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'wot we dun on our hols this year... The Isle of Skye

This year we went to the Isle of Skye, which is the largest of the Inner Hebrides: the islands just north and west of the Scottish mainland. We have raced through Skye in the past, on our way to and from Lewis, and all of eight years ago we spent a single night there in a B&B, but we've always wanted to spend some real time there. This year we made it happen.

And we were not disappointed. We are told that the word 'Skye' comes from the Old Norse word Skið meaning 'cloud' or 'sky', and without question it is the clouds which make the place so endlessly photogenic. The same can be said about many a place. In New York for instance the skies are so often cloudless they can be 'dull' - or perhaps I'm just obsessed with clouds!

Here you see Tulum Bay, with Tulum Island on the left. This is situated on the north western shore of the Trotternish Peninsula of Skye. The day was one of those 'brisk' days, when the wind blew with a steady insistence. We hiked out along the shore of the bay, with little trouble apart from the occasional burn to be forded.

At the far end of the bay we found an old dry stone walled sheep pen which provided us with welcome shelter from the breeze. There we had our lunch (scones and fruit) and were lucky enough to spot some seals basking on Tulum Island, which was just 200-300 m offshore. Looking back the way we had come provided views of Duntulum Castle, or what remains of it.

I could attempt to ramble on about the various other places we visited in our all too short visit to Skye, but that would just delay my friends and colleagues in sharing some of the wonderful visuals that Gerry and I enjoyed so much, first hand last September. So for now here is a more or less unadulterated, nothing fancy, selection of pictures from the trip. Hit any image for a (much) bigger version, and hit your browser's 'Back; button to return.

Unknown, but pretty none the less flower, about 10 cm high. Growing all all over in Glen Brittle (Google it!)	En route to Glen Brittle; some cattle by the road side, unusually with a fence intervening. The Cuillins ridge on the horizon.
Coral Beach, near Dunvegan	Looking south to Duntulum. The castle is just barely visible right of center!
Low tide on Tulum Bay. Here are some sea anemones , patiently holding out their deadly (if you are plankton) tentacles.	The sheep pen we sheltered in also sheltered heather and bracken.
Too cute not to photograph. In the field just down the road on our first week in Skye.	Small fishing boat moored off the village of Stein.
Simply the best fresh vegetables to be had on Skye. Just across the road from the general store in Dunvegan.	Evening draws on at the loch side.
There's something so endearing about large, round cow eyes. Especially in the long-haired highland cattle.	Another view of Glen Brittle.
An another...	We're going to walk down there? "And how do we get back? It's only four of five km. Don't worry"... Actually it was more like 7 or 8 km, and after spending 3 hours walking down the glen two kind Danish guys gave us a ride to our car. Saving us the climb back from sea level.
The plow above our Skye cottage in Portnalong. Most of the other colored dots are digital noise in this 80 second exposure.	A Pictish fort, about 3000 yeas old.
Being that we were on Skye, the occasional rainbow or two put on a display from time to time.	The Cuillins mountains, see from the trail to Suisnish, a village 'cleared' in the 1850's to make way for sheep.
Remains of Suisnish village.	Looking out to sea from the headland at Suisnish.
And here, looking back to the Cuillins on the route to Suisnish.

Hope you enjoyed these. Check back later for updates!