The Isle of Skye

I have been told of the magnificent of the Isle of Skye – I had heard folk tales of Skye – of its landscape – it crofters! - I remember the Skye Boat Song from my Childhood – I remember it as a popular song by the Corrs in my late adulthood – I am in love with the Isle of Skye even though I had never set foot upon her.

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry.
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye

Loud the wind howls
loud the waves roar

Thunderclaps rend the air
Baffled our foes
stand by the shore
Follow they will not dare

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry.
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye

Many's the lad fought on that day
Well the claymore did wield
When the night came
silently lain
Dead on Colloden field

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry.
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye

Though the waves heave soft will ye sleep
Ocean's a royal bed
Rocked in the deep
Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head

Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing

Onward the sailors cry.

Carry the lad that's born to be king

Over the sea to Skye

I arrive in Skye – I am underwhelmed – the weather is unkind but, so it was in the Highlands! – the scenery pleasant but unspectacular in the Highland sense - the traffic severe but courteous – the tourists large in number but polite and friendly – the locals helpful, polite, engaging, delightful – if I am asked I will suggest to my peers that they travel to Skye before they travel into the Highlands – that way they will thoroughly enjoy a delightful place without inclination towards comparison.

We stay two full days – we loop the island - to Uig, to an ancient roundhouse that gives Bernie the opportunity to crawl on hands and knees into the old dairy storage tunnel - to the Skye Island Museum where she once again has the opportunity to accost a kilted Scotsman! – along the lane-ways of the Island – we stop at trail heads – watch the hikers set off on their walks – watch the young hikers catch the Island buses back to their accommodations in Portree – watch the more mature compete for adjacent parks for their hire cars – clearly the most spectacular of Skye hides away at the end of famous walking trails!

We sleep the afternoon off – rise again – off to Dunvegan – home of the McLeod Clan – decide on dinner in the local village pub – interact with Scottish tourists eager to know where we have been and what we thought – “Ye hae drien tae applecross?” says he  - “Och that frightened th' lee oot o' me”  says she – “Hae ye tried cullen skink” says he –  he responds with delight when we say we have – “Did ye lik' it” says he  -  we interact with the Czech gap yearer working as a waitress - she speaks Scottish with an American accent – her accent engenders a confidence in her that is not reflected in her understanding of the essence of what is being ordered.

The meal a delight – sophisticated well beyond anything expected from an Australian country pub! 

We sleep well – breakfast – sleep again – wander Portree – the parking superintendant recognises the accent – “Dinna fash yirsel th' waither wull improve this efternoon” says he – “Then again ah hae bin kent tae be a liar” says he with a smile.

We wander to the port – look around a while!

We decide we are hungry – we look in through the window of a restraurant – just one Chninese couple at one of the 20 or so tables – it is 12:15pm – we join them – we discover an amazing fact – most tourists decide to eat at 12:27pm – the place changes from silent to a seething crowded establishment in a flash – “it is always like this” the waitress says – more Cullen Skink – we love it!

A little more touring the lanes of Skye!