Taexalia

wild.life

Highlands and Islands In a Week part 3

On Monday I had an inkling of where we were going but @ had no idea...

We drove down Loch Ness to Invermoriston and took the road to Kyle through Glen Moriston and along the banks of Loch Cluanie. We passed through Glen Shiel under the Five Sisters before the road took us to the shores of Loch Duich. At the end of the loch lies one of the most used scenes from Scotland, Castle Eilean Donan. It is as pretty as the pictures, even with the tour buses in view :)

The road passes on to the shores of Loch Alsh with the Kyle of Lochalsh at the other end.

Some wildlife from the journey...

Something rising out of the water on Loch Ness!!

Red Deer stags grazing

A wild goat standing out from the herd

When we got to Kyle we were ready for some facilities and before we found a cafe we found the possibly world famous public loos. If you have never been for a pee in the public loos in Kyle of Lochalsh then it is something to put on your Things To Do Before You Die list. There is even a poem about them which you can buy with all proceeds going to charity. I didn't have my camera because I had other priorities, but @ may have a pic I can pinch. But really - it will be the most scenic wee wee you have ever had...

We hit the road again after some refreshments and drove towards the Skye Bridge. It's nae bonnie and it's nae fair. When I was but a quine I would clamber off the train and walk the short distance to the ferry slip and climb aboard and enjoy the 15 minute crossing as the Bonnie Boat (OK it was a CalMac ferry!) Sped Over The Sea To Skye. It's just not the same going by road. Especially knowing a lot of the old controversial toll profits were for the Bank of America.

Grumble over and now on Skye I was having dusty memories of the bits I could recall from the last time I had been there many years ago. This lasted for only a short while as we drove out of the bounds of my previous visit and I tell you, it brings a tear to your eye some of the vistas you get. It's also a wee bit confusing trying to figure out what's Skye, what's Rasaay and what's the mainland at times..

... but if you look at the peak just above where the road disappears, you might recognise Stac Pollaidh on the mainland.

The scenery didn't stop all the way to Portree and continued to wow us all the way round to Uig. I pretty much loved Uig with it's fantastic brewery (I can recommend the Cuillin Beastie), it's remote silence and the weather dancing across the waters. Another "we could live here spot"...

Now the plan originally had been to see more of Skye and catch the ferry to Mallaig and then drive @ to Fort William to catch his train back to Edinburgh. But @ and I both had brain farts and half way to Skye remembered that all train tickets were safely stashed in my luggage. So we re-jigged our plan and drove cross country, on the very narrow tracks, and saw some of the most amazing geology ever. Like this...


Oh how I ache to have the time to sit in this landscape for a whole day, or more, and meet the spirit(s) of the place...

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Posted on March 25, 2008 in .

2 Responses to “Highlands and Islands In a Week part 3”

  1. Fala says:
    March 28, 2008 at 4:06 pm

    What a beautiful landscape!!!

  2. NadieAchak says:
    March 30, 2008 at 12:50 am

    Taexalia, this has been such a treat for my little Bella. We laid in the bed with the laptop and took turns reading your posts – the photos were unbelievebable. Bella was so hoping you would have captured a photo of the Lock Ness Monster, and we finally came to one. She was so excited. I absoultely love your site and have so enjoyed it. Thanks for sharing your trip with us. Bella says thanks you, too :-) . Nadie

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