Becoming Nomads

Wednesday, May 22, 2019

Scotland - Isle of Skye

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We boarded the afternoon ferry in Tarbet and were in Skye and the village of Uig by 6PM. It was an hour drive halfway around the island to the village of Digg where we would stay for three nights in another quaint and updated farmhouse. On a sheep croft (ranch) with great sheep dogs to watch, we enjoyed three nights on the island.

We spent a full day exploring the the landscape and natural wonders of the Island. Kilt Rock, the Old Man of Storr, and the Stone Village.

Dino footprints

Kilt Rock

Lealt Falls

Hiking to the top of Man of Storr

It was a 2500 vertical ascent. All three of us...Carol too...made it to the 2000 mark and then the clouds started coming in and we called it.

The Man of Storr is a large pinnacle monolith. Quite impressive.

Stone Village - Quite Authentic.

Our next day included a drive tyo the south of the island and a visit to Dunvegan Castle, home to the MacLeoud Clan and location and basis for the movie and TV series, the Highlander. It was a great castle and truly lovely gardens and filled the day.

We checked out and headed to Portree and then across the Skye Bridge and on to the mainland. The five hour drive to Oban skirted several of the famous "lochs" including Lock Ness. We stopped halfway for a picnic at a great viewpoint overlooking the coast and pine forests. We arrived in Oban mid-afternoon and checked into our hotel for the night. That evening we ventured out for a restaurant meal...one of the very few we've had along the way.

Scotland - Outer Hebrides - Isles of Lewis and Harris

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It was a pleasant ferry 90-minute ferry ride from Ullapool to Stornoway on the Isle of Lewis. There we sought out a supermarket and restocked for our three day visit. Our apartment was in the heart of town, walking distance to just about every corner and we enjoyed a quiet afternoon in a really lovely space. Our apartment, as usual, was a renovated older unit with updated kitchen, bath, floors, etc.

We devoted our first day out to exploring the castle and local museum. The museum was small and well-done. The castle had been updated with modern styling and was being used for daily social and government functions. We wandered the grounds for a bit and the girls went for a long walk in town. Later that evening we took in a movie at the local cinema, a current release and story about the disappearance of three men in 1899 at a lighthouse on the island...so appropriate.

Our next day was spend exploring the north Island. We visited a WWI memorial, another stone circle, and a really great ancient Broch, a round house, about 1,000 years old. From there we drove the coastline to the tip of the island and then back around. It took us all day to circle the island and about six hours to over roughly 40 driving miles on single track, narrow roads.

On our last day we checked out later in the morning and headed south to the Isle of Harris and the town of Tarbert where we would catch the afternoon ferry to the Isle of Skye. On the south island we visited a Harris Tweed shop with a nice exhibit on the craft and then wandered the VERY narrow coastal "Golden Road" for a few hours admiring the views.

We caught the afterrnoon ferry for our transfer to the Isle of Skye.