Skye

Sing me a song of a lad that is gone,
Say, could that lad be I?
Merry of soul he sailed on a day
Over the sea to Skye.

- Robert Louis Stevenson poem, 1892

For any Outlander fans, please substitute “lass” for “lad” and you’ll recognize the opening music for the tv series.

Over the sea to Skye...that imagery was on my bucket list.  We made it happen a few years ago on a visit to Scotland.  I had an inkling of what it would look like because I’d been to the Scottish Highlands several times.  I was not prepared for such jaw dropping beauty around every. single. corner. of the island.  Rain somehow enhances the mystery from the moment you cross the Skye Bridge to get there.   The Skye Bridge was controversial when it was built and opened in 1995.   Prior to that, the island was only accessible by ferry.  For more on the controversy, 

click here.

Well, hello there, laddie!!

This is from the area of Neist Point Lighthouse.  It was hammering down with rain, so much so that we couldn't even see the lighthouse itself.  This is looking south down the coast.  Luckily for us, the weather did clear and we had an outstanding day.



This is a broch.  According to wikipedia, a broch is an Iron Age drystone hollow-walled structure of a type found only in Scotland.  The understanding of the origin of these structures is still evolving.  I highly recommend you learn a bit about them.  My takeaway is that they were defensive structures, for people and livestock.




We were able to visit the Talisker Distillery   Talisker is the oldest working distillery on Skye, producing a variety of whiskys that are influenced by the salty, windswept air. We sampled four varieties, all way too harsh for my simple palate.  My DH was much more appreciative.  For more information on whiskys in general, please visit DramFineWhisky.

View from the front door of Talisker Distillery

We visited Sligachan (pronounced Slig-a-khan), a town that is nothing more than a crossroads on your way to other places on Skye.  It has an inn and a bridge and spectacular views. (even in the rain!)  Many mountain climbers use this area as a starting point for a wide variety of ascents.






The inn decorates with empty whisky boxes and....



Has a sense of humor regarding the restrooms after drinking all that whisky!  :-)






The "Old Man of Storr" is a large rock that stands tall and can be seen for miles.  It gets its name because it, allegedly, resembles the face of an old man.  I don't see it.




The weather started to improve.   Loch Mealt, just south of the town of Staffin.

Kilt Rock, a nearly 300 foot high sea cliff whose vertical columns are said to resemble a kilt.




Our first views of the Quiraing, an area formed by a great series of landslides a long, long time ago.


The clearing skies combined with stunning terrain made these moments among the most spectacular in our lives.






There is no way to adequately present this awe-inspiring landscape, but some human perspective may help.





This photo was taken near Sligachan, in better weather.



These photos were taken in the southern area of Skye, called Isle Ornsay. 





During our drive off of the island, we stopped to take photos of the iconic Eilean Donan castle.  For more information on this must see castle, click here.




We absolutely loved our visit to Skye and plan to get back for a longer visit someday.
We stayed at Torwood Bed & Breakfast and highly recommend it.