly, pull into a gas station in their Hyundai i20s, rush to the loo, desperately pulling at stuck zippers. Bond, all steely-eyed, square-jawed, stony-faced, steps out of his Aston Martin at a rather picturesque point to ponder about life. Will his license to cause grievous harm be renewed? Does M secretly fancy him? Should he start having kale?
The Glen Etive Road threads its way through mist-covered mountains, glistening lochs and lush moorland with the gurgling Etive River just a merry shout away. Driving on it does make one question certain life choices. Such as, why do I have to report to work on a Monday morning?
The road is narrow. Barely wide enough for a car. But long enough to neatly pack the scenic highlights of the Scottish Highlands in its 20 km stretch.
The day we went was bright and sunny. Not your typical Scottish day. Not ideal weather conditions to be on this road. Don’t get me wrong. It’s still a breathtaking drive. But the real beauty of the location comes out when there’s a constant battle between the sun and overcast skies, and a cinematic fog weaves its way through the mountains. That’s when you’re left shaken, and stirred too.
