Day 12: Isle of Skye – The North Coast

We have sunshine early this morning so we start off with a photo of the harbor at Portree across from our hotel.

The colorful buildings comprise one of the most photographed scenes in Scotland. Then we do a group photo.

Then a photo of Ross and me.

We drive north along the coast of the Trotternish Penninsula and make our first stop at the Flora Macdonald grave – the tall monument – in the small settlement of Kilmuir.

She is famous for helping Bonnie Prince Charlie in his flight from Culloden.

Near the cemetery is the Museum of Island Life contained within crofters’ cottages.

A favorite was the weaver’s house with this 150 year-old loom.

Among the artifacts which include tools, cooking utensils, and photos, is a picture of Flora Macdonald.

Back in the van we drive to our trailhead near a red phone booth in the middle of nowhere.

We are headed for Skye’s most northerly point, Rubha Hunish.

Our walk starts along a nice path then climbs gradually. The higher we go, the stronger the wind gets. Part of the ambience of coastal Skye.

The view while walking along the ridge.

We take a breather here.

At the top of the Meall Tuath summit is a bothy/refuge, a former coastguard lookout, for protection against the elements or for overnite stays. It was a welcome respite from the wind.

A view from here over the Little Minch. Looks like rain or mist is moving in.

The high point is also the best place from which to spot whales but we see none today. Then we start downhill over some slippery rocks.

We go across a valley of heather.

After climbing over a couple of fences we go back uphill. The bothy is the little white building on top of Meall Tuath.

Then we have this view along the cliffside.

As we circle back downhill, we cross endless rills sometimes jumping over, other times hopping from rock to rock. We also see a Golden Eagle flying along the cliffs.

We have this view of the ruins of the 13th century Duntulm Castle, once the stronghold of Clan MacDonald of Sleat.

A Scottish thistle along the road. It’s the national flower and legend from the 1300s has it that it saved sleeping Scots from an attack by invading Norsemen who stepped on a thistle while barefoot and yelled.