We decided the following day to make the trip to Isle of Skye. We woke up early and made one of the most beautiful drives on the A87 from Invergarry to our first stop at Eilean Donan Castle. This is one of the most photographed castles in Scotland, sitting on a jutting piece of land at the confluence of three lochs. It’s very well done on the inside, having been reconstructed in the early Twentieth century, and photo opportunities exist every step of the way when strolling the grounds.
Traveling over the bridge to Skye was quite harrowing, as high winds buffeted the car as we crossed. Skye has the best of the Scottish landscapes bottled up on one island. Formidable peaks, cascading falls, craggy shoreline, lush fields and winding roads mean non-stop visual stimulation driving from point-to-point. The first stop was Portree for lunch and climbing the hill to view the oft photographed harbor. Another stop for ice cream, and we began the loop of sights on the northwest of the island. The Old Man of Storr, a freestanding rock formation cleaved from the surrounding cliffs, presented a difficult decision. Approaching the site, the clouds briefly opened up briefly enough to view the rock jutting into the sky. It immediately closed up, and we made the decision to not make the hike up due to the clouds and the blustery wind joining them.
The next stop was Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls. The distant cliffs have a striped pattern and striations that make it resemble a…kilt. The wind blowing in from the sea sprayed the falls water over us as we tried to outdo each other to see who could lean out the farthest to get the best picture. A rail is there to prevent people from falling, but the suspending of a phone over a 55 meter drop to the rocks below tests the mettle of kids who depend on their parents to replace any lost phone. We persevered as long as we could, but the stiff wind combined with the spray drove us back to the car.
We then stopped and went for a walk on An Corran Beach. The wind was still stiff, but the open beach prevented the funneling effect the lookout point at Mealt Falls had. We still hooded up and stuffed hands in pockets, but a dog going for a walk with its owner kept the kids occupied for a bit while Greene and I walked around drinking in the view. Macy and Cade went sheep chasing as we left the beach to return to the car. They were unsuccessful. It’s very common to encounter sheep claiming the narrow roads, with little to do but follow along until they find a suitable exit.
The drive up to the Quiraing is like driving to another planet. The road rises up, cutting back and forth until the plateaued moor above is reached. From the top, it looks like the earth rises briefly before dropping off into oblivion. The desolate drive across the uninhabited center of the isle carries you across landscapes unique to this spot of earth. Approaching Idrigil, the road switches back down from the plateau while providing expansive views over the harbor. A short stop and hike at Uig to the Fairy Glen provided some magical landscapes, somewhat muddled by the crowds gathered on every fairy mountain. It’s still worth a short visit, but I would advise going early or late to avoid the crowds and increase the mysticism.
Approaching four o’clock and facing a few hours drive back to Whitebridge, we decided to skip the Fairy Pools and drive straight back. We made a short stop at a parking area where others had built many short cairns.
From Tennessee To Texas to Saudi Arabia 