A Week Kilted on Skye

[Salvianus]

We were indeed lucky with the atypical weather, and completely midge free, although for our first holiday in four years, I reckon we were due I was glad we got a heavy mist sweeping in as we left the Isle just so my girl wouldn't get completely the wrong impression

I think Staffin's a lovely place, Riverkilt, with so many croft houses and I like the church particularly. You look out from the Columba 1400 centre cafe there up the sweep of the landscape to the Trotternish Ridge. I hope I'll be able to go back to have a look at the iron age dwellings some time.

Thanks, acaig, there was a time when I cared only for practicality in dress, but I'm a lot more self-concscious now, especially in my relatively new kilted kit


Kilmaluag Bay, near the Aird at the northern point.
I'd have preferred to be cycling rather than imposing another car on the small roads of Skye, had fitness been less of an issue. You feel the place much more when you are cycle-camping.



Duntulm Castle, sadly now fenced off due to the continuing crumbling of the site. It is a pity that the ancient stronghold contested so bloodily between the MacLeods and MacDonalds, visited and admired by James V, scene of a Jacobite ball on the eve of the '15, should be abandoned and quarried for stone for the MacDonald house of Monkstadt and quite astonishing that the ruination of it has only accelerated unchecked in recent years, the carving of a MacDonald galley only falling in 1990.

The monument commemorates the MacArthurs, hereditary pipers to the MacDonalds. Nearby, the Museum of Island Life has a touching collection of artefacts, although the main display on weaving is of the tradition of overshot coverlet weaving and some tweeds, rather than tartans specifically. I did spot a plaid in one croft, but real life in the Isles seems far from the Victorian imagination.



Peinchorran, the end of the road and four miles to go to Sligachan by foot.



Dunvegan, seat of the MacLeods for seven centuries, home to the legendary Fairy Flag and the remarkable Dame Flora MacLeod, 28th Chief, who did so much for the clan societies.
The gardens below seem a great achievement, blended into the location, yet diverting and diverse. Access is very practical with cafe and an extra shop at the car park, all day tickets so you can wander a bit etc. It's not on the same scale as typical National Trust houses in England, but far more stirring.


]
The historic core of the castle is somewhat subsumed beneath the "romantic restoration" of Robert Brown for the 25th Chief between 1840 and 1850. Not to my taste, but the place was barely habitable and without the biscuit tin makeover I doubt it would have survived as well as it has. I have to say I'm relieved that the plan to sell the Black Cuillin to pay for the repairs fell through. The 30th chief got a new roof on last year and the horrible boarded up windows are scheduled to be sorted in July with the help of Historic Scotland.

The castle still has some atmosphere and has a wealth of portraits and artefacts of interest, among the most on-topic of which is the 'swagger portrait' of 'The Wicked Man', now rebranded 'The Red Man': Norman the Jacobite 22nd chief, truly dazzling face to face. While the late 19thC and 20thC chiefs sport the Green MacLeod, Norman wears a shoulder plaid of what I understand has been identified on the forum as Murray of Tullibardine, with trews and coat in check. The very nice local guide described this as tweed, which foxed me. She'd never seen a contemporary kilt, let alone one in denim, which foxed her.

The 24th chief is depicted in the entrance hall with a panoply of weapons worn for the visit of George IV which are on display in the North Room and wears the green MacLeod, but holds a box resembling yellow MacLeod. Another guide was non the wiser, but the Scottish Register of Tartans suggests it is a snuffbox very similar to the version of the yellow MacLeod in the Vestiarium Scoticum.

I delighted in the modest collection of weapons and military memorabilia, particularly as most were 19th British regimental rather than the expected walls full of claymores crossed behind targes but I don't know if they would be of interest to most.



Macleod's Tables, Healabhal Bheag and Healabhal Mor. Ah, I'm sure you all know the story recorded by the Rev. Canon R. C. Macleod in 1927...

[Santa Wally]

Thanks for posting the pictures, they are the first I've seen of the Isle of Skye. Now I see the colors used for the Isle of Skye tartan.

[Spartan Tartan]

Wonderful pictures. Thanks for sharing your trip with us.

[piperdbh]

That's my all-time favorite road sign.

[Woot22]

I am so jealous right now, would give anything to be there right this second. Thanks for posting this amazing pictures and reminding me why I have save some more pennies and take another trip back to Scotland, sooner rather than later.

[unaspenser]

What beautiful photos! I'm partial to the one of the sheep, and the exclamation point sign really does say it all.

[Mike_Oettle]

Great pictures, Salvianus. It seems to have been a wonderful celebration of 20 years together. Sorry to learn about your health problems (your own and hers).
Glad you were able to teach the locals something of their own heritage!
Regards,
Mike

[Salvianus]

Thanks folks. This is the last set I've planned to post out of the 1000 plus that we took, but if people have any particular interest, for example in a specific place, I'd be only too happy to sort out some more.

]
The Storr, with the Old Man. And the tall rock as well, obviously.
There is a car park very close below the Storr, for a quick visit, but I remember its a lot more satisfying if you're up to a decent approach hike, otherwise it's all icing, without the cake. The car park is very small and was the only full one we encountered in our trip, popular spot.



Ord, in Sleat, looking at the Cuillin across on the other peninsular.



Dun Sgathaich, legendary home of Sgathaich/Scathach and her school of arms, part of the great story of the Ulster hero Cú Chulainn. You can get up to the ruined stone bridge but crossing it is not recommended.



Armadale 'Castle', aGeorgian 'sculptured ruin' designed by James Gillespie Graham in 1815 for the Clan Donald attached to the 1925 mansion.

The Clan Donald centre in the grounds is sure to be of interest. The Norse period and the history of Somerled and the Lords of the Isles is highlighted, there are a few interesting portraits, including one of the 13th chieftain of Glengarry, Alasdair Ruadh MacDonell, who was in the French army and in France during the '45 but arrested afterwards, wearing a great plaid, but attended by a servant in what looks more like a kilt. The label said this was a significant early portrayal of a kilt, but it didn't give the date and I wouldn't have said it was definitive myself, as you can't see the back and the detail, for example of the tartan, isn't great. His coat is proud of the waist like his master's but there are no forward folds displayed under the waistcoat as on the chieftain.

They have a Gaelic ode by Mac Mhaighstir Alasdair 'Am Breacan Uallach' (The proud plaid) on the wall and four 18thC basket hilts and several 19thC regimental pieces. I don't recall any tartan on display except painted up round the cafe.



Waterfall running from Coire nan Laogh down to Loch Ainort that's comparitively accessible.




By special request, me & my girl, taken by a nice Texan lady by Loch Ainort.



Glen Brittle, viewing the Black Cuillin.




Famous Eilean Donan, as rebuilt in the early 20thC, although largely following the floor plan of the late 16th-17thC and some of the 15th-16thC phase. The site of much blood spilled by Norwegians, MacKenzies, the Earls of Ross, MacRaes, MacAuleys and MacDonalds. Gordon, Earl of Huntly seized it for James IV 'for the daunting of the isles', The Scottish Parliament took it for the same reason after the execution of Charles I.

Many castles held against canon in the Civil Wars, but by 1719 naval bombardment from just two ships (one of them the Enterprise, a fifth-rate 40-gun ship, not even of the line) defeating the Spanish garrison, part of the northern diversionary force sent by Giulio Alberoni while the main Spanish invasion fleet readied to take London and install James Stuart "The Old Pretender" on the throne. The castle was slighted to ruins with just a fraction of the Spanish powder magazine and the remainder of the force fought bravely and surrendered with honour at the battle of Glen Shiel. The minor peak of Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe, was named Sgurr nan Spainteach (Peak of the Spaniards) for them.


I did the whole week kilted, not easy as I'm allergic to my wool kilt and while an evening is fine, all day every other day was surprisingly unpleasant. My denim kilt was wonderful to wear: very practical in hot weather and high winds, handy pockets for walking gear, very forgiving of long car journeys, perching on rocks and my shooting stick, picnics etc, but it does raise a few eyebrows, cos it looks more like a skirt. I'm now the proud owner of a Poly Viscose 8-yard Black Watch, which just needs some fitting.

I finally glimpsed one other kilty man on the last night on Skye as he dashed off into some do in a restaurant wearing a Prince Charlie outfit. I saw three kilty men in the mainland Highlands; two kilt sellers and a coach tour guide and another bloke trying one one in a Fort William shop.

The Aros centre, Portree is a convenient tourist stop without great charm, but boasts hire of a full kilt & Prince Charlie outfit for £40, if you are travelling light, but find an occasion for it. I should repeat that the 'Well Plaid' bar, one of the several faces of the Royal Hotel on the sea front at Portree isn't an odd theme pub, but had a patch of tartan painted on the wall outside and a bit of carpet. It's laid out as a cafe at the moment, selling no nonsense fuel for the hills. I believe the name is a pun on the live music.

Generally I got no more than glance level reactions, a few smiles which were probably kilt inspired and as I say a few surprised or confused. Apart from the Dunvegan Castle guide mentioned above, one chap did ask me what tartan I was wearing in a cafe as he didn't recognise it and I realised later I might have chatted to him a bit more about his interest if I hadn't been concentrating on paying the bill (and little realising it would be the only such conversation I would have this trip - I normally get asked whenever I wear it). The only abuse I got was of the usual sort from some blokes in the street in Fort William on Saturday afternoon, which prompted me to change into jeans before I hit Glasgow!

I had a look at the Kelvingrove Art Gallery & Museum, with the Lord George Murray and the McNab portraits very much larger than life, 18thC tartan coats etc. in an exhibit about 'Scottish Identity'. Swords may be " presented as both a work of art and an instrument of death" in several of the galleries but the labelling is truly abysmal. Whoever did the ancient gallery knew what they were doing, precise and thorough, with a scatter of finds across the whole pre-medieval period despite being misleadingly called 'Scotland’s First People'. The different collections have baffling names and are very poorly signposted. I suppose that's the art gallery approach, despite having important historic artefacts, which are scattered all over the place according to some modern 'themes'.




Glengarry. She loves the Highlands, job done.

[Jock Scot]

Great pictures thank you so much. I am glad to see that the scaffolding is now off Dunvegan Castle.

I am sorry that your kilted reception was not good at Fort William and whilst I can make no excuses, I suspect that the unsatisfactory comments were from those that were visitors from further south. I am afraid that I have witnessed it a few times just recently and each time it has been the non tartan modern style kilt that has set off the appalling behaviour.

[Salvianus]

Oh I get worse in York I can assure you, especially with the denim.

I thought non-clan tartan would be the surest way to avoid offending anyone, but experience has definitely recommended the more common neutrality of Black Watch. I'm saving up for my name associated clan tartan, but it's uncommon so I believe I'll have to put up with wool, which wouldn't get out much, thus a slim return.