Monday, September 12, 2016

Friday 9th September - Skye

After a horrendous night of wind and rain the day dawned the same !!  
Not to worry, we decided we would head over the hills into Portree, the biggest by far town on the Isle of Skye.  We needed dosh, found the Bank of Scotland and filled our wallets with the English Pound notes.
Then to the Information Centre, such helpful folk - map in hand we set off to travel the northern circuit anti-clockwise.  A wee bit of retail therapy at the info centre....an authentic Harris Tweed hat (hope I still like it when I get home!!)
A quick look around the town of Portree and its harbour and attractive bay.  The weather was perking up by this time. We were two happy campers.

The Stor was looking magnificent and moody with cloud lingering on the tops, stopped at The Kilt (rocks), a waterfall thundering into the ocean, some gorgeous landscapes along the way and the Quaiang Mountains.  Many little villages, some very small, others a little larger.  Did we stop for lunch, honestly I can't recall, but suspect we did.

Back to Dunvegan and the magnificent castle was the next port of call.  The weather had slowly been deteriorating and as we paid our pounds it started bucketing down.  Bugger!!  That meant viewing the magnificent gardens was out of the question.  We enjoyed the inside, home of the McLeod Clan.  The paintings of the McLeods and others were incredible - some taking from ceiling to floor.  Even a visit to the dungeons.  Well worth the visit.

Still pouring down, we went for a pootle to the lighthouse, some miles away.  Narrow and often one way (with passing bays) road, each side boggy and water laden.  Had to be careful as we noticed a car had made a miscalculation and tipped over into the bog. Oh dear.
The gale force winds were terrifying when we arrived at the lighthouse area, so sensibly we didn't walk out to the point.  The seas were fiercely raging.....we didn't linger.

Back to our room for some takeaway bits and pieces for our tea.

Portree Harbour

Portree Harbour - weather clearing

Pretty Portree

The Stor

Typical country with the imposing hills beyond.

Many waterfalls, lots of water from the overnight rain.

Loved these cliffs, taken where the waterfall spewed into the ocean (behind me)



There is a head under there, see a ear peeking out

Dunvegan Castle - never saw the beautiful gardens unfortunately

The Skye sheep seem to have right of way on the roads, these two sheltering from the gales and rain as we went out to the lighthouse.

A different breed, 

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