Some pics from 12 days in Scotland

[CameronCat]

Hi, and thanks for the kind comments. Here's the next installment.

We set out for the loop around Skye. Well above Broadford and on the way to Portree, the road runs around the base of Loch Sligachan.



Above Portree, we came to Kilt Rock (background) and the waterfall that has a name I've forgotten. The small burn feeding the falls is unremarkable, but becomes a spectacular gusher into the sea after a rainstorm.





Somewhere north of there, the road becomes single track with passing places AND the well publicized Scottish traffic hazards. This was only one of many occurrences on our trip.



Those that followed the IndyRef will recall that the YES movement adopted a small Saltire as their emblem. This supporter posted a flag on every fence post for more than a half mile. It made an interesting visual show as we drove by.



We stopped at the Skye Museum of Island Life, a preserved crofting community from long ago. According to the guide signs, the community was occupied until 1957. Second pic is a view from their car park, looking toward the Western Isles -- possibly Scalpay or Harris -- just visible in the distance.





Almost adjacent to the museum is the small cemetery with the monument to Flora McDonald.





Then it was down some great roads to Uig, which we still don't know how to pronounce. (Egg? OO-ig? Yug? Yigg?) Beautiful place, though.



From there, we took a side trip to the Talisker Distillery in Carbost which filled out a long day. They don't allow photos so not much to show from that side trip. On the way back to Kyleakin we grabbed this shot which sort'a defined the Skye experience for me.



That's it for now; more later. Enjoy.

[mookien]

On the road again! Great pictures, nice panoramas, very bright and inviting. Thanks for posting them. I think (but don't know) that your 2nd pronunciation is correct.

[Stitchwiz]

I read somewhere that the colours used in the tartans often reflect colours of the landscape and the water. Seeing these photos helps understand the great variations in the colours of tartans.
Beautiful!
Thank you for sharing with us.

[CameronCat]

Hi again
If you're still following our Highland Haggis Hunt, here's some more pics. For our 2nd day on Skye, we opted to drive south to Elgol and take a boat ride to the nearby islands of Rum, Eigg, Canna. (They're the ones visible from Mallaig if you've been there.)

The road to Elgol -- single track again -- is fraught with the usual hazards



It was Referendum Day. If you didn't vote by mail (!), residents of Torrin popped in here.



The hills come right to the water and the little village of Elgol sits at the foot. The descent into town really is as steep as it looks and it scared Mrs. Cat quite a bit. Prudence and 1st gear are your friends. Oh, and there's cattle everywhere in the town as well, plus tourists, kids, cats and dogs, etc. You'll be wide awake by the time you reach the car park.



We went out in a "rigid inflatable" with open seating (you get to don full waterproof suits) and twin outboards. It was quite a ride and took about 4 hours. The porpoises (not dolphins) were playing, and a couple stinging jellyfish floated by as well. The tourguide said the jellies were non-poisonous but could still "spoil your afternoon" with their sting. The trailing tentacles can be several yards long.





These blokes passed over followed by a second pair. On Skye, it's not uncommon to see aircraft doing low-level training through the valleys and over the water. These are Tornados, I think.



On the way back to the harbo(u)r, this guy popped up to see what the commotion was all about. You may need to zoom in to see him clearly.



So ended two days on Skye. More later.

[CameronCat]

Hi again,
Moving on from Skye, we aimed for the top of the country. It was a long drive from Kyleakin to Thurso, but totally enjoyable. We went via Ullapool just to sample another fishing and ferry port town and are glad we did. We met some delightful folks when we stopped for morning tea. The Scots' gift of camaraderie and hospitality is unparalleled in my experience -- ya' just won't meet nicer people.
From there we went inland and then straight north from Lairg to Tongue, then east along the north coast to Thurso. We passed this "wee hoose" in the country, miles from anywhere.



This is the main route from Lairg to Tongue. Distance is about 40 miles or so. National speed limit is 60.
Go.
Did we mention sheep?



Although we stayed in Thurso (a very cool town ... great restaurants and a laid-back vibe) we drove to John O Groats and took the passenger ferry to Orkney for an all-day bus tour.



The bus tour hits almost all the visitor sites in Orkney, plus stops in Stromness and Kirkwall. It's well worth the cost if you go. We were there a few days after the IndyRef and a chance conversation turned up an interesting outlook. One gentleman told me that "Most around here voted "no", but if we were to break away, we'd want to go back with Norway." The Norwegian influence is strong on Orkney and we saw several Norwegian flags flying at farms and houses.
The Orkney flag is based on the Norwegian.

We found this inadvertent political comment on a shop door in Stromness.



You can find more and better pictures of the neolithic sites than anything I can post here, but being in the presence of a civilization from >5000 yrs ago is humbling. Remembering that these folks had functional understandings of engineering, mathematics, government, celestial movement, seafaring and other bodies of knowledge slows your steps. The more you think on it, the more mind boggling it becomes. We visited Skara Brae and the Ring of Brodgar plus several other sites.









The last stop on the tour was the Italian Chapel; again, you can find way better pics elsewhere. It was built by and for the Italian prisoners of war in WW II who built the "Churchill Barriers" across the entrances to Scapa Flow. Look closely at the picture--the walls and ceiling appear to be tile. But it's actually painted "wallboard" lining the inside of a quonset hut.
The paintwork is so accurate as to defy even close up inspection, and the light/shadow rendering is dead perfect. You almost have to feel the smooth surface to realize it's a "faux finish". The artistry is amazing.



It was a bit choppy on the return trip but the views were sensational. I believe that's the Dunnet Head Light in the distance.





Stay tuned; more later.

[McClef]

Taking the Lairg to Tongue road you would have passed through Altnaharra which is famous for cold winter temperatures and depth of snow!

It's a fun drive even in summer!

[Dughlas mor]

I`m really enjoying your photos. The POW Quonset hut is amazing. I always thought that the little house at Skara brae would be a very cozy place to sit out a North Atlantic storm.

[Calgacus]

Great photos CC, and a great commentary as well. You clearly had a very enjoyable trip and you timed it well, as the weather has just turned decidedly autumnal in the past few days.

[CameronCat]

Hi
Thanks for all the comments. McClef, yes, I remember the town name Altnaharra as we whistled on through. Didn't know it was noted for extremes though. And yes, it was a fun road to drive. I learned to like the single tracks quite a bit and the scenery is spectacular.
Dougie Mor, you're right...the little chapel is pretty spectacular. It sits all by itself out in the midst of a field. We were told that the painted art behind the altar was copied and enlarged from a small "religious" card that a POW had in his wallet -- that's all they had for artistic guidance.
Calgacus, thanks! We had a great time and don't think we could have done it much better. The weather was at least decent, although frequently a bit grey or misty. This trip brought my total time in Scotland to almost a month across three visits and I don't think I've had four rainy days in the lot.

Sorry for the delay; pictures later -- very busy day today. More later.

[Mike_Oettle]

Great pictures, Cameron (or is it Cat?).
Keep them coming. I just love that scenery.
Regards,
Mike