We had another wonderful breakfast and climbed aboard the bus. It was foggy and wet but Barney assured us that it might or might not clear up.
Our first stop was Neist Point. This is the most westerly point on the Isle of Skye and it reportedly has views of magnificent cliffs but today we walked down a lot of stairs and ramps and saw, well, not much of anything. It was too foggy. We didn't go all the way to the lighthouse as there would be no visibilit
We then visited a "black house". This is a replica of what my great great great grandparents likely would have lived in. There was a peat fire smoldering inside and now my coat smells like either peat smoke or a very good whiskey.
Next we passed through the town where Giant McCaskill was born. We saw the town on Cape Breton Island where he died.
Our next stop was Dun Beag. This is a well preserved ruins of a prehistoric building. In this case built by the original native people the Picts. The whole area is somewhat like our tundra and very wet. The question is why here?
Next stop was at Glen Conon (Fairy Glen). The hills were believed to be fairy homes and the bluff a fairy castle (Castle Ewen) It certainly had an other worldness about it. The ridges on the sides of the hills are from centuries of sheep traversing them.
Sheep and highland coos are a constant obstacle on the single lane roads.
Lunch was at Dunvegan castle but it is a castle that has been constantly updated and there is a £7 charge just to get to where you can see it so we had a quiet lunch and passed on the castle.
The first sight in the afternoon was the Quiraing (same name as the B&B we are in). This is a very impressive rock face. the bus driver drove up a single lane road to the top of a neighbouring mountain where we had some of the most incredible views that we have ever seen.
Next stop was Kilt Rock. So named because the rock face looks like the pleats of a kilt.
We were very lucky because shortly after these vistas the weather closed in again and visibility was again reduced to almost nil. We could see the bank of mist and rain rolling towards us.
Supper in Portree was a simple meal in a reataurant on the harbour. Very good fish skink (chowder), mussels, salmon and sole.
After supper we headed back to our room at the Quiriang Guest House where I opened my tiny bottle of Talisker 10 year old whiskey. It is flavoured with peat smoke and reminds me of the black house. It is also considered one of the ten best whiskies to buy and I now know why.
Slainte!
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Location:Portree, Isle of Skye
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