Monday birth July, Isle of Skye.
A foggy start to the morning, but hopeful that it would clear up as the day went on. We visited Cill Chriosd Church, a 16th century church that was used up until 1840 when the Parish Church was relocated. It was a bit damp to be walking around in the grass, but a wee a brown creature ran in front of me - not sure what it was but maybe too big to be a mouse.
It was a day for taking photo’s at various viewpoints, the first was at Torrington I believe of the Black Cuillins, composed of gabbro and basalt, mountains. There is a challenge a bit like our Kepler where they take a day - in summer, when the days are long, as it takes about 17 hours involving climbing and tramping along the ridge which is quite jaggedy.
Whilst we were there the mist or clouds were lifting and we managed to get a bit more blue sky but the clouds around the peaks were quite spectacular.
We backtracked and went around by the Red Cuillins which are mostly made of granite and slightly more rounded hills, and visited a waterfall, ground was a bit muddy and it wasn’t exactly of Punchbowl spectacularness, but the heather is coming out and that is pretty.
We stopped to visit an old bridge at Sligachan, designed by none other than Thomas Telford was built between 1810 and 1818. Has been superseded now but it is a great viewpoint. This first one taken by our tour leader who scrambled down further than me. That’s the Black Cullens you can see in the arch, from the other side to previous photos,
Monument commemorating two renowned mountaineers, John Mackenzie (1856) and scientist Professor Norman Collie who formed an alliance and friendship that lasted over half a century, they worked to created many well known routes over the mountains. Quite a majestic monument
There is a legend that suggests you should put your face in the water under the bridge for seven seconds, let it dry naturally and you will be granted eternal beauty, If only I had known!
Lunch was at Fortree, the capital of Skye, quite a busy place, unfortunately there isn’t much on the menu there, One of the ladies queued at the bakery, which had run out of hot pies etc, but weren’t bothered to heat others they had on hand, I couldn’t be bothered queuing, purchased a sandwich that was a bit average and a chai latte that had lumps!! Other places were closed. Some nice craft and souvenir shops around and some good buskers called Red Green and Blue, in the a square that I sat and listened to for a while.
Walked down the steps to the shore to get fish and chips but it was closed!
We didn’t stop to see the Old Man of Stor rock formation because
Inconvenient!
Lealt Falls, another stop on the tour around, seems that is what tourists do as you could recognise some people at various sites. Nice walk along the cliff top, with a few little barriers. They are pretty loose on health and safety here it seems.
Kilt rock is basalt columns, from the same volcanic explosion as the Giants Causeway in Northern Ireland and another tourist stop on our tour of the Isle of Skye.
The cliffs in the background are the pleats of the kilt, lovely view over the cliffs, a long way down to the water. Drove onwards yet again to the Quairang, wonderful amazing out of this world scenery. Caused by a massive land slip.
Stood there for quite a while just looking, just taking photos, the car park was crazy busy, full of cars and camper vans. We seemed to be following a convoy of about 15, I can understand why some people are not overjoyed to see them on the roads, or buses for that matter, a lot of these roads are one way with lots of little passing bays so driving can be a bit of start, stop and reversing to the nearest one, and passing really close!
On we travelled down to a little village of Uig, stopping for W.C and drinks along the way, we had an Iron Bru tasting, Scotlands fizzy that sells more than Coca Cola, bright orange and comes with a warning that it may affect children’s behaviour, we only had a little bit each, a bit of a bubblegum flavour, I’m not sure what Matthew in the middle did with the rest of the bottle. But I had purchased a can, that I left behind at the hotel - so lovely it was!
Uig was a bit of a disappointment as there was huge road works going on, reconstructing car parks for the bloody tourists, there was a pottery shop and a distillery, but a good place to stretch you legs if nothing else.
Photos along the way, or way back to be precise, we stopped at a place by the Red Cuillins. To take some more photos, which was good as I was thinking it looked really nice at the time.
Time for Pizzas on the way back to the hotel, and then a walk further down the hill, to help settle the food, We have had so much to eat in Scotland, I think we were all starting to feel the effects. So further down the road was yet again more water, not sure if it is a lock or the sea - maybe the sea!
Comments
Post a Comment