Faerie Pools and a Ferry Ride

As we left the Isle of Skye today we decided we needed to hike to the Faerie pools.  As you can see, it was pretty and sunny as we approached the trail head.  But as has been the case for the entire trip, the clouds were not far away.

This is looking toward the pools from the top of the trail head.  The trail drops down to the river, then climbs up alongside the river to the pools.

 Some of the small falls along the lower river.

Rain starts to move in as we are about half way to the falls.  We are hoping it sprinkles and moves on.

If you look closely in the still pool in the foreground, you can see the rock ledge underwater on the right side.  If you follow that to the darker water on the left, there is an underwater arch (this is what makes the pool so calm compared to the white water on the other side).  The raindrops made it hard to get a good picture.

 People apparently swim here in the warmest months.  No one was looking to do that today!

It was not just a sprinkle.  It was a full out rain storm.  By the time we returned to the car, we were all soaked, including our jeans.  We passed other more prepared hikers and wished that we had better weather gear...but no regrets, it was a good hike.

 As we drove on to catch our Ferry off the island, we noticed this convertible in front of us.  We are thinking he is probably as wet as we are after our hike.

 20 minute Ferry ride to Mallaig.  An lunch in a nice cafe.  Got to try 'tablet' a sugary sweet that is popular.

Stalker castle on the way to Inveraray (Scott is pointing to it - larger pic below)

It is apparently "habitable", but so is a tent, so we don't know what that qualification means.  There is no connection to the mainland (and no windows that we can see in the frames).

We saw this bridge, and the train separately.  Both are on the way to Inveraray and were used as models for the Hogwarts express in Harry Potter. (This is from a post card).

Drive around the Trottersnish on Skye

We took a drive around the NE and NW parts of Skye today.  It was not far as the crow flies, but took us the whole day to accomplish between pictures stops and slow narrow roads.  The views were great though!  Our one disappointment was that the clouds were so low we didn't get to see the 'Old Man of Storr' - a pointy rock formation (all the island was volcanically formed).

The sheep were everywhere, including in front of our car.  Fortunately, even though they were right along the sides of the road they did not tend to jump out into the road (these were just moseying in front of us).  Apparently during the famine times in the 1800s, many left the island, and others were forcibly removed so that the land could be used for sheep instead of farming.

 Lealt Falls and gorge.

 Wildflowers were everywhere, though not quite as prolific with all of the sheep grazing across the land.

  I loved this sheep up against the cliffs - no problem.

 Waterfall coming off the cliff (Kilt Rocks in the background)

 Kilt Rocks.  The stripe was formed when molten rock pushed between the sedimentary layers of rocks on the cliff and volcanic activity pushed the rocks upward creating the jagged coast.

 Looking straight down from the cliffs into the very clear water (you can see my foot in the edge of the picture).  Not sure of the height, but guessing 200 ft.

 Classic image of Skye.  Mountains rising, clouds over them, white house sitting by itself with a few sheep around.  I think there would likely be an uprising if any neighbor painted there house any color other than white.

 Coast off Flodigarry (tide is out).  The tides seem to go up and down quite a ways here.

 Our B and B host told us to stop for dinner at the Flodigarry hotel.  We assumed that Flodigarry was a community of notable size (over 100 perhaps), but only our car GPS gave us any indication that we had arrived in "Flodigarry".  After driving very slowly along the winding road and figuring that we were in for backpack snacks for dinner, we stubbled on a sign for the Flodigary Hotel.  We took the turn off and several sharp switch backs and came to this lovely building with gourmet dinners.  What a treat!

 We continued our drive around the northern most part of the island.  Not in a big hurry after a delicious dinner, and not worried at all about finding our way home in the dark, because it doesn't really ever get dark here.  The pictures below were taken after 10 pm.  This Duntulm, an old fortified ruin.  We actually had to walk through a sheep field to reach it.

Driving on the Isle of Skye

Wow.  Talk about a new challenge to driving on the left side of the road.  Add to that driving on one lane roads with two directions of traffic, sheep in the middle of the road, steep cliff drop offs into the ocean, and rain!  The views were spectacular, but it took us an hour to drive 20 miles.  The road went from good two lane with some shoulder, to a narrow track just wide enough for one car.  There were "Passing Places" every 200 yds or so, alternately on one side of the road or the other.  Cars were pretty polite about pulling over when they saw others coming ahead.  We only had to back up once to make room for someone that we didn't see because of the sharp curve in the road.

Funny signs

In front of the loading zone.

How many different ways can you find a way to say "scoop your poop"?

I liked this one too...clothed lights are ok : )

Talisker Distillery

We visited a second distillery today.  This one was actually in production as we passed through (the Tomatin had not been producing when we were there).  This one also infused their barley with peat smoke (about 20 ppm instead of 5 like Tomatin).  This is apparently considered 'medium smoky'.

The mash tank was full and we could see the mash being slowly stirred.  The fermentation tanks were also in various stages of processing, some with just brown liquid in the bottom, others filled with fizzing liquid, and one with a big froth on the top and the CO2 vent pulling off the extra vapors.  (We were told at Tomatin that the amount of CO2 that was vented was less than half that used by the barley crops to grow, so the process apparently remaining carbon neutral or carbon negative - interesting that they felt the need to tell us this).

They also had the 5 distilling tanks working, with various levels of the alcohol evaporating out (at a lower temp than the water), and being separated in the 'spirit see' - a clear glass tank where the custom's agent once worked to make sure the distilleries paid their fair share of taxes on their product.

Dunvegan Castle

This castle is one of the castles that has been lived in by one family for the longest time in Scotland.  The McCleod (said Mc Cloud) family is still in residence.  The current owner is the 30th clan chief of Clan McCleod with the first chief dating back to 1200.  There has only been one female clan chief (Dame Flora).

The family has lived in the castle for over 350 years.  In the late 1800s the chief decided it was time to remodel and update the castle, so much of the bare rock walls were covered and wooden floors put down, etc.  Its very liveable today.  We weren't allowed to take pictures inside, but I got one of a hallway to give the flavor of the building.

Renovations continue in different parts of the castle.  I also snuck a picture of the stone walls with the drywall being fitted against it.  It must be pretty labor intensive and take a lot of workmanship.

Two of the four levels were open to the public.  The tour ladies said that it was quite expensive to keep up a historic castle.  They worked on renovating the entryway last winter and was started as a straightforward job became more costly when asbestos was discovered in the walls.  I'm sure that's the story of the whole castle.

The most enchanting part of the castle was the "fairy flag" that has been the most treasured possession of the family for centuries.  The Victoria and Albert museum dates the silk and embroidery fabric to 400-700 AD originating in Syria.  There are lots of legends about how it came to the family, but no one knows the truth.  It is believed that the flag has magic powers and those that carry it into battle will win. (There are what appear to be cut out chunks of the flag and one of the guides speculated that the family would take parts of the flag with them to battle).  Its now in a frame under glass, so it would be difficult to carry in to battle today : )

List of the 30 chiefs of the Clan McCloed. With the current Hugh as the 30th chief in residence.

There are still several servant hallways inside the walls.  This leads from the kitchens in the basement to the dining hall.

Front entry to the castle.  This was added later.  In earlier years the only entry was from the sea side door (seen in the picture below this).

You can see the original sea side entrance just above David's head in the wall below the main castle.

The gardens were amazing.  The water garden actually had two waterfalls and a stream flowing through it.  There was a "round garden" that was quite formal.  And a Walled garden with a green house.  The green houses (or glass houses as they are called) have all had lots of geraniums in them.  At Crathes castle, I found several scented varieties that were quite strong.  I spoke to a gardener and she said she was one of 4 full time gardeners, along with two part times.  I asked how she kept up with everything and she said "I just keep working one end to the next".

The water Garden

The circle garden

Lots of the greenhouses had geraniums.

The walled garden

Sea side view

Dunvegan B and B

Our host Agnes in Dunvegan was wonderful.  We crossed communications on our arrival, but she was forgiving and waited up for us.

 Very comfy rooms

 Yes, that is a peacock that apparently imprinted on her (she has several of them and raised this one from a chick)  It waits for breakfast at the side door every morning.

 More baby peacock chicks 

 The view from the sitting room windows was amazing.  The same hills changed every hour from clouds to sun and back again.