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Wow! TPAYT, that is amazing! We have the same hairstyle and color, the same shape face, and same build! Could be long lost relatives! My husband loves the Canadian Rockies. I haven't been yet but hopefully some day. Did you recently go to South Africa? I think I remember reading your TR.
Progol, sorry to hear you had so much rain when you last visited Scotland. I am a sucker for bagpipes and castles, too! Now my husband is positive for Covid. Couldn't be helped I guess. So far my family in Texas is negative. |
Sorry for triggering a Branston ballyhoo. For the record, it's not THAT bad, although I personally much prefer simpler types of chutney on my chutney and cheese sandwiches - mango or Major Grey's in my case.
EDITED TO ADD... Wow, KarenWoo and TPAYT - looks like you two should do a 23-and-me showdown pronto. |
Gardyloo, no need to apologize for the Branston ballyhoo. I enjoyed reading about Brantson pickles. I hope I don't sound ignorant but are the chutney and cheese sandwiches hot or cold?
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Originally Posted by KarenWoo
(Post 17480173)
Gardyloo, no need to apologize for the Branston ballyhoo. I enjoyed reading about Brantson pickles. I hope I don't sound ignorant but are the chutney and cheese sandwiches hot or cold?
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ditto Gardyloo -- cold or hot. Typically one's first experience is with a ploughman's - chunk(s) of cheese, crusty bread, whatever else they include on the plate and Branston Pickle (not plural - its pickle sans the 's')
But I also like to include some in my grilled cheese sandwiches. I prefer the small chunk in grilled sandwiches but it is harder to find around here. |
Yes, Karen, went to South Africa September 2022 and loved every minute. This September it’s Croatia. We’ll see if it can come close to our Africa trip.
Scotland is definitely on the radar so I’ve made many notes from your report. Quite surprised at all the beautiful flowers. |
JUNE 8, 2023: URQUHART CASTLE AND THE ROAD TO SKYE
After a last delicious breakfast and a farewell to our wonderful hosts at Sunny Brae, we headed on our way to Urquhart Castle, about a 40-minute drive from Nairn. We had pre-purchased tickets online for a 10AM – 10:10AM time slot. We were able to by-pass the ticket line, which was long, and go right into the castle grounds. No wait at all. We started out using their audio guides but found them difficult to use at the beginning; then realized it went into too much detail and would take forever so we abandoned those. There are costumed guides throughout the ruins so we were able to ask questions when we didn’t understand something. The Urquhart Castle ruins are situated on Loch Ness and the location and views are superb! Urquhart has a turbulent history and was repeatedly destroyed and re-built. In 1692 it was blown up by government forces to prevent the Jacobites from using it. I asked one of the guides why Urquhart was not re-built and was allowed to decay. He explained that the castle was no longer strategic and no one wanted to live there because it was never an elegant or comfortable home. Not fine living, I guess. :-) Urquhart was then abandoned in the early 1700’s. Then townspeople started looting the castle; they stole lead from roofs and stones from the buildings and walls creating more ruins and further decay. After finishing our visit to Urquhart, we started on our drive to the Isle of Skye. We stopped at Eilean Donan Castle along the way for the iconic photo. Because I have read that the inside of the castle is uninteresting, we opted not to go inside. We did purchase tickets @ 3pounds per person to go across the bridge and take photos of the exterior. For a light lunch we stopped at the Dornie Inn in the village across the street from Eilean Donan. The lunch was ok; nothing to write home about. Then we crossed the Bridge to Skye and were on our way to Portree, where we have reservations for 4 nights at the Viewfield House Hotel, a Victorian mansion built 200 years ago and owned by the same family. The grounds and views are beautiful and you feel like you are on an oasis away from bustling Portree. Our room was on the first floor and quite large. I wasn’t too fond of the giant pink roses wallpaper, though. I think Roger and Joanne’s room on the second floor, although smaller, was prettier with blue wallpaper more to my taste. We had dinner reservations tonight at The Rosedale down by the Portree harbor. We all have mixed feelings about the restaurant but I would still recommend it. The appetizers are delicious! We all had seafood chowder and we shared beef cheeks. However, we were all disappointed in our main dishes. Joanne and I had the fish and chips but the fish had a heavy batter; they don’t compare to the Anstruther Fish Bar. The men had venison but it was tough. We really enjoyed talking with the friendly bartender from Poland, though. So I think The Rosedale is worth trying. |
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The Story of Urquhart's past https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...82fb6edd1.jpeg Urquhart Castle ruins on Loch Ness https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4f16e8b43.jpeg The Grant Tower - most impressive remaining building https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d95b97c26.jpeg 3rd most popular castle in Scotland https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8656c0e9a.jpeg Panoramic View https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...341edc4ae.jpeg Scenery along the way https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9b87d4851.jpeg Iconic Eilean Donan photo https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...676a73428.jpeg After we paid our 3 pounds https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...acd40479b.jpeg Eilean Donan Castle |
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Viewfield House Hotel - our home for the next 4 nights https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4637db66de.jpg Viewfield Hotel lobby https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f5e1e3f63.jpeg View from the Viewfield House Hotel https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...baf890773.jpeg Portree Harbor - iconic photo https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...71c403666.jpeg Restaurant at the Rosedale - nice view of the boats https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...247f4889d.jpeg Beef cheek appetizer https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0003c8664.jpeg Venison main meal https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e4e988a2e.jpeg Very tasty and hearty seafood chowder https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...36c723dfe.jpeg Fish and chips with mushy mint peas https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...88952672f.jpeg Our friendly bartender at The Rosedale |
I love all of this….I want to be there!
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I'm so sorry about the Covid! I hope symptoms have been fairly light. Yes, it was in Edinburgh that I had to quarantine. I missed out on a bunch of museums, restaurants, Holyrood Palace, the botanical gardens...but at least I got one full day there at the beginning of my trip to explore the most iconic streets and sights.
Looking at your pictures I just keep thinking about how magical Scotland is. That's really the best way to describe it. It's such a unique place, and I still can't get over how beautiful all of the flowers are - so unexpected in a place so far north! Looking forward to reading more about your time on the Isle of Skye! |
Beautiful photos, KarenWoo! I’m still amazed at the weather! Glorious! Just so you don’t feel too bad for us, we did have some beautiful weather on Skye, and even a rainbow after a brief rain. All pre-digital and the prints don’t do the memory justice.
What’s also amazing is that you took the bridge to Skye! And now I realize it’s been open since…1995. Which is when my husband and I visited, just before the bridge actually opened. I’d been there several times before in the 70s, always by ferry, so the bridge is still new to me! |
I am loving this report (and the pictures) - it brings back such good memories! Thank you!
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Still following and thoroughly enjoying! Looking forward to the Skye portion. In our week there in 2006 it felt like we were living in a landscape painting. From an earlier post I believe you will take a tour and taste Talisker? If so, then you are a better [wo]man than I am, Gunga Din. But I did love the Glen Moray tour.
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Barbara_in_FL and Nelson, thank you both for your compliments! I am happy to know that my report brings back good memories for people.
Nelson, you are right. We had a Talisker tour and tasting on June 11 (our last full day on Skye). |
Always love an illustrated trip report!
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JUNE 9, 2023: THE TROTTERNISH PENINSULA – SIMPLY AMAZING
The Viewfield Hotel provides a hot breakfast along with a small buffet. Guests select what they want to eat the day before and give their requests to staff. You can choose eggs cooked any way (poached, scrambled, fried), different kinds of meat, salmon, kippers, and bagels with cream cheese (with or without salmon). The buffet consists of different cereals, yogurts, and juices. The owners are a young married couple, descendants of the people who built Viewfield, and they come into the dining room every morning to say hello to their guests. After a delicious breakfast, we set off to explore the Trotternish Peninsula. Firstly, I want to say that we absolutely love Skye. The scenery is majestic, stunning and unique, and I am so happy I included Skye in our itinerary. It was one of the highlights of our trip. There is much discussion about the crowds on Skye, and I can honestly say that in June we didn’t think the crowds were that bad. They certainly did not impact our trip in a negative way. That’s not to say that Skye isn’t busy. Driving or walking around Portree, all the accommodations posted “No Vacancy” signs. All the restaurants were busy but we had dinner reservations for all 4 nights. The carparks were busy but we always found a parking space. Also, there were some areas of Skye that were very quiet and we saw only a few cars. So I would recommend coming in June, but I am sure July and August are a different story when the UK schoolchildren are on vacation and when all the festivals are going on in August. So, to plan our sightseeing strategy, I followed the On The Luce blog that I discovered while researching. Lucy writes a wonderful 3-day driving itinerary of Skye, and I thought this would be the most logical and organized way to tour around the island without driving willy nilly everywhere. Because we had the Talisker Distillery tour reserved for the 3rd day, we switched around her Day 2 and Day 3. Here is the link to her blog in case anyone is interested. https://www.ontheluce.com/isle-of-skye-itinerary/ The first order of the day was to get gas before we left Portree. There was a long line at the gas station 😊 People had the same idea as us! There were lots of cars headed to our first stop, The Old Man of Storr, but I noticed that the cars thinned out as we headed further north. The Old Man of Storr is a huge rock pinnacle that stands out for miles. Very impressive! We walked a short distance up the path to take photos. If you wish, you can walk to the base of the Old Man, but that takes around 2 hours R/T, I think. Our next stop is Lealt Falls and Gorge that has a few viewpoints and some short trails. The falls weren’t much because it hadn’t rained in several weeks, but we were very impressed with the gorge, oohing and aahing over the lush greenery. Surprising it was so lush yet the falls were a trickle. What was lovely is that on the hillside across from the gorge we could see lots of sheep and hear them baaing. And from there, we drove to Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls, but sadly it is closed to the public because they are building a new car park. While driving to the Quiraing, we noticed The Hungry Gull in Staffin and decided to stop here for a light lunch. The food was actually quite good. I don’t expect a lot from roadside places, but this was very good. I had homemade mushroom soup, and everyone else had sandwiches. There is a convenience store next door if you want to pick up drinks and snacks. There aren’t a lot of facilities along this route. Our next stop, the Quiraing, is a stunning mountain range with dramatic landscapes. One of the highlights for us. You drive up a one-track road for quite awhile before you get to the top where there are hiking/walking trails. The views are gorgeous. We walked a short distance and took tons of photos, as we did everywhere. If you have the time and are fit enough, you can hike the 4.3 mile circular Quiraing Trail which takes around 3 hours. Then we followed the longer coast road to the Duntulm Castle ruins. We only took a short walk here to enjoy the scenery. Didn’t go all the way to the ruins. We were also getting pressed for time. Our last stop on the Trotternish peninsula was The Fairy Glen which was also our least favorite. The Fairy Glen is made up of lush green rolling hills with pools and wildflowers. But because of the lack of rain, most of it was not very lush, and we only saw one pool. Our dinner tonight was at the Edinbane Inn in Edinbane, about a 15 minute drive from Portree. This is one of our favorite restaurants. The meals are delicious. I didn’t write down what everyone had. I know we shared steamed Hebridean mussels. My steak and ale pie was so tasty, and my husband loved his beef. We shared a delicious dessert, too! |
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The Old Man of Storr stands out for miles https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c86cf03d4.jpeg View of the Old Man of Storr https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e19e9a895.jpeg Old Man of Storr https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fb821ddcf.jpeg Hiking path to the base of the Old Man https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9af4078e6.jpeg Old Man of Storr https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b22ed0f21.jpeg Old Man of Storr carpark https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c806a1db2.jpeg Panoramic View of Lealt Gorge https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f3cac106b.jpeg Lealt Gorge https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...797a7ebcb.jpeg So lush and so green - if you look closely, you can see white dots on the hillside to the right - those are sheep https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8ab90c0c2.jpeg |
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The Hungry Gull where we had lunch https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6beea3eccd.jpg The scenery along the way to the top of the Quiraing https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eed8d6bc2.jpeg Quiraing - stunning scenery https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...404c9e396.jpeg This majestic place is one of our favorites https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...947993eb6.jpeg The hiking/walking trail is to the left https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...7c8db6832.jpeg View from the top of the Quiraint https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dfa57dbda.jpeg View from the top of the Quiraing |
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The sheep are so cute! And they are everywhere! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...548b12e32.jpeg This is the beginning of the path to Duntulm Castle. These people got it right. What a great place to have a picnic! https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0b0e62e48.jpeg The vista around Duntulm Castle. https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9a2db8dd4.jpeg The Fairy Glen https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a4da6945d.jpeg Fairy Glen pool. My husband and friends are relaxing on the bench while I take a short walk uphill. The trails look fairly easy. https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a19c370e6.jpeg Our room at the Viewfield Hotel with the pink roses wallpaper https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9b650e48b.jpeg Cute placemat at the Edinbane Inn https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...a36f20d4b.jpeg Steamed Hebridean Mussels - Edinbane Inn https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f02d36ac8.jpeg My steak and ale pie https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...dd9b2a7f1.jpeg Our scrumptious dessert! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d96e33995.jpeg Ed's beef dinner https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...2c832aab6.jpeg Viewfield Hotel dining room where we ate breakfast every morning https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...eb30ec530.jpeg And Viewfield Hotel drawing room where we had drinks every evening! |
Karen, it'd be hard to find a better setting for your evening drinks than above.
Aah.... I am done. the knightcapp |
Thanks for whetting my appetite of Skye. I had not realized its topography and the hiking opportunities. Combined with the excellent food, it’s definitely up my alley. You’re giving me ideas for next spring!
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Originally Posted by tripplanner001
(Post 17480536)
Thanks for whetting my appetite of Skye. I had not realized its topography and the hiking opportunities. Combined with the excellent food, it’s definitely up my alley. You’re giving me ideas for next spring!
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Did you spend a lot of time on photoshop? I didn’t believe they actually had skies like that on Skye. ;)
I can really tell how dry it is compared to our trip which was an early July. A friend of mine is hiking the West Highland Way right now and says it’s rain every day. Enjoying this report, thanks! |
Originally Posted by Nelson
(Post 17480653)
Did you spend a lot of time on photoshop? I didn’t believe they actually had skies like that on Skye. ;)
I can really tell how dry it is compared to our trip which was an early July. A friend of mine is hiking the West Highland Way right now and says it’s rain every day. Enjoying this report, thanks! |
JUNE 10, 2023: A TALE OF MASSACRES AND REVENGE; DUNVEGAN CASTLE; AND A CARIBBEAN BEACH
After breakfast we drove to Trumpan Church on the Waternish Peninsula. Trumpan Church is the site of a horrific massacre in 1578. The MacDonalds and the MacLeods had a fierce clan rivalry going. In 1577 the raiding MacLeods landed on the island of Eigg. The MacDonalds hid in a cave but the MacLeods lit a fire in the entrance to the cave and all the MacDonalds suffocated. Of course, the MacDonalds started plotting their revenge. A year later when the MacLeods were worshiping inside Trumpan Church, the MacDonalds blocked the door and set fire to the thatched roof. Everyone died except a young girl who ran to Dunvegan to sound the alarm. The MacDonalds couldn’t escape because of the retreating tide, so the MacLeods from the area were able to kill the entire MacDonald raiding party. What a horrific massacre! And such a sad story. The Trumpan Church ruins are a much more peaceful place now. The drive out there was really lovely with very pretty, bucolic, and pastoral scenery. We saw very few cars on the road, and there were only a few people at the church. And this is where we saw our first and only Hairy Coos!!! After leaving here we drove to Dunvegan Castle and Gardens, which has been the home of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod for over 800 years. In fact, the current chief lives in London but does come to Dunvegan for visits. I had read in several places that some people think the interior of the Castle is not that interesting. We did visit inside and we are glad we did. The rooms are interesting, and there are guides stationed in the rooms to answer questions. Not a lot of rooms are open to the public but just enough to make it interesting. Sometimes rooms become blurry when there are just too many to see. We learned about the Fairy Flag, flown in battle by the MacLeods. There are many legends apparently. One favorite legend is that a Fairy Princess fell in love with a MacLeod Chief but her father wouldn’t allow them to marry. He allowed her to stay with the chief for a year and a day, and then she had to return to Fairy Land. She had given birth to their baby and left the baby with the MacLeod Chief. One night when the baby’s father was at a feast in the castle, the nanny left the nursery to watch the festivities. While she was gone, the baby was crying and his Fairy Princess mother came to him and gave him a shawl to comfort him. This shawl is the Fairy Flag. Another thing I learned is that in the “olden” days the islanders used to trap puffins and simmer them in their porridge to add flavor! I feel so bad for the puffins, and puffin-flavored porridge does not sound appetizing to me. I know we eat meat from other animals and birds, but I never knew people ate puffins. They are so cute! We also walked around the formal gardens and woodland gardens which are very pretty. We have really enjoyed all the gardens we visited on our trip. I didn’t expect so many beautiful flowers so far north. For people who are planning a trip here, I definitely recommend visiting both the castle and the gardens. I think it makes for a more enjoyable and fulfilling experience. After having lunch at the café in the carpark, we headed to Claigan Coral Beach, not too far away from Dunvegan. When you see this beach, you will think you are in the Caribbean with its white sand and light blue waters. The sand is actually made up of flakes of fossilized seaweed called maerl. You follow the path from the car park for about a mile. The walk is along a flat and very pleasant path along the water. You pass some cows on the way. We probably walked close to a mile but didn’t quite make it to the beach because it was getting late, and we hoped to go to Neist Point. But we got close enough to take photos. This is a popular spot, and there were lots of people carrying picnic baskets and other beach paraphernalia to the beach. They have a lot of energy! 😊 Our stressful getaway from the carpark: So we returned to the carpark, which is a very small and narrow carpark, the only one we had difficulty leaving! We had parked our car in the very last parking spot next to this large pile of rocks. It was very tight. No place to turn around, and impossible to back out of. My husband directed Joanne while she backed out of our space, and miraculously turned the car frontwards so we wouldn’t have to back out of the very narrow carpark. I wouldn’t have the patience to do this. So she drove forwards, and then at the beginning of the carpark, where there is a turn on to the road, there was a car facing us who was refusing to move. And we didn’t move; we didn’t have any place to go. The driver of the other car got out of his car and asked us to back up to where we just came from and he insisted we had room. We didn’t have room. I don’t know where he expected us to go. We told him there aren’t any other empty parking spaces. Then he told us there were 3 cars behind him waiting to get in, but we couldn’t see them because of the bend in the road. YIKES!!! At the bend, there is a very small open area. He told the other drivers what was going on, and somehow some of them fit into this small space (not a parking space) and others pulled way over to the side (somehow avoiding the ditch). We narrowly got by these cars without hitting them. Sorry to be so long-winded but this was the only place that caused us any stress. So at this point it was too late to go to Neist Point, which is about 15 miles away from Claigan Beach. We were all stressed from our ordeal at the carpark, and we needed a drink! 😊 I had originally made dinner reservations at The Harbour in Broadford, but when I realized how far it is from Portree, we cancelled those reservations. We were able to get reservations at A Taste of India in Portree. The food is delicious and well prepared, and the staff are efficient and friendly, so this was a good last-minute choice. |
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Our first and only Hairy coo sighting! https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...78e47bd92.jpeg They are so cute! https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4c54fb759.jpeg Beautiful scenery next to the site of a horrible massacre https://cimg5.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...6aca5d08a.jpeg The road to Trumpan Church https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fde92def0.jpeg A pastoral vista right next to Trumpan Church https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...37385bee8.jpeg Gravestones at Trumpan Church https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...be76c3572.jpeg Trumpan Church ruins - site of a horrific massacre in 1578 https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...34060ff80.jpeg More gravestones |
An addendum to my carpark story: I forgot to add, but it might already be obvious, that the carpark is a dead end! Very narrow. One way in and the same way (only way) out!:stress:
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KarenWoo, your photos on Skye are just gorgeous! And really, the weather! Unbelievable!
Your parking lot experience - so nerve-wracking! I remember driving on single lane roads in Scotland and Wales. There were usually small places to pull over so another car could pass. Perhaps that was the case at the parking lot? |
Progol, You are right; there are tons of small places to pull over on the single-track roads. And that might be what that teeny tiny space was at the bend where the carpark met the single-track road. But when you have 4 cars trying to maneuver around, it was very tricky. And you have to watch out for ditches. Luckily, that was the only place where we had a problem.
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:) You are in good company. There are hundreds of reviews of the beach on google . . . and 3/4 of them mention carpark 'issues'
"Well, this is more about the beach. The carpark is unfortunately too small and very narrow to park decently. " "Car park gets very busy so you will need to be brave parking unless you arrive very early in the summer! " "Car park needs to be about 3 x larger. Cars parked rather dangerously in the car park and further down the road leading to it. These photos were taken at 8:30pm and as you can see, still pretty busy. Potholes galore. Still, it's free and within a 20 minute walk to the beach so can't complain too much i suppose." "Quite a small car park , luckily we went in December this time and actually managed to get a parking space," "A very small and tricky car park. Get there early.." "Can be tricky getting parked unless you come early morning or later in afternoon." ete etc etc |
JUNE 11, 2023: MISTY MOUNTAINS, TALISKER WHISKY, & THE SPECTACULAR FAIRY POOLS
This morning we actually woke up to overcast skies and a heavy mist! First time since we have been in Scotland. We actually loved it. This is the first day (and last day) I wore my rain-proof windbreaker. Only for the morning, though, because then the skies cleared. The mist and fog is what I think of when I think of Scotland. But I am not complaining about the beautiful and sunny weather we have had. The weather gods were smiling on us the whole trip! 😊 Our first destination on our road trip today is Sligachan. There is the Old Sligachan Bridge with the Red and Black Cuillin Mountains in the background. I read that these mountains are often shrouded in mist or clouds, and they certainly were today. The Sligachan Hotel is directly across the street from the bridge and the statue to mountaineers Collie and Mackenzie. From here we drove to the Talisker Distillery for our scheduled distillery tour and whisky tasting. Talisker is the oldest working distillery on Skye. The tour costs 20 pounds per person. I am not a whisky drinker; I never drink it at home, but I did enjoy the tour and tasting. I had no idea how whisky was made and what a distillery looks like. We bought 4 bottles of whisky to bring home for my husband and as gifts for our daughters and their husbands. It was lunch time, and first we drove to the Oyster Shed, which is closed on Sundays (and today is Sunday). So we decided to try The Old Inn, located on Loch Harport. The pub was very busy, but we were fortunate to get a table for 4 outdoors overlooking the loch. This is another great place for meals. I didn’t write down what the men had, but we shared chicken wings, I had a rich and delicious seafood chowder, and Joanne had fish and chips, which she said was as good as or even better than the Anstruther Fish Bar. After our delicious lunch, we drove to the Fairy Pools which are spectacular and stunning! We love this place and it’s one of our favorites on Skye. We did a lot of oohing and aahing! With the Cuillin Mountains as the backdrop, the scenery is so majestic. On this day the pools and river were not overflowing with water because of the lack of rain. So you didn’t have gushing waterfalls. What makes this place so spectacular are the Cuillin Mountains in the background. I am sure that with more water this place is even more mind-blowing. There were a lot of people here, including families pushing babies in strollers. And people actually swimming in the pools in various stages of undress. How brave! The water must be frigid! Our dinner reservations for tonight are at Fraser at Bracken Hide in Portree. This is a new restaurant/accommodations that opened in March. The food is so tasty and so well prepared and presented. Definitely one of our favorites. The service is a bit slow but we weren’t in a rush. The accommodations are pods located up the hill behind the restaurant. Check-in is at the restaurant building where there are some lovely lounges and a bar. I would not want to stay here, though, because the guests have to walk uphill with their luggage after they check in. And the parking lot for the restaurant guests and hotel guests are below the restaurant. So a lot of walking. But the guests are allowed to drive up to the restaurant to drop off their luggage, but then return to the parking lot below. So not the most convenient set up. |
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Finally - some misty mountains! https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b09acd74e.jpeg The Old Sligachan Bridge https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...d434d62b1.jpeg Cuillin Mountains as seen from the Old Sligachan Bridge https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4058d9b83.jpeg Collie and Mackenzie viewing the misty mountains that they mapped 130 years ago https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9334e5c21.jpeg The oldest working distillery on Skye https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...9814c9947.jpeg https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f52bd286d.jpeg Waiting room, bar and gift shop at the distillery https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...fad11a12d.jpeg This is a guided tour that talks about steps involved - from fermentation to aging and bottling https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...3ce9b6ec0.jpeg Behind the scenes look at the Talisker Distillery https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...15b353e30.jpeg Whisky tasting - you get to sample 3 whiskys https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...aeed92f91.jpeg |
Thanks for the stunning pictures Karen, taken on your iPhone I presume 😍
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The Old Inn in Carbost where we had lunch outdoors overlooking Loch Harport. https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...06fd8f7f8.jpeg Our chicken wings - tasty but a bit spicy https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...e61264495.jpeg My very delicious and filling seafood chowder https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...f58a89445.jpeg The Fairy Pools with the Black Cuillin Mountains in the background https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...174f1e1fd.jpeg Majestic scenery! Awe-inspiring! https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...4f040c75c.jpeg The first and largest pool you see on your walk https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...c6b6a8ee9.jpeg There are more pools as you continue along on the path https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8fe5e45d6.jpeg We walked on the path for quite a distance. Close to a mile, I think https://cimg1.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0bb01b3c3.jpeg More beautiful scenery https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0d2e26b6d.jpeg What brave souls! https://cimg4.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...0f56d8797.jpeg Will cool you off very quickly! https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...8a257c416.jpeg The long and winding trail |
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Ed and Joanne each had duck https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...37b75954c.jpeg Roger had fish pie https://cimg7.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...b63d6d809.jpeg And I had salmon - might be the best salmon I have ever had - although every salmon dish in Scotland was excellent! https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...ddb29d5f4.jpeg Ed and I shared this awesome dessert - chocolate and berries! https://cimg0.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...16c85b6e5.jpeg Roger and Joanne shared salted caramel ice cream https://cimg2.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...1a2789fdb.jpeg The pods at Bracken Hide - they are located uphill from the restaurant https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fod...187109d1e.jpeg The restaurant is in this building along with some lovely lounges and the bar. The main parking lot is below the restaurant. |
Oh, KarenWoo, those meals! Wow! I’m salivating as I’m looking at the food photos - the salmon! The duck! Those desserts! Oh, my!
And I love the misty mountain shot! Of course, the other views are gorgeous, but there’s something about Scotland and the moody skies that really get to me. My first visit to Skye was in 1973 and I took a hike up those hills with a group of people I met at the youth hostel. It was completely fogged in and we felt like we were the only people in the world because you could only see what was immediately around you. It was beautiful and so mystical, but it wasn’t until I went back with my husband that I had any real idea what it looked like! |
Originally Posted by geetika
(Post 17480988)
Thanks for the stunning pictures Karen, taken on your iPhone I presume 😍
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Your report brings back great memories of Skye. I'm not a huge fan of scotch myself but the Talisker setting is glorious and the tour very interesting.
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