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Published: August 3rd 2008
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Hi Friends and Family!
Yes, the Isle of Skye!
Of all the variety of Highland landforms, the mountain profiles of Skye create the strongest sense of awe and had drawn visitors to The Island since the days of Sir Walter Scott. Indeed, there are only 2,000 people in Portree and 10,000 people on the whole island!
The Isle of Skye is joined to the mainland by the Skye Bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh and also has two mainland ferry connections from Maillag and Glenelg (summer only).
The Cuillin of Skye is the island's best known feature and though their mountain peaks and places are really only for experienced climbers, many viewpoints and island locations where excellent panorama views can be enjoyed, are scattered all around. Skye also has fascinating landscapes around the Quiraing and the Storr of Trotternish as well as dramatic coastal features and gentler, greener, wooded areas.
As such, there was a need to take a guided cultural half-day tour so that we could see as much as possible and since our coach wasn't leaving Portree until 15:20, what better way to make use of our time!
We went with the “On the
Wing” company which offered minibus tours ( ₤26 for both of us ) and picked us up on the Portree Square at 10a.m.
We took the route around Trottenish which is a leafy lush ride through the granary of Skye and the hairpin bends winding up to Braigh Uige. We saw The Cuillin, the Clisham, Torridon and the Rona and Raasay all surrounded by sea, lochs, rivers and waterfalls. We also went to Skye's northerly point and visited the decayed fang of Duntulm Castle which we remembered 'cos in order to get there we had to navigate our way through loads and loads of sheep poo!
The sheep had taken over the hills!!
The Castle was a monument to the Picts, the Saints, the Vikings, the Jacobites, the landlords and the cleared Skye families in the late 19th and early 20th centuries which resulted in many of the islanders being forced off the island and emigrating to Canada, the US and New Zealand.
We again also saw the “Old Man of Storr” which is actually a Norse name for glaciers. Its pinnacle is 48 meters high or 160 feet. The “Old Man” also had Ice Age
plants and Viking treasure.
We admired and took photos of Kilt rock which landmark depicted the volcanic, dinosaur and Norse settler past of Skye. In fact, recent discoveries of the first dinosaur fossils in Scotland were found to be Jurassic!
We passed through the Lealt which provided paints, polishes and dynamite for export through the local tiny plants of diatomite which was native to the area.
As you can see, we couldn't get enough of the Isle of Skye and once the tour was over, we had only one opportunity to have fresh fish from the sea with chips of course at the local and only chippy. This shop was so popular that people queued right down the street and most times, the wait was at least 45 minutes but boy, was the wait worth it! Scores of people ( including ourselves ) could be seen sitting on rocks or the coastal steps surrounded by seagulls and noshing on the local delicacy for ₤5.40 a portion!
Soon it was time to go, our coach was on time and then the 8.5 hour journey to Glasgow set off.
We had bought our tickets two days earlier
and so got a fantastic deal of ₤23!!!
Bye for now.
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