It seems that Skye has a very rich culture in folk music. Lots of music artistes also hail from Skye. We were introduced to this very catchy tune aptly known as "The Isle of Skye" by the Corries which was played in the coach. My roomie got so hooked on it that ever since returning to Loughborough, he's been having this song on repeat in his laptop!
A drawing in our hostel depicting the Isle of Skye
And off we go! Slight rain in the morning, and our first stop was this stream where I seriously forgot what the guide was trying to tell us, but the whole point of it was to dip our faces into the cold, fresh water. Think it's trying to say just how erm...pure the water is here on Skye?
Yes...soaked and endorsing the freshness of Skye!
Not just me..but everybody!
Ok...so I'm really very very awake after dunking my head into the cold water
Sights on Skye
Black houses in Trotternish on Skye. Black houses used to accommodate livestock and people and were very common throughout the Highlands in the past. These are restored ones.
Arrived at the Kilmuir Graveyard where here lies the remains of the MacDonald clan, and most notably, Flora MacDonald.
A bit unsettling to be touring a cemetary. However, our guide gave us quite a history of the MacDonald clan. The view here out to sea also somehow made me think that this place is actually quite a good resting place indeed.
Next destination was the ruins of Duntulm Castle. But before that, some scenery, jumping shots, landmine of sheep dung and erm...a very cute lamb that kept following us all the way up! Mehhhhhhhhh!
What remains of Duntulm castle....inhabited by alot of sheep...can you spot one?
That's one over there....
Wonder what living on Skye would be like...to wake up to the open sea everyday...
Hmm.....toilet break at the smallest toilet on Skye?!?
A lone phonebooth with the Cuillin Mountains in the distance...there's this postcard with this booth and a highland cow beside which I thought was pretty cool...pity no cow in sight...
Arrived next at Staffin, where the Kilt Rock and Waterfall was. Used to be a place where dinosaurs roamed and some fossils were found.
Up next was the Old Man of Storr, a famous rock in the Black Cuillin. It's the piece of rock sticking out on the right hand side of the pic, after much confusion and finger pointing by the guide
Legend says that this old man living on Skye loved hiking through the mountains all his life that he became one with nature when he died...
Portree, which is the capital town of the Isle of Skye. Although there's significantly more activity here at the marina, the pace of life here is relatively slow...
Parting shots to Skye
Yes...soaked and endorsing the freshness of Skye!
Not just me..but everybody!
Ok...so I'm really very very awake after dunking my head into the cold water
Sights on Skye
Black houses in Trotternish on Skye. Black houses used to accommodate livestock and people and were very common throughout the Highlands in the past. These are restored ones.
Arrived at the Kilmuir Graveyard where here lies the remains of the MacDonald clan, and most notably, Flora MacDonald.
A bit unsettling to be touring a cemetary. However, our guide gave us quite a history of the MacDonald clan. The view here out to sea also somehow made me think that this place is actually quite a good resting place indeed.
Next destination was the ruins of Duntulm Castle. But before that, some scenery, jumping shots, landmine of sheep dung and erm...a very cute lamb that kept following us all the way up! Mehhhhhhhhh!
What remains of Duntulm castle....inhabited by alot of sheep...can you spot one?
That's one over there....
Wonder what living on Skye would be like...to wake up to the open sea everyday...
Hmm.....toilet break at the smallest toilet on Skye?!?
A lone phonebooth with the Cuillin Mountains in the distance...there's this postcard with this booth and a highland cow beside which I thought was pretty cool...pity no cow in sight...
Arrived next at Staffin, where the Kilt Rock and Waterfall was. Used to be a place where dinosaurs roamed and some fossils were found.
Up next was the Old Man of Storr, a famous rock in the Black Cuillin. It's the piece of rock sticking out on the right hand side of the pic, after much confusion and finger pointing by the guide
Legend says that this old man living on Skye loved hiking through the mountains all his life that he became one with nature when he died...
Portree, which is the capital town of the Isle of Skye. Although there's significantly more activity here at the marina, the pace of life here is relatively slow...
Parting shots to Skye
Our bus tour next led us to the Clansman Centre in Fort Augustus. The memories of Skye were now behind us and we were now treated to a bit of an insight into the life of a Scottish highlander in the medieval times
Showing off some weapons used by the highlanders. That shield is menacing close up with spikes portruding out...a sheer example of how a Scottish warrior could easily dispatch off 3 to 4 English warriors..
A demonstration of how to wear the kilt..this guy (one half of the Canadian couple and sabo-ed into volunteering) had to strip to his undies to wear it and he was so darn paiseh abt it!!
A bit of role-play here...oh and they found a Highlander wife for him too!
It was a short walk next across the Fort Augustus bridge to our hostel, the Morag's Lodge where we stayed the night.
This leads out to Loch Ness...yes, u heard it...the Loch Ness as well as the legendary Loch Ness monster :p
Retired to Morag's Lodge where our allocated room name was Skye! Odd, considering we have already left the Isle of Skye. Regardless, spent the night playing cards, hogging the piano at the main hall and chilling before we start our Loch Ness monster hunting the next day!
Showing off some weapons used by the highlanders. That shield is menacing close up with spikes portruding out...a sheer example of how a Scottish warrior could easily dispatch off 3 to 4 English warriors..
A demonstration of how to wear the kilt..this guy (one half of the Canadian couple and sabo-ed into volunteering) had to strip to his undies to wear it and he was so darn paiseh abt it!!
A bit of role-play here...oh and they found a Highlander wife for him too!
It was a short walk next across the Fort Augustus bridge to our hostel, the Morag's Lodge where we stayed the night.
This leads out to Loch Ness...yes, u heard it...the Loch Ness as well as the legendary Loch Ness monster :p
Retired to Morag's Lodge where our allocated room name was Skye! Odd, considering we have already left the Isle of Skye. Regardless, spent the night playing cards, hogging the piano at the main hall and chilling before we start our Loch Ness monster hunting the next day!
The next morning started with a stopover at Urquhart Castle along Loch Ness. Did not enter the castle though as we were there even before the opening hours! Therefore it was quite funny that we had to climb across a bit of the barricade to take photos
That darn barricade there
Managed to peer down to see a trebuchet model in the field
After this, we arrived at this huge shop by the banks of the Loch Ness selling all sorts of tourist souvenirs. A bit of shopping underway here...
Filled with the Loch Ness monsters...
Call him Nessie!
Ok...i gotta admit...Nessie's kinda cute
What's under the kilt?
Nessie statues outside the shop
And a very fat one...
The Loch Ness...trying to spot the monster....
Aha!! Gotcha!!
Nessie's running away.....
Keke...truth is...all of us bought a Nessie soft toy!! Ben with an extra pink one though....hahaha!
Gah!! Weisiong got mauled by Nessie!
Group pic of the entire Haggis tour group....and we are still hanging on to our Nessies...our guide is wearing the Nessie hat though.... :p
I conquered Loch Ness!!
Managed to peer down to see a trebuchet model in the field
After this, we arrived at this huge shop by the banks of the Loch Ness selling all sorts of tourist souvenirs. A bit of shopping underway here...
Filled with the Loch Ness monsters...
Call him Nessie!
Ok...i gotta admit...Nessie's kinda cute
What's under the kilt?
Nessie statues outside the shop
And a very fat one...
The Loch Ness...trying to spot the monster....
Aha!! Gotcha!!
Nessie's running away.....
Keke...truth is...all of us bought a Nessie soft toy!! Ben with an extra pink one though....hahaha!
Gah!! Weisiong got mauled by Nessie!
Group pic of the entire Haggis tour group....and we are still hanging on to our Nessies...our guide is wearing the Nessie hat though.... :p
I conquered Loch Ness!!
Fun and goofing aside, our next trip was to Culloden where the famous Culloden battle was fought in 1746 between the Jacobites (consisting mainly of Scottish highlanders) and the English forces. Historically, the English won the battle and the aftermath resulted in outlawing of Highland dress and the oppression of Highland clan system.
Panorama of the battlefield; the blue flag representing the Jacobites and the red, the English
Memorial to the clansmen
The enclosure where English troops lay in wait for a devastating ambush
Many more Jacobite soldiers fell as compared to the English government forces. The numbers of fallen on both sides are represented by the 2 groups of projecting stones in the wall...can you guess which side is which?
Panorama of the battlefield; the blue flag representing the Jacobites and the red, the English
Memorial to the clansmen
The enclosure where English troops lay in wait for a devastating ambush
Many more Jacobite soldiers fell as compared to the English government forces. The numbers of fallen on both sides are represented by the 2 groups of projecting stones in the wall...can you guess which side is which?
All in all, a very informative afternoon as we got to tour the entire Culloden Moor to witness the battlefield. There were quite a few helpful boards that explained to us the positions of the Jacobites and English as well as how the battle panned out.
Lunchtime at The Tipsy Land bar at Kingussie where we tried haggis...
This is haggis, a traditional Scottish dish. Comprises of sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Sound disgusted yet? But surprisngly I found it rather delicious!
This is haggis, a traditional Scottish dish. Comprises of sheep's 'pluck' (heart, liver and lungs), minced with onion, oatmeal, suet, spices, and salt, mixed with stock, and traditionally boiled in the animal's stomach for approximately three hours. Sound disgusted yet? But surprisngly I found it rather delicious!
After getting recharged by erm...sheep intestines, we headed to Dunkeld for a bit of a nature walk in the Hermitage.
I must admit...did not expect to actually walk through a temperate rainforest...kinda recalling my past geography lessons liaoz...but the trees are very thin and tall here
Fast flowing waters of the River Braan
Entered a shelter (later learned that it is actually called the Ossian's Hall of Mirrors) where we had a glimpse of the Black Linn waterfall
Other sights
4 leaf clover...YS and Sista were particularly excited to see this cos it's quite rare and we should make a wish!
Hiding out in Ossian's Cave
And finally our drive back to Edinburgh where it all started...the Forth Railway bridge seen here upon entering Edinburgh...a marvelous feat of engineering
Camped at airport for a few hours awaiting our flight back to Loughborough where we started writing our memorable Scottish experience in postcards and sending it home!
I must admit...did not expect to actually walk through a temperate rainforest...kinda recalling my past geography lessons liaoz...but the trees are very thin and tall here
Fast flowing waters of the River Braan
Entered a shelter (later learned that it is actually called the Ossian's Hall of Mirrors) where we had a glimpse of the Black Linn waterfall
Other sights
4 leaf clover...YS and Sista were particularly excited to see this cos it's quite rare and we should make a wish!
Hiding out in Ossian's Cave
And finally our drive back to Edinburgh where it all started...the Forth Railway bridge seen here upon entering Edinburgh...a marvelous feat of engineering
Camped at airport for a few hours awaiting our flight back to Loughborough where we started writing our memorable Scottish experience in postcards and sending it home!
For more pics, go http://picasaweb.google.com/eicko2000/SkyeBeyond
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