To Skye

Friday May 13

Sad to leave Mull in the best weather we've ever experienced here. A double-edged sword.....great for scenery, too hot for Otters and many birds. Looking forward to North Uist though. J and D say that the Phalaropes are back and there's a White-winged Black Tern there to-day. Hope the cottage is up to scratch too.

We'd packed before a 6.15 breakfast and it only took 35 minutes to reach Fishnish, where the 7.25 ferry was pulling in. The sea was very choppy to-day due to the brisk north westerly wind - much cooler too. The 25 minute crossing to Ardnamurchan was smooth. As was the drive north to Corran where the ferry was again approaching the dock. So smooth, we might have planned it !

Fort William Morrison's for petrol and a small shop for to-day's food before driving to Kyle of Lochalsh. When I first visited Skye over 50 years ago, it was with a group of kids in Shewan's old Minibus + camping equipment. The road was a dirt track, long and bumpy, Tall mountains looming on both sides, having to avoid herds of Red Deer crossing the 'road'. We'd underestimated the time it would take to drive to Lochalsh and had to camp by the side of the road. I don't remember what we did for food. A small ferry took us across to Kyleakin from where we drove to the Cuillins. We were camped on the beach, we did have loos and a standpipe but nothing else. It rained for three days, no climbing done, too dangerous. I have an abiding memory of lying in my two man tent with Mick, watching Highland Cattle eating seaweed on the beach.

A lovely bridge took us over to Skye to-day, no longer a toll to pay. Do islands attached to the mainland or each other still qualify as islands?

We saw a Golden Eagle on the way to Lochalsh, it soared overhead.

The journey had been hampered by two groups of French campervans, one of three, the other of four. They'd left the viewpoint outside Fort William shortly before us, trundling their way west, travelling very close together on a road where passing is well nigh impossible. Very thoughtless and inconsiderate.The group of three eventually pulled in so that the queue could roar past. The four.......trundled on until an empty stretch enabled Pam and two others to step on the gas and leave them behind. Little point as it turned out. A queue at Broadford. Eventually, a policeman told us that the road was closed for a couple of hours and to go and have some lunch. Where? The one cafe and its parking area was chokka. We stayed where we were, ate and read.

An hour and a half later, traffic started to appear from the opposite direction and we were off. The car wreckage we saw in the ditch on the opposite carriageway was horrendous. The worst damage I've seen. After visiting the Old Man of Storr, we arrived at our Skyehaven B and B where the owner told us that it was  a local woman who had been taken to hospital in a helicopter but died before they got there. I'm amazed that she survived that long from the totalled wreckage. Sad.

Out of here by 10.00 in the morning, then the afternoon ferry from Uig.   
No photos to-day, Ive added one of a delightful lamb and another Swallow.