Saturday - July 8 - Isle of Skye
It was an early morning start today, 8:30, for the Isle of Skye; and it was a long day, returning at 4pm. Lots and lots of driving, but boy oh boy, what beautiful countryside the Highlands and the Isle of Skye have!
I drove by the famed Loch Ness, a fabled lake of many moods, from the sultry to the serene. Beneath its placid surface, the occasional sturgeon has been spotted.
And who hasn't heard the tale of the Loch Ness monster, often spoken of, but seldom seen? The legend of Nessie, though never proven to be real, has a long history. Its first reported sighting was in 565 AD!
When talking with the west coast locals, they say they really think there is something in the Loch, but definitely not a dinosaur. There is Nessie Land, a very touristy stop, and if you talk with the locals long enough, you know that they hope it is never proven there is nothing in the water, as their livelihood depends on people believing there is. So who knows......maybe yes; maybe no.
It is recorded that a 7th century monk said he saw a monster in the water. In addition, reliable people (doctors, bankers, etc.) have been quoted as seeing something.
Not all the wonders of Loch Ness are beneath its surface. The area also has a vibrant bird population, acting as a flight path for sea birds migrating between the Atlantic Ocean and the North Sea. It is common to see buzzards circling above the banks of the loch. Although rare, eagles do make an occasional appearance. Also seen from time to time are the increasingly rare ospreys out fishing for a quick bite or two.
I was surprised to learn that Loch Ness is 23 miles long and 1 mile wide. It is the largest fresh water lake in the UK. And I was told that if you add up all the lakes in England and all the lakes in Wales, they would not be as large as Loch Ness, which is over 860 feet deep! The color of the lake remains consistently the same. By the way, the Loch Ness is too cold to swim in. It is reported to be 44 degrees.
While going by the loch, we saw red deer quite a bit. I hear there were some reindeer introduced to the area and are thriving now at a head count of around 100. On the edge of the Loch Ness is a nice photo stop of Urquhart Castle. You can get tickets to go inside. I did not.
The signs when you get up in the Highlands and onward to the Isle of Skye change to writing in Gaelic and Scottish. Gaelic is apparently dying out, although there is one island where the people only speak Gaelic and do not know anything else. I saw a book in a store that was called Learn Gaelic in 12 Weeks. I don't think so. I looked at the words, and I know I would take many more weeks than 12.
I mentioned it to a Scottish lady, and she looked doubtful. She said you would have to use every waking hour of the day for 12 weeks to maybe be able to speak it, but she shook her head while saying it.
I learned about the Jacobites and how they defeated the Spanish. Jacobitism was a political movement in Great Britain and Ireland that aimed to restore the Roman Catholic Stuart King James VII and his heirs to the thrones of England, Scotland, and Wales. Today, you can see references to the Jacobites up in the Highland area. There was a restaurant along the drive called Jac-O-Bite!
I went over the mile-long bridge from the Highlands to the Isle of Skye, spending a few hours driving around and having lunch. There are around 800 islands on the west coast of Scotland, and Skye is the largest. It is 886 square miles. By comparison, Rhode Island is 1,045 square miles (land only). The west coast is known for its seafood. Dolphins, whales, and orcas have been seen along the coast.
The Isle of Skye is considered the jewel of the Inner Hebrides. Often referred to in Gaelic as Eileen a' Cheo (the misty isle), Skye is beautiful with its jagged mountain ridges, placid inlets and bay, and charming villages.
Eilean Donan Castle was a great photo stop. It has been used in many films, perhaps the most famous one was the "Highlander." It was also featured in the James Bond film "The World is Not Enough." Most recently it was featured in the film "Maid of Honor."
Natural beauty is all around the northern part of Scotland , especially in the form of the Cuillin Mountains, a favorite destination of climbers and hikers alike. These commanding heights can be appreciated at a distance, as seen by traveling the coastlines that wind through the hills and moors, and thru history-rich villages.
The largest Scottish clan all over the world is MacDonald. Then I am told the MacCloud clan is next, but I have never heard that name before.
The weather was really nice, around 55 today. It ranged from cloudy to what they call liquid sunshine, which is slight rain. The sun popped in and out, and it was mostly windy.
The moors looks quite brooding, but I loved the different shades of green all over the place. The air was brisk, but it was nice to have the fresh air.
Last year in Ireland I loved all the green landscape. I would say the difference between Ireland's landscape and Scotland is that the green of Ireland is deeper and the landscape has higher grasses. More moors in Scotland.
There are many places where there are only single lane roads. So sometimes squeezing by a vehicle coming the opposite way was a challenge. Absolutely no passing from cars behind you. I would not want to drive these roads by myself.
Lunch was at Armadale Castle, a ruined country house on Skye. It is the former home of the MacDonalds. A mansion house was first built here around 1790. In 1815 a Scottish baronial style mock-castle, intended for show rather than defense, was built next to the house.
After 1855 the part of the house destroyed by fire was replaced by a central wing. Since 1925 the castle, abandoned by the MacDonald family, has fallen into ruin. The gardens around the castle have been maintained, and are now home to the Clan Donald Centre, which operates the Museum of the Isles.
After lunch I walked around the grounds, which were beautiful with ponds and gardens. I did not go into the museum and just meandered throughout the castle area. It is a 20,000 acre estate and had beautiful walks thru the woodlands.
Overheard in the cafe was someone wanting their bacon to be cooked a certain way. The lady said to the guest: "My husband has been making the bacon for 30 years; it comes as it comes!" Ha! So I guess you don't ask for any special way of cooking your food at that place.
On the way back to Inverness, a stop was made at a Victorian hunting lodge called Ledgowan Lodge. It is a lovely place to have tea and biscuits. It has 12 rooms to stay in and is still decorated as it was in 1904.
The hotel was originally built as a private shooting lodge for Major Ross as part of his 8,500 acre Ledgowan estate. It took six years to complete, being virtually hand built. However, due to the high costs involved in running the estate it was sold to Lord Latymer of Coutts Bank, London.
It remained in the family until the second World War, when the army used it as a barracks for their officers, but keeping it in top condition. After the war, Ledgowan remained empty for around 15 years. It was then discreetly converted into a country house hotel, and separated from the estate, although retaining most of its original charm and character.
I was hoping to get to see Balmoral, the Queen's residence, while in Scotland, after all, she is in Edinburgh! But I understand that it is not anywhere close. Same with the castle the Queen Mother used as her home, the Castle Mey, but it is further north than I am at this time.
At a stop I saw Cloted Cream Fudge! I resisted and did not buy it.
You might find the following interesting, found in a Scottish book I was reading in a book store. It said the ideal wedding present is a hen! That is the Scottish tradition. You should give to the bride's mother, to cook and serve to her guests as part of the wedding feast. She will have a party in the kitchen too, as she cooks with her female friends and helpers....the original hen party!
Other Scottish courtship and wedding traditions include:
Bundling - Get into bed with your boyfriend or girlfriend, but fully dressed and with your legs bound together. That way you can spend all night cuddling, but nothing more!
Handfasting (trial wedding) - A public promise to be true to your loved one, and live with them for a year as if you were married. After that, you can marry (especially if there is a baby on the way) or part in a friendly honorable way.
Reitach (Gaelic betrothal) - Go to your girlfriend's house and ask her father for permission to marry. If he agrees, you and your girlfriend must drink whisky from a special bridal cup together. Now you are engaged. It is official!
Wear a wedding ring - Not a gold band, but a ring shaped like clasped hands, on your right thumb or ring finger.
Wait for a new moon to hold your wedding ceremony, but never marry in May. It is sacred to the Virgin Mary.
Here are some more Scottish words/terms:
Trauchled = tired and bothered
Wee = small; hear this a lot; it was a wee bit of porridge I had this morning
Sair = sore
Slider = ice ream between wafers
Poke = paper bag
Guid = good
Fernitickles = freckles
Close = narrow passage between buildings
Bothy = farm cottage
Aye = always
I just found out that July is National Ice Cream Month and July 16 is National Ice Cream Day! I love ice cream and I try to make sure I get a scoop every day while on vacation! Just doing my part to celebrate appropriately.
Tomorrow I plan to visit Culloden Moor to learn more about the Jacobite uprising. I also want to see Brodie Castle. And if I have time I will try to get over to the Inverness Museum and Art Gallery. Clan Donald is said to have burned the town at least seven times, while Bonnie Prince Charlie's forces destroyed the fort here in 1745. So the museum would have a lot of interesting information to take in.
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I think you have the wanderlust in you, just like me. 
