Elgol

At nine o’ clock last night we’d had enough of the two hire vans parked next to us. Noise from inside and the running of the engine of one of them. So we moved Marge to the motorhome area in the main car park, where overnight is not allowed, but there were four other vans there. Bonjour. Next to Marge was a van from France. A very retro Ford transit built sometime between 1965 and 1986.

This morning we were up early, just in case we incurred a parking fine. The attendant came around and said we were fine to be parked there. The overnight restriction was to stop the car park being turned into a camping area, but a blind eye was turned to vans that stayed over. Thanks, we’d been worried all night we wouldn’t wake up early. Of course one of the noisy vans from last night was long gone, keen not to pay.
Today we wanted to visit some places listed in the new book we bought yesterday. Loch Fada, the Bride’s Veil Waterfall, the Fairy Glen and Elgol. We decided to give Coral beach a miss.
The weather played games with us. Today was supposed to be fine. As we left Portree it rained.

Then when we arrived at Loch Fada it cleared away, the sun slowly teasing away the cloud. Quickly let’s get down the road to the Bride’s Veil Waterfall.

Send John up through the bog to take photographs. Now onto The Fairy Glen. It was like being on a Rabbies coach tour of Skye.

Not wanting to drive Marge over the narrow switchback road that passed the Quiraing we took the scenic route to the north, the road hugging the coast most of the way. Mistake. The newly laid road soon returned to that of potholes and in two places subsidence. Oh, by the way don’t look down. A collapsing road, large potholes, let’s throw a loose cow into the mix. The inquisitive creature sniffed at the fuel filler cap on a van coming in the opposite direction. I don’t want it sniffing me. Neither does we Marge, let’s just pass by slowly. Time had run away from us, so we stopped for lunch at Uig. The sun was now bright.

The car ferry arrived for the Outer Hebrides and we noticed our French neighbours from last night were in the queue.

The Fairy Glen was great. Like a film set for a hobbit movie. A landscape of miniature small cone-shaped hills, rocky outcrops and tiny lochans. It was like a secret place, except it wasn’t, other people seemed to want to visit as well. On the internet there were pictures of fairy rings. Circles in the grass dotted with small stones. The rings were visible, but someone with OCD had tidied up the stones, arranging them in a large pile in the centre of the rings.

Time ticking we set off for Elgol a journey of a fair few miles. At Broadford a fuel stop for Marge. The last fifteen miles of the journey were a little challenging, narrow and slow. The Cuillin mountains closed in on us, seeming a little daunting in the low cloud. We arrived at Elgol harbour by way of a very long, no, very, very long steep hill. It’s going to be a difficult start to the day tomorrow Marge, you’ll be wheezing by the time we reach the top. We’ll apologise now.

Elgol is one of Skye’s most famous photography locations. If the weather is clear the jagged peaks of the Cuillin mountains can be clearly seen. Sadly not this evening. The honeycombed cliffs, huge boulders, and striated bedrock are all striking.

It has been a long day, but we have enjoyed seeing more of the island. Tonight the fresh breeze blowing off the sea will hopefully rock us to sleep. An early start tomorrow, as we are booked on a lunchtime ferry back across to Mallaig on the mainland. This has been our second visit to Skye this trip and our third in two years, but not our last. We know we’ll return sometime. There’s still more to see isn’t there Marge?

Portree

This morning was the calm after yesterday's storm. Marge remained leak free overnight. Today the forecast further south was better so that's where we're heading Marge. As we left Shieldaig it basked in an autumn light high-lighting the beauty all around. 

Right Marge. Today we're going to pop back over to the Isle of Skye. What again? Yes. There's a beach we want to visit and Wednesdays weather forecast is good so we're going to take a look.

Our journey to Skye was pleasant. Pretty, stunning, beautiful, amazing, wow inducing views all the way. As we approached Skye, we could see the Skye bridge clearly sitting beneath a ribbon of cloud.

First stop Marge Kyleakin for John to forage mussels. Unfortunately, the tide was in, so they weren't accessible. Never mind, there may be an opportunity somewhere else. 

An overnight space was awaiting Marge in Portree with a view into the natural harbour. After being confined in Marge most of yesterday we were keen to walk out, so headed for the town calling at the bookshop to buy The Photographers Guide to Scotland, covering Skye, Glen Coe and The Trossachs.

Then ventured out of the town to the Scorrybreac Trail where we stopped to watch a young man wake boarding in the harbour. Portee was busy. It is the Scottish autumn half term holiday and of course the people of Scotland want to enjoy their beautiful country as well. 

We are off to the other side of the island tomorrow to visit Coral beach. Then we must plan the last two weeks of our trip. 

Any ideas Marge? 

Shieldaig

On our return to Marge from the Fairy Lochs yesterday John spotted some Girolles amongst the Birch trees, so once again this morning it was mushroom omelette for breakfast.

After some rain in the night, this morning we were able to enjoy a clear view across the water. The golden ferns in the background catching the weak sunlight. This wouldn't be a bad view to wake up to every morning would it, Marge? That was to be the best of today's weather. 

About an hour after we left Badachro the rain started. The drive through Glen Torridon was miserable. The Beinn Eighe national nature reserve hidden in the mist. The mountains cloaked in a lowering cloud. A road full of water filled potholes. This was not Scotland at its best. Believe us Marge, we're not happy either. We were heading for Shieldaig a small village beside Loch Torridon. We stayed here last year on a pleasant dry fairly warm Sunday evening. It was obvious our stay this time would be a little different.

Arriving in time for a late lunch we were unable to park on the grassed area beside the Loch. Because of the heavy rained it had been coned off to save the grass, and rightly so. We settled Marge opposite the small village shop. The window displays featured water pistols, buckets and spades. kites and postcards. Excuse us. Is it still summer here? When we were in Pitlochry a while ago now, some of the shops there were selling umbrellas. They might want to send a few up here. Around two-thirty the rain took a breath, and Angela walked out to the end of the village to put some money in the donation box. Knowing we would just have to sit the afternoon out we caught up on Strictly. At least we had internet. 

We have now been away for five and half weeks and today has been the worst weather we've had. The forecast is for the heavy rain to continue until mid-morning tomorrow. Great. And just when the afternoon couldn't get more miserable. Water started coming in above the dashboard on the driver's side. Marge, you've wet Angela's seat. Water and Marge do not seem to get on well together. Note. Add this problem to all her other water issues. After a little thought, we decided to turn the van around so the water on the roof was running slightly backwards. Result, hopefully we would survive the night without any more problems. 

Tomorrow we will drive back down towards Skye. We need to start heading back south in order to be home by October 27th. Meanwhile, after so much heavy rain tomorrows drive will have to be slow and sure. We have driven this section before and know the road is a little rough in places, so go careful please Marge.

Weather looking a little different when we stayed here last year.