Day 7 Skye

This is the day our group split and continued the journey in opposite directions around Scotland. Coach A continued north to Orkney while Coach B headed west to the Isle of Skye. Thus today's blog entry includes photos from Coach B's Day 7 and Coach A's Day 13 on Skye.

What's with all this sunshine?

Michael, our driver on Coach B commented as we drove down the A890 that he had never experienced a day quite so sunny and balmy as our drive through the Highlands to Skye on this stretch of road. It is much more common to see numerous gushing waterfalls on this route more often covered in clouds, rain, or snow.

Strome Viewpoint overlooks the sea loch, Lochcarron. For forty years Strome was the railway terminus for trains connecting to the Hebrides bound ships. It was not until the 1960's that a motor road was built around the Loch.

Lochcarron

In the 1970's and 80's, this loch was the site of a huge industry that built oil rigs for the North Sea oil drilling sites. Today oil rigs are built in Asia and no visible remnants of that industry remai here. It was such a fine vista, I snapped shots of the blissful travelers.

Daughter & father pair, Patrice H. and Julian H.

Dan K.

Jeanne C., Wallie W., and Maria L.

April 2011 was the warmest ever recorded in Scotland, since modern day record keeping. Here is a forest fire burning in the vicinity of the Five Sisters of Kintail

One used to have to sail to the Isle of Skye as did Bonnie Prince Charlie in fleeing from the government forces after the Battle of Culloden. In 1995, the bridge was built forever changing the island.

Skye Bridge with the Cuillin Mountains in the background

The weather was brilliant for both coaches on the days we each visited. Our driver/guides took us to some of their favorite spots on the island.

Cuillin Mountain View from Sligachan

Glen Brittle

Gordon M staying protected from the fierce Scottish sunshine.

Michael called for a driver break in Glen Brittle. We all complied and appeared quite like the sheep grazing in the field below us, content. 

We stayed in B&B's in Portree and had views like this from our windows.

Kilt Rock

Macarthur Clan burial site

Flora MacDonald's grave. She aided Bonnie Prince Charlie in his escape from mainland Scotland after the Jacobite's defeat at the Battle of Culloden.

Fairy Glen