Torvaig Caravan And Camping Site Portree

... on. I stopped in a parking, view point over looking the Isle of Skye, couldn't actually see Skye due to the low clouds. I ate my lunch and it almost felt like the car was being blown over, the winds were so strong.

I got to the SYHA Torriden at around 15:00 and it didn't open until 17:00 so I had a wee nap in the car park. I must be getting old, having an afternoon nap!!!

... to be careful out in the ocean!

We stopped at the Talisker Whiskey Distillery on the Island, this is what the Swedes had been waiting for the whole trip!! Yuk still don't like whiskey but it was interesting to see how they made it from Barley.. smelled a bit!! lol We searched for salmon jumping in the rivers on our way back but didn't see any,we watched for stag and deer but didn't see any.. ah ...

... For 9 days they slept and ate amongst them, then masacred them.

There was heaps more but I'd be here all day!!

Our first stop was Loch Lomond.. lovely, beautiful lake.. great way to start off the trip. On our way north we stopped at the Donvegan castle.. famous for settings for movies.. more on that later.

Our first night was in Portree on the Isle of Skye.. by the time we arrived here we had had rain, rain and more rain.. and it was bitterly cold!!

... parts of the island where most of the road was single lane with passing bays every 200 metres or so. It was a bit scary on occassions especilly one descent down a mountain side which consisted of two extremly steep and narrow decents connected by a hairpin bend so narrow I thought the car would spin on on its centre as it turned.

Sue

This is what I was most looking forward to in ...

... Mike Bentley called up, the conversation was along the lines of:

Mike: fancy catching up for a beer tonight.
Ian: Can't, I'm driving up to Scotland in 2 hours to go hiking on the Isle of Skye. Actually, you interested in joining.
Mike: Yep, why not, see you shortly.

... made it with minutes to spare. The whole car ferry experience was quite thrilling, for neither of us had ever been on one. Sitting on the deck above our little 'cedes, it was a bit nippy due to the breeze coming off of the Sound of Sleat. We were in dire need of this brief reprieve from the confines of the car, so I actually did not mind the cold as much as I usually would. I especially appreciated the calming effect of this break when I ...

... 3 visitors' moorings available. It was either that or stay put for another 3 days, which did not appeal. We had a super sail down the island, touching 8 knots at times with the ever-strengthening south-westerly breeze. Some of the geological formations we passed would I'm sure, excite even the most jaded of geologists and I include a couple here. Also please note the waterfall, this one is at least almost vertical ...

... beautiful and at this time of the year, sunset doesn't arrive until about almost 9.00 pm !! We had to wait quite a while at the windy and cold Point as the wind from the sea somehow brought down the temperature quite a lot. But it was well worth the wait, as can be seen from our photos :-