Uig, Isle of Skye

Thanks neighbours! At five o'clock clock this morning the family in the motorhome next to us started packing up, loudly. Very loudly. Some people are so inconsiderate. So feeling in need of some comfort we made delicious fried egg sandwiches for breakfast. Just the job. Overhead American fighters circled. The roar of their engines deafening. But we didn't mind. These manoeuvres and practice runs necessary in these troubled times.

All sorted, and last to leave the little park up, we headed back to Portree, stopping to photograph Angela's favourite sight on the island. The Old Man of Storr. Today the cloud retreated enough so the rocky eastern face could be clearly seen. Stunning. 

Who in their right mind visits Portree during school holidays? Apparently we do. The place was rammed. John told motorhomes in the mini bus parking bays they should move or be ticketed, much to the amusement of some drivers. We then found the shortest queue to buy fish and chips, and sat down by the water to eat them. On the way back we saw a row of 6 motorhomes with yellow tickets on their windscreens. And then the rain began. Yet again. Come on summer, time to show yourself. 

Tomorrow we are booked on an early ferry to North Uist. Public showers there are virtually non existence. So we stopped off at the swimming pool to use their facilities once again. Unfortunately the pool was busy and we'd have to wait until five which was too late. However, we were directed to the Skye Gym on the edge of town. Four pounds each and a huge wet room to ourselves. Jackpot! Probably won't bother with the swimming Poole facilities again.

Uig ferry Port is undergoing a massive upgrade, so anyone staying overnight can now stay in the visitors car park by the terminal building. Which we prefer. Once again it is raining relentlessly, but the forecast for Uig looks a little better, so fingers crossed as we need to catch up on some washing. We're not sure how long we'll stay out on the outer Hebridean islands. As always we have no real plan.

Staffin Beach, Isle of Skye

There were seven of us at last nights stop. That's the internet for you, now everyone knows about these pretty little places. What they may not know is the roads out are horrendous. Ascents and descents of 15%. We've driven these roads before in our campervan and Angela vowed never again, she still does!

Once again the morning dawned gloomy. It had rained all night and the cloud cloaked the mountains. It seems the weather is not yet ready to accept it's summer. 

Aware of the limited availability on ferries to the outer Hebrides we decided this morning to book a ferry to Lochmaddy in North Uist, then catch a ferry back to Harris and then back to the mainland over the next week or so. Worst case we'd be stuck on the Outer Hebrides. Oh dear! So more shopping was purchased at a large Coop where we met a lady and her daughter we'd spoken with yesterday evening. They've been van lifers since last summer and like us were in no rush. We are examples of people who wander, but are not lost. 

As expected Skye is busy. A snake of vehicles in both directions. Angela has a love hate feel for the island. She hates it is so busy, but loves its beautiful scenery. She also accepts we make up part of the snake. Our ferry from Uig now booked we stopped at the sports centre in Portree to take showers. Concessions? We most certainly are! £2.20 each then. And the water was hot. Result.

Then time to find an overnight stop. Staffin Beach, where we have stayed before is a little further north on the island. Our route took us past many of the 'must see' tourist spots. Waterfalls, The Old Man of Storr, shrouded in cloud and Kilt Rock. But we didn't need to stop. We've visited them all before. Staffin Beach is famous for it's Dinosaur footprints. Seventeen in total. We managed to spot three today.

It's busy here, no suprise there. But we've managed to tuck in between two large vans which is great as it is windy and they offer us some protection. For now the rain has retreated, but no doubt it will return.

Fish fingers in rolls with salad for tonight's meal all prepared inside. We have a system now, and suddenly our inside space doesn't seem so intimate. And Angela has discovered the Boxio makes a very nice coffee table for her wine!

Tokavaig, Isle of Skye

Yesterday evening was one of those perfect evenings. Down on the beach people camped and cooked over fires. Others sat just enjoying the view. And what a view it was. All in all a perfect evening.

This morning the singing of empty bottles accompanied the bleary eyed of those who'd over consumed. But everyone was cheery. 

There was no rush for us to leave as our sailing to Skye wasn't until six o'clock clock. Never the less we were in Mallaig by mid morning.

A queue for the single public shower was already forming. John was at the head of it and appeared to be the only person to have a hot shower. The rest of us a cold one. But a cold shower is better than no shower. 

The clouds hung low until lunchtime when they decided to empty on all of us whilst waiting in the queue for fish and chips. But we weren't disillusioned. Back at Muddy Marge we found a seat under cover by the toilets (classy), and enjoyed our haddock and chips with homemade tartare sauce. A coach arrived, opened it's exit door and released fifty elderly ladies who all headed to the loo. Confusion. There was one entrance and one exit. No ladies and gents. John told the ladies the toilets were unisex. Word went down the line, they're unisex you know!

With a couple of hours to spare, and our walk for the day complete we sought out a tea room and spent the rest of the afternoon enjoying coffee cake. This was the life. And to make it more pleasurable the sun made an appearance. Our ferry departure time looming, we stopped to top up on fuel enroute to the terminal. After a few words at the terminal where John was told to remove our outside gas tank, and questioned about our overlanding roof top jerry cans we were aboard.

Next stop Skye.

Arriving at Armadale we drove over some of the worst roads single track roads we have encountered to arrive once more at a beach looking over to the Cuillins.