A Long Walk on the Isle of Skye (Part 5)

Day 6


Loch Sligachan to Portree

I was up and off early this morning, and immediately missed the path to the road end at Peinchorran. Instead, I ended up scaling a few fences on the way over moorland to pick up the coast road before taking the "low" road beside the sea.

It was a grey morning and my thoughts turned to home as I made my way past Balmeanach Bay. I had pre-booked train tickets for the journey home on Tuesday, today was Friday.
This meant the last couple of days from Portree to Rubba Hunnish would need to be rushed and hard going, totally out of context with the walk so far.
I wanted to finish the walk to the northern point on Skye in the same way I had enjoyed the walk so far.

It was at this point that I decided that this walk would end at Portree and that I would return at a later date to continue to the far north or the island in the same leisurely manner that I had enjoyed over the past week.

The landscape of Skye is far too good to rush.

Glamaig from moorland above Loch Sligachan

The Narrows of Raasay

As far as road walks go, this was a little beauty, great views over to Raasay and up the coastline to Ben Tianavaig.

Ben Tianavaig from the Braes

The Braes from memorial cairn

The cairn commemorates a brave battle for land tenure by the former crofters from these parts during the clearance programme in 1882. A bit of research has revealed that this was a very important battle in Scottish clearances history which led to new legislation being written protecting the rights of crofters.

The route from here involved more road walking, breakfast was taken at the Aros centre before I plodded through town to the harbour.

Portree Harbour, Journeys end......for now.

During the planning for this walk I had discovered that a favourite Scottish band of mine, Frightened Rabbit, were playing at the Community Centre in town tonight. I had purchased a ticket for the show and this would bring the curtain down nicely on what had been a great week on Skye.
I dropped on Frightened Rabbit recording songs on the beach at Portree in the afternoon before catching the show later on.
Needless to say, I woke up the following morning with a hangover, I groggily packed up my gear for the last time on this trip and caught the bus to Inverness to begin the long journey home.   

Frightened Rabbit on Portree beach

The Isle of Skye is a remarkable place. Granted, I had been blessed with exceptional weather for almost all of the trip but I have a feeling I would have loved this place in any weather.

Until the next time.....

Swim Until You Can't See Land

A Long Walk on the Isle of Skye (Part 4)

Day 5

Loch Coruisk to Loch Sligachan

The Loch Coruisk wild camp had been something I had wanted to do ever since I had first seen photos of this wild place. I had made the most of it, and stayed awake until late watching the stars appear and drinking on the last of the whisky.
As a result, I enjoyed the best sleep of the trip and woke at about 8 am. I loitered around for a while, marvelling at this spectacular location before finally packing up and setting off walking back along the path beside the Loch.
A soggy path ascends below Sgurr na Srti up the the bealach below Sgurr Hain.

It was another beautiful morning and I was blessed with wonderful views all day.

Loch a' Choire Riabhaich

Coullin backdrop from the bealach below Sgurr Hain

Marsco and Ruadh Stac

Sgurr nan Gillean from River Sligachen

The walk out to the Sligachan Hotel was a pleasure, I passed the only walkers that I had seen on the entire trip, three solo walkers heading in the opposite direction.

The peace and quiet was interrupted at one point by a couple of low flying Tornado's out on exercise.

Lunch was taken in the hotel. Fish and Chips washed down with a few pints of Guinness sat by the log fire in the lounge bar.  

There was no need to hurry today, in fact the entire walk had been a leisurely affair and extended lunch stops and early camps had been a feature of the walk. 

Eventually, I shouldered the pack and pushed on along a lovely path on the north shore of Loch Sligachan to a perfect pitch a mile or so short of the road.

Burn on An Leitir

Loch Sligachan camp.

Glamaig across Loch Sligachan

Another memorable day's walking on the Winged Isle.