We travelled along the famous Loch Ness, thinking,with gratitude, we had not opted for a boat cruise. The white caps were churning and Nessie was nowhere to be found.
Well, the road to Skye was a mixed bag of experiences. I'm not quite sure where to start other than to say it was not treacherous,as expected, and our tipsy angels were smiling at us all the way. For those of you who don't know, when you see a rainbow it means the angels are smiling. That is not a myth learned here in Scotland but from a former kindergarten student who told me whenever he saw a rainbow he knew his Grandma was smiling at him. The was an "awww" moment in my life and I will forever cherish rainbows. The tipsy part, of course comes from the evaporating malt whiskey permeating the air in this part of the world.
It takes about 2.5 hours to drive from Inverness to The Isle of Skye. We had heard the road was brutal but that is not our perception. Yes, it is winding and a bit narrow but no less harrowing than the old road to Port Renfrew which RP drove for at least 12 years way back in his Sooke Elementary days. Think the road to Hana mixed in with Renfrew and you will get the idea. We were in no hurry. Eve though the speed limit is 60mph, we travelled between 45-50 and used the pullouts when there were crazy locals wanting to drive at 80 mph. For decades the only way to reach this isle was by boat. Not long ago a bridge was built to connect Scotland with one of its most lovely islands. Wish the photo was better but the wind was whipping the car around.
This part of Scotland is reminiscent of scenic Vancouver Island and rural Nova Scotia - wild and rugged, quaint and picturesque, rolling hills and craggy cliffs, wildlife and cascading waterfalls. All that with the weather not much different from home. A wise old Scot in Aberdeen told us you could experience all 4 seasons in one day at anytime in Scotland. Today the rating was about 3.5 seasons with howling wind, pelting rain, scattered clouds, clear blue sky, temps from 8-16, rainbows, falling leaves, all within the course of an hour. The missing .5 was, of course snow and below zero. Believe me, I "wouldnae wanna" winter on Skye. We took a break for tea and biscuits at the ancient and majestic Eilean Donan Castle, the most beautiful and most photographed castle in Scotland. We had thought to tour but the wind & rain, along with the 8 large tour buses made us reconsider. Notice I said "tea and biscuits"; I seldom drink tea and never eat biscuits. What the heck is happening?
Funny thing happened when we got off the bridge: we decided to ask for directions and stopped at the first business we saw. It was none other than the Prince of India restaurant. Darn, another missed photo op. RP went in to get directions from a fellow countryman. In typical, directionally challenged fashion and with typical accent we were told to travel 7 miles and turn left maybe or else phone. I wish I could do the accent on the iPad. RP will be happy to retell the story when he gets home, accent and all. The destination we were seeking was Armadale Castle, historic seat of the clan Donald, from whence all Mac or McDonalds descend.
As McDonald is one of my clans we needed to visit this historic place. The castle is in ruins but the site is beautiful, now that it is a property in trust. The gardens reminded me of our Royal Roads. Also on site is a sophisticated museum and research library, 2 gift shops and a dining room in the old stables. Today they were prepping for a wedding. Tracing just when my McDonalds left Scotland for Canada has been difficult and I am only slightly further along that path. Nevertheless, it was thrilling to stand in the virginia creeper covered archway and know that from somewhere nearby it all began.
We left Armadale in search of Sconser Lodge, our accommodation for the next 2 nights - a place highly recommended to us. It is an old hunting lodge converted to a hotel, run by a young couple named Craig and Lisa. Our comfortable room overlooks the water. As the dining room offers evening meals we are staying put for the night. After another long day we are kicking back with what you see below NZ sauv blanc, single malt and crisps.
Tomorrow will be laid back kind of day as we are feeling a little weary. Breakfast call is not until 9:00. After that we might wander in to the village of Portree, take in a tour of the Talisker Distillery, find a seafood cafe that serves North Sea chowder and explore the beauty of Skye. I leave with a view from our window only moments ago, another angel smile.
BTW: Internet service in this part of Scotland is intermittent. The blog may or may not be posted tonight.
- Posted using BlogPress from my iPad
No comments:
Post a Comment