AN T-EILEAN SGITHANACH
(The Isle of Skye)(Page 2 of 4)
Following the A855 road NW through Glen Drynoch you can look back on the Red and Black Cuillins that now start to reach eye level on your horizon. Glamig dominates with its `red` volcano shape.
SLIGACHAN TO DUNVEGAN
Glen Drynoch: (A863) is green and fertile but with sparse population. While the Glen is quite empty of population, about a mile or so on you pass the sight of Crossal, where gypsies set up camp during cattle market time and they danced to their gypsy music all night long.
After rain there are occasional views of waterfalls up in the hills to the left (going north). About four miles on you come to the road junction at Glendrynoch Lodge. The country to the extreme west (Minginish) is well worth exploring, scenic wise.
Loch Harport: is a fine Loch, the road terminating at Port-nan- long, (Port-of-the-ships), once a key port on Skye. However the first road junction you come to after Drynoch and Merkadale (the first road on the left) takes you around the back of the Cuillins. The road climbs then drops heavily down to Glen Brittle. Here, are the grandest views of the Black Cuillins (Cuillin Dhubh).
Over the river (River Brittle) bridge and on past the hideous building of the YMCA Hostel. Just to the left of this a small waterfall comes down from the Cuillins and then flows below the road. The road terminates by the beach the best one on Skye, once used as the islands' airport. This is a nice place to stop the night, used mainly by hill climbers and walkers. There are usually a number of caravans parked here and there. Glen Brittle Forest makes a nice contrast to the usual bare mountain scene. Horses in the fields give this area a bit of an "Old West" feeling.
The green valley of Glen Brittle
The Cuillins at road end in Glen Brittle, by the bay
Back to Merkadale road junction and turn left towards Talisker for half a mile or so and the next road on the left takes you down Glen Eynort to the tiny hamlet and loch of the same name. There is a lovely steep drop to the village, which ends in a small plain with a number of houses and horses in the fields. Apart from that there is little of interest and its back to the main road junction and turn left again on down Glen Oraid to Talisker Bay.
The village of Glen Eyenort. Deadend Road
The usable road terminates at Talisker House (Gardens) and a private track terminates at a very disappointing beach. Most of what beaches there are on Skye have black sand. However the house is set in a pleasant area with a nice garden (prior notice) with a dominating mountain as a background. It is on this road and at Merkadale where you usually come across sheep shearing when in season.
Track road to Talisker House.
Talisker Bay with the Isle Of Barra in the background
Now back along Glen Oraid to just past the junction for Eynort and turn left avoiding Merkadale and on to the west end of Carbost village and along the shore of Loch Harport to. You will find this place interesting in that it is where the local Uisge Bheath (Water of Life) is made i.e. whisky. Uisge Bheath (Oosh-keh Beth) = Water + Life. (The 'th' is silent).
Fine views on the B884 at Colbost, with Loch Harport.
Opposite view towards Talisker and Glen Brittle
TALISKER: is the only distillery on Skye. It is open to the public. I can vouch that the whisky is a fine one. I am not a keen whisky drinker but this is one brew that goes down well. Talisker usually sells at 8 & 12 years old but is also used in the blending of other whiskies. Some claim that if all other industries on Skye failed, the profits from Talisker would keep the Island solvent.
There is a small pier. The road climbs up behind the distillery to Fernlea with nice views back over the loch and the distillery with the Cuillins in the distance.
Then on to Port Na Long, where there is a small community (farming). The houses are very well kept, usually colourfully painted in reds, whites, greens and blues. The small fields with the corn stooks are very atmospheric. The harbour is pleasantly set with the flat tops of Healaval Beag (1601') and Healaval Mor (1538') in the back ground. They are known locally as Macloud's Table as it is thought that the chief held picnics on top of them. Present day descendants hold an annual pilgrimage to the top of the mountain.
Colourful houses and farmsa round Port Na
Long.
The side road leading into Port Na Long
The Peir and Port Na Long Post Office & Grocer shop
At the harbour a small, corrugated building is used as post office and general shop. The region is also served with a mobile library and bank.
Talisker Distillery with Loch Harport and the Red Cuillins.
Loch Harport and the Black Cuillins
Talisker
Distillery. Open to the public.
McCloud's MaidensBack along the road for a 100 yards or so and turn north to Fiskavaig. It winds and twists with some pleasing scenes with one or two communities and a school. Stop at the end of the road by a farm and, climb over the field gate and walk up and over the hill there is a grand view across the Minch to the outer Isles and below Ben Idrigill. MacLoud's Maidens are also seen below.
The village of Fiskavaig at Road's end
Next to the Healavals you will see at the shore "Macloud's Maidens", three basalt rocks shaped like women in crinoline dresses, at Idrigill Point. It is said to be the wife and children of a local Dignitary who all died during a sea crossing. An intriguing myth, I dare say, but it makes a nice moments stay.
From this advantage point you can watch MacBraynes ferry, sitting on the horizon, as it sails between North Uist and Uig, on Skye.
Inland there are numerous small islands dotted along Loch Bracadale, the biggest, WIAY, and the scene stretches toward Dunvegan. You must now continue back to Merkadale to get northwards again on the A863.
Loch Dunvegan and Wiay Island, leading into Loch Bracadale
The scene from Cnoc a Chapuill (Chapel Hill) overlooks Talisker Distillery looking across Loch Harport, toward the Cuillins, is very nice. From the left turn at the main junction the road climbs and curves sharply with nice views looking down on where you have been at Carbost etc.
After a few miles you reach the summit and turn inlandwards and look down on Loch Bracadale (The Heathery Dale) and drop towards the causeway across the Loch. Before the causeway the single- track road carried on around the end of the Loch adding two or three miles to the journey.
Loch Bracadale and the new 'Ford', near Struan.
View overlooking Loch Bracadle, near Struan
This is a nice spot on a late summer evening. After crossing the loch and just before the church on the right, a secondary, picturesque single track road (B885) runs 9 miles up and over the hills to Portree (makes a pleasant diversion at another time). The main road now climbs to Struan (post office). There is a nice view looking backward down to the causeway and a nice cliff face on the south of Loch Bracadale that changes with the light.
About of a mile beyond Struan (on the right) is the ruin of a Broch (small fort). These were medievil fortifications. A whole Clan would shelter in one during a raid by another Clan. You will find them throughout Scotland. There are two fine examples at Glen Elg (more, later) but the most complete versions are in Orkney.
Just by the Dun a secondary road runs around Ullinish to the coastline and another ruined fort, overlooking where you were at Fiskavaig. Worth a visit before returning back to the main road at Colbost Point which then brings you quickly to Dunvegan.
However before that, about a mile beyond Roskhill a road junction at Lonmore will take you on to the B884 and the interesting area to Milovaig. The road wanders past sparse ground until Skinidin and Colbost where you get the best views of the two Ben Healaval.
By the roadside is the Three Chimneys folk museum and restaurant. The museum is an old Tigh-Dubh (Black House) with ancient implements and an illegal still, replica. Good food can be had in the restaurant. Nice home made soup. The road overlooks Loch Dunvegan and just after the museum as the road climbs above the folk musium you will see Dunvegan Castle in the distance with views over Loch Dunvegan.
The 3 Chimneys Hotel. Overlooking Loch
Bracadale
The Blackhouse Folk Museum at 3 Chimneys
3 Chimneys Restaurant Entrance
At Totaig a 'C' road goes on to a dead end at Boreraig and Galtrigil near Dunvegan Head. From the junction to Milovaig the gradients are heavy here and there to Glendale. At Ferniquarrie another 'C' road goes over the peninsula to Boreraig. And just beyond, the road turns off to the left to Glendale.
Dunvegan Castle seen over Loch Dunvegan from the
Milovaig road. The climb towards Glendale
Glendale: is well placed in Skye history. It is, known historically for the stance made by the Crofters, led by a John MacPherson, against the authorities, over land deals. They won a Royal Commission and got the Crofters Act passed. A granite cairn stands by the roadside (on the way to the summit of the road), to their memory. From the road summit there is a fine view over Glen Dale, where the smell of burning peat fills the air from the crofts.
View overlooking Glendale.
Dedication stone to
the Glendale Myrters
Just beyond Ferniquarrie a road cuts off to the right to where the river Hamra goes into Loch Pooltiel. Here, is the 200 year old Water Mill with it's working water wheel. Open to the public. The second time I visited the mill there was a small group of tourists by the door and they were chatting among themselves, A hand-written notice on a bench, just inside the door read "Gone to the dentist in Inverness, please place your money into the dish and look around". One couple, from Yorkshire couldn't believe the trust. There was quite a bit of cash in the dish.
200 year old Water Mill at Vatternish
When the guide is available he demonstrates how the mill works and operates the water wheel. Return back to the road junction and turn left going northwest to Milovaig. There is little to see. There is a rather forlorn looking wooden pier seen far below in Loch Poolteil.
Carry on to Eist to visit the lonely lighthouse with grand cliff views over Moonen Bay and the outer isles from North Uist down to the Isle of Barra. At Eist there is a car park and a long cliff walk to the brightly painted lighthouse. There is a grand view of both the lighthouse and the high cliff faces.
View over Moonan Bay and unused peir.
View
from car park for Neist Lighthouse
View from the car park, looking down on the clifftop walk
to the Lighthouse, with the Isle Of Barra in the background
In 1996 the lighthouse lost its staff and is now an automatic lighthouse, run by computer.
The Ramasaig road is rather empty and bare with about two or three dwellings but was once a very populated part of Skye (Highland Clearances). I travelled this lonely single track road one Sunday morning, on motorbike, and after some miles and feeling there was no life about except myself and some sheep, I suddenly passed an old woman, completely dressed in black, carrying a bible. I nodded recognition, but she remained stony faced and continued on her way as if I didn't exist. It was misty with cloud level about 800ft, and we were approx. 700ft above sea level, and not a building in sight.
As I had passed a church back at the road junction she was about two miles back, and there was no dwellings for another mile or so behind her. Her faith was obviously strong enough for her to carry out this long strenuous hike, which she probably did every Sunday. I got the feeling that her rebuke was due to me enjoying a tour instead of attending church.
Ramasaig was even less populated than I expected and apart from about three houses all I saw was two large-horned Rams, before setting back towards Dunvegan again.
Empty area of Ramasaig, except for the Rams
On the way back to Dunvegan the only other item of interest is at Boreraig where are the ruins of the original piping school of the McKinnons. A yearly pilgrimage is made from Dunvegan Castle across the Loch.
Ruins of McKinnon Piping School
McLoud's Tables, from the Uig-Dunvegan Road
McLoud's Tables from near Dunvegan
Dunvegan: The village is quite small with little interest but a nice hotel (Misty Isle), and petrol station. The Castle lies in a wooded area just a mile or so beyond the village. It is pleasant with nice turrets and main entrance, but rather modern looking but well worth a visit with a stroll around the wooded grounds and well-groomed gardens which has a lovely little waterfall. There is a car park.
A side road, just before the car park will take you to the Loch edge with a nice view of the rear of the Castle with its turrets and cannon. There is also a small house and landing, near the granite out buildings, which apply out to the small islands on Loch Dunvegan to see the many Seals, which bask there. This is well worth the trouble and time, and likewise, when at their hight, it is only by getting on the water that you rid yourself of the menacing midges. The ferryman will welcome you for that fact alone, as he will be pleased to get out on the water and away from the midges.
Peat Cutting by Roadside, near Dunvegan
The small Dunvegan pier at the village can be busy with fishermen landing Crabs, Lobster and Prawns.
Tourist boat on Loch Dunvegan.
Dunvegan Loch by the Castle& Ferry
The battlements were never used in earnest
The castle is a popular tourist attraction
Dunvegan Castle Gardens and the waterfall
Dunvegan Loch and the ferry house, with MacLoud's
Tables in the background. Old Kirkyard
outside Dunvegan
Local fishermen arriving at Dunvegan Peir with their catch
