Well this is my second to last post about my time in Scotland. This post is dedicated to the three day trip to the Isle of Skye. We had a great time and took lots of photos. There is really to much to fit into a single post but I have tried my best to pick out the best parts. This was the second leg of our journey during my last week in Scotland. To hear about the first part of our trip,
click here.Otherwise, enjoy the post!
Day One: Over the sea to Skye.
Well our Isle of Skye and highlands adventure made its first stop at Castle Doune. We only had a few minutes to snap photos, but I have been through the castle before, which you can follow this
link to see more. After Doune, we stopped in the lovely village of Callander for tea and a respite from the mini-bus. Our tour did not spend much time in this area, but you can find out more by
clicking here. From Callander, known as the gateway to the Highlands, we set out on the road to begin our discovery of lochs, hills and folklore. We made stops along the way to take in the scenary and learn a little about the area. Fort William was our first major destination. We stopped for lunch and quick tour of the city.
Fort William is situated on the edge of the Munro mountain range is a popular destination for outdoor enthusiasts. I should also mention that it is an important stop along the famous
West Highland Way. After Fort Williams, we made our way up the north-west side of Scotland towards Dornie, which is home to the most photographed castle in Scotland,
Eilean Donan Castle. The castle sits at the head of three lochs and was an important fortress until it was destroyed in 1719. It was rebuilt to match its original 18th century glory in the early 20th century and has since become one of the most popular castles in Europe. We made our way up the coast and crossed over the Skye Bridge. after we saw Eilean Donan. It took us about an hour to get to Portree, the largest city on Skye. We learned about the faeries of Skye, the MacClouds and the MacDonalds famous duals and the Cullin mountains.We enjoyed a lovely dinner at The Isles Inn and drinks at The View. Enjoy some of our photos from our first day.
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| River Teith at the north end of Callander |
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| Doune Castle |
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| Mom and Andrew with Loch Arkaig in the background |
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| Andrew at Loch Leven |
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| Eilean Donan Castle |
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| Duncansburgh MacIntosh Church--Fort William |
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| Portree Harbour |
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| Portree Harbour and seaside buildings |
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| Loch Lochy |
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| Loch Garry |
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| Loch Leven |
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| Bi-lingual sign post--English and Gaelic |
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| Andrew and Mom--Glencoe |
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| The Black Cullins from Sligachan |
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| Wind-blown tree on the Isle of Skye |
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| Glencoe |
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| Panarama of the highlands with a loch in the distance--click to enlarge image |
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| Loch Duich--Click to enlarge image |
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| Three Sisters of Glencoe--Click to enlarge image |
Day Two: Discovering the Isle of Skye.
On our second day, we set out to explore the island itself. We came across many fantastic relics and historic markers. We learned all about the feuds between the MacLeods and the MacDonalds, faerie folkore, and mythology. We made stops at the famous
Kilted Rock in Trotternish,
Neist Point Lighthouse,
Dunvegan Castle, the home and seat of the MacLeod clan leaders and a hidden but spectacular little glen known as The Faerie Glen. There are some amazing views and incredible stories about the people and the Isle. It was an awesome day.
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| Highland Coos crossing the road |
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| MacLeod's Tables |
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| Storm clouds over Faerie Glen |
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| The Faerie Glen |
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| Grave of Flora MacDonald, woman who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie |
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| Neist Point coastline |
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| Coolin View B&B right on Portree Harbour |
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| Mom and Andrew in front of a waterfall in Dunvegan gardens |
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| Andrew near "Hadrian's Wall"... |
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| Trotternish coast |
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| Faerie Glen |
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| Entrance to Dunvegan Castle |
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| Mom and Andrew at Neist Point |
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| Ancient Celtic King grave-marker, stolen and moved to Skye a few centuries ago |
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| More coastline from Neist Point |
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| Loch Dunvegan |
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| Panorama Running Ridges |
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| Panorama ruined fort |
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| Panorama Neist Point |
Well that wraps up our trip through the highlands and around the Isle of Skye. There is one post remaining which will go up sometime next week. Check back soon to hear about my final few days in Scotland and find out what I will be doing next.
Sincerely,
Andrew
Tune: Come O'er the stream Charlie
Artist: Celtic Spirit
