Skye Calling

Updating websites

2012-01-26T18:54:00.001Z

Its that time of year when tourism related business owners look at their websites and decide they need to make a few tweaks for the forthcoming season. This makes it a busy time of year for me, as most of the Skye websites I have designed have been for such businesses.

On the plus side, it means I am the first to see some of the great new photos people have taken. I am sure the photographers concerned won't mind me sharing one or two here...

Andrea has been busy. She owns a B&B at Crossal. Here are a couple of her latest photos -

They are lovely pictures Andrea, but undoubtedly more dramatic are some of the Cuillin pictures on Graham and Annie's website - SkyeHi Mountain Guides...

That is Graham on top of the Inaccessible Pinnacle... would I stand there for £1,000,000...??? You know, I don't think I could!

Graham takes sea-level pictures too...

Cupar in Video!

2012-01-08T11:41:00.002Z

Ah - ha! Now I have learned how to embed a youtube clip in the blog... clever stuff!

Extreme Weather Travelling

2012-01-06T11:45:00.003Z

As just about everyone in the UK will know, the whole country has been suffering some very extreme weather recently. Travelling back to Skye from Devon the other day, I had the chance to experience some of it first hand.

As I loaded the van in Torquay, I was soaked by the rain and blown about in the wind. Leaving Torquay, there were one or two trees on their sides, but fortunately, not across the roads. Travelling north through Somerset, it was clear that rivers were very close to flooding, some of them already overflowing onto neighbouring fields. Traffic reports on the radio spoke of all manner of road closures in southern Scotland, but I was only going as far as the border this day.I drove on through all kinds of weather, including torrential rain, strong blustery winds which shook the van about, and occasional and brilliant sunshine. Unfortunately, a blown-over truck had caused the closure of the M6 motorway, which led to a lengthy detour, but I arrived unscathed at my B&B in the little border town of Langholm.

The following day, the storm had abated, and I continued north from my B&B. There was deep snow in the Southern Uplands, though the roads had been cleared. In the Glasgow area, there were many trees down, and many buildings showed evidence of damaged roofs. Road signs had also suffered, some with bent support poles, others completely uprooted. There were fallen trees, branches and debris all the way north as far as Fort William, but no snow other than only the usual section where the road climbs to about 1000 feet over the hills west of Invergarry.

Back on Skye, everything had remained normal throughout - there had been heavy rain (normal...) and a stiff breeze (also normal) but no damage to our trees or property.

And it's so nice to be home!

Skye in winter

2011-12-18T18:43:00.003Z

After a wet and windy but mild autumn, we are now enjoying a very calm spell, but it's a whole lot colder. Skye is well known for having three or four different kinds of weather in one day, and sometimes all at once... today, with the thermometer in the car saying it was minus 2C and the sun shining brightly - it was raining...!!

I drove Sue over to Glendale this morning - she had to visit one of her care clients, and wasn't keen on risking her new car on the very icy roads. While Sue was working, I took the chance to grab a couple of photos... These are both taken from the same spot. There was so much going on, with the sunlight and shadows over the glen and the mist swirling round MacLeod's tables, so I've cropped and tweaked them differently, and can't decide which one I prefer - so I'm posting both! As with all pictures in this blog - click on the picture to view it full size.

Ready for Christmas?

2011-12-17T17:09:00.002Z

Sue has been busy writing cards and wrapping presents for a couple of weeks now. Two days ago she spent much of the day baking, and so yesterday, the table was loaded down with home made breads, cakes and biscuits for our annual 'at home' afternoon, at which we welcome friends and neighbours to pop in for a glass or two of mulled wine.

On Monday, Sue sets off south by train to be with her family. I will follow in the van a few days later - I will spend Christmas with Sue's family in London, but then on Boxing Day, I will travel to Devon to see my sister and family, and will then stay a while at Val's in Torquay. Cupar gets to come with me - I hope he copes OK with all the travelling and changes to routines!

Regarding travelling, the weather isn't making things too easy for some parts of the UK, though we are not having too hard-a time here on Skye. I even got out to take a few photos the other day - so here is December sun shine on Loch Ainort -

And this is Glamaig. I wonder if anyone in that plane was looking down at Skye?

Cupar-the-Collie

2011-12-04T20:49:00.001Z

Sue takes HUNDREDS of wonderful photos, VERY few of which ever get seen by anyone outside our own home. We have finally committed ourselves to getting a couple of dozen of Sue's pictures printed, and we plan to put them up on the walls in our cottages.

One of us might post a few examples of her best shots here shortly, but meanwhile, in seaching through Sue's photo archive for cottage-suitable pics, I have come across many pics Sue has taken of our wonderful Cupar... here's just three of my favourites...

Car change

2011-11-25T14:36:00.001Z

After nearly nine years and over 139,000 miles of faithful service, our Jolly Green Giant Citroen C5 had reached the time when it just had to be replaced. Here it is with Sue on the last day it spent with us:

The replacement is a low-mileage and newish Vauxhall Corsa. We spent two days in Inverness trying loads of cars before settling on this one. The runners up were the Ford Fiesta and the Citroen C3. I would have preferred to buy a Citroen, but the latest model C3 hasn't been around for long, so most examples were well over our budget. The Corsa is rather a bland little car, but very pleasant to travel in, and to drive. It should be economical too, with its tiny 1248cc diesel engine. Cupar has already tested out his space in the boot, and seems very happy, and Sue is enjoying having a smaller car to use for her many trips around the island.

Skye sky

2011-11-08T16:42:00.003Z

No photos of Sue and John yet - they have been having a bit of a stressful time lately and are enjoying the peace and quiet of Roskhill while they get their rest and recuperation.

Today, we all enjoyed a brilliant display of sunlight patterns on the hills and moors. Here's the sky from Roskhill, early afternoon today: (as ever - click the picture to see it full-size)

Sister Sue on Skye!

2011-11-04T19:03:00.001Z

Today, we are delighted to welcome to the Barn my sister (also confusingly named Sue) and her husband John. They have taken a few days over the long journey up from their lovely home in Devon, and have managed to bring some sunshine with them. Hooray!! - today was the first properly sunny day we have had in weeks!!

There will be some photos to follow - I promise. (When Sue [wife] takes photos, they remain on her camera for weeks, so don't get posted here, so I will endeavour to take some pics myself...!!!)

John and Julie visit

2011-10-25T18:56:00.004+01:00

I understand I have known John since his birth (I would have been two at the time, so don't recall the event). My earliest memories of him would be at age 5 or so. But, we have remained in touch all our lives, and this week, John and his wife Julie have made the trip to Skye from their home in Essex to visit us.

I know I should have a picture of the two of them, but for now, here's a couple of pics from An Corran, near Staffin, where we visited yesterday...

We went to try to find the 170 million year old fossilised dinosaur footprints... and we were successful... here is one of them...

Then we went on to Bearreraig Bay.

Making the most of the weather

2011-10-14T10:55:00.000+01:00

Don't tell any potential visitors, but we have had some dismal weather on Skye for the last month or more. Some friends are blaming this on the fact that we are currently having the roof replaced at the Barn...

However, not every day has been wet and misty, so when the sky turned blue and the sun shone the other day, on went the boots, and I sampled a forest track that I haven't been down before.

Walking forest tracks, one sees an awful lot of trees, but they can still be very beautiful. And a photo can't portray the perfect peace that surrounds you as you walk.

This particular track leads to a short (but very boggy) climb to the unplanted summit of a hill which affords some unexpectedly far-reaching views. This is north east, to the Trotternish Ridge....

...and this is approximately due south, to the Cuillin.

Rainbow

2011-10-13T12:12:00.000+01:00

Bright late afternoon sun and a heavy rain shower =

What's the weather like - update

2011-10-02T10:57:00.002+01:00

No sooner do I post an item about the weather, than Skye reminds me that it can do some pretty spectacular sunsets too. This was last night, viewed from the front garden here at Roskhill...

What’s the weather like on Skye?

2011-10-01T17:34:00.003+01:00

Unsurprisingly, many potential visitors will want to find out the answer to this question when planning their trip. Trouble is, there is no precise answer.

The Isle of Skye is also known by its Gaelic name of Eilean a’ Cheo, which translates into English as ‘The Misty Isle’. And there-in lies a clue to the climate.

It’s damp.

The air is very fresh and clean. The prevailing wind direction is from the west, where the air has moved over nothing but the sea for hundreds and hundreds of miles, where it gathers moisture. When the air is forced to rise, as it meets land, it cools and drops some of that moisture. So there is often mist over the hills, and it rains a lot. But - it is common for one part of the island to be wet and windy, while a few miles away, the sun shines brightly.

The average annual rainfall is around 55 inches (much more at high altitude). Compare that with London at 22 inches, Birmingham, 26, Manchester, 32. Records show it to be slightly drier in the spring, with May the driest month, and October the wettest. But then, May 2010 was one of the wettest Mays on record… so it is definitely wise for a potential visitor to expect to get some rain during a visit, and bring waterproofs! It is quite unusual for rain to ‘set in’ and continue to fall for days on end. Even when it does, the burns and waterfalls become torrents, so there is something exciting to see whatever the weather!

Unless you are coming from a really hot part of the world, you are unlikely to find Skye to be uncomfortably cold – at any time of the year. The coldest time is January/February, when around the coasts (where most people live) we are likely to see overnight frosts and maybe a little snow. It is much colder at altitude, and there will be snow lying on the hills most of the winter – stunning to see! So, winter visitors, bring your thermals…! The warmest months are July and August, when average highs will be around 16C (61F). This means most summer visitors will want to add a couple of jumpers to their packing list. Bringing layers is best, then you can add or remove a layer or two as the weather changes – and believe me, we can certainly get changeable days!

Another feature of our weather is wind. Skye is an exposed place, so if you are exploring hills or cliff tops, it will be windy. Gales and storms, with winds gusting to 60mph or more, occur most winters, though only last a day or two. Winds that strong are unusual in summer, but if you planning to be a spring or autumn visitor, better pack a hat and scarf as well.

Mind the bog...

2011-09-25T17:54:00.001+01:00

I SAID, MIND THE B....!!

.....Too late.

Cupar is demonstrating the folly of stepping off the track through this particularly boggy section of recently felled forest. It is not an especially scenic place, but it gave us both a walk, and at least I kept my feet dry... Here's a couple of pictures of the track I walked on. (Incidentally, Cupar is visible in both the pictures - can you see him)?

New roof for the Barn

2011-09-22T13:50:00.000+01:00

We had been warned a couple of years ago that the roof tiles on the Barn were close to the end of their useful life. Apparently they wear away gradually, and become brittle and porous. So, work is currently underway to replace the lot, and we are having maintenance free facias and guttering fitted too, as well as new Velux windows for the kitchen and bathroom. The work is being done by a local builder, but redecorating is my job of course. It will be next spring before I tackle that!

Boots on again!

2011-09-09T15:36:00.003+01:00

Sue was home all day, so could look after Cupar. The sun was shining (on and off), so remembering to find my spare camera battery, I grabbed at the opportunity to get my boots on and head off into one of the more remote parts of Skye. Ever since we have lived here, I have looked at our nearby mountains, thinking 'I must get up them one day' and I am now proud to announce that I made it to the top of this one yesterday... (The hill is Healabhal Mhòr, also known as MacLeod's Table North. Click on any picture in this blog to see it full size).

It's not an especially high hill - about 450 metres - and it's mostly grassy but there were some pretty steep sections, so the sense of achievement is immense. And of course, the views from the top make the effort of getting there even more worthwhile.

Having clambered down the steep bits (which is harder on the knees than the climb up...) there's just the squelch back home over the moor. (That's Dunvegan in the distance).

Camera hiccup

2011-08-29T09:39:00.000+01:00

It was one of those rarer moments this year - I had some spare time, Cupar was happy with Sue, and the weather was good..... I could go for a walk!

I plotted myself a route which involved a bit of farm track and some off-track walking which took me to a remote inland loch, a few ruins (I love exploring ruins!) and finally, to one of Skye's bronze age souterrains - this one reputedly difficult to find, as it is just inside a forestry plantation.

All was well as I made my way up the track, and after a mile or so, approached a lovely stone built sheep pen - disused, but in good order. Out came the camera for a picture, and the screen read: 'recharge battery pack'... I muttered a few words that I wouldn't type here... Now what was I to do? Return home and not have my walk, or continue and not have any photos? I chose the latter, and am pleased that I did.

The loch was beautiful, and so, so quiet. The ruined farmstead stood solid and silent, but close to a splashing waterfall. The house is overgrown, roofless, but with walls still standing about 5 feet high. There's remains of a barn alongside. It was possibly inhabited well into the 20th century - I wonder who lived in such a remote spot, and how they lived their days?

A little further on, and with guidance from my magic little GPS 'sat nav' I found the souterrain. Wow! This would have been built some 6,000 years ago. The tiny entrance tunnel is in perfect condition, and leads into an underground chamber - possibly more than one. To get inside would mean crawling on one's stomach - definitely no room to crawl on hands and knees - so I just looked in awe from the outside.

I've ordered a spare battery pack for my camera now, so won't be caught out again. And I'll be retracing the six miles or so of my walk when I get the chance, so some photos will follow...!!!

Back to School

2011-08-16T21:27:00.002+01:00

Not me, I hasten to add... All that kind of thing thankfully came to an end in my former life....

But here in Scotland, the Autumn term started today - at least a couple of weeks before English and Welsh schools get their pupils back behind the desks.

All it means to us, now, is that we have to remember to listen out for the school bus in the mornings as we walk Cupar. In the mornings, we walk up a local township road, and generally see just the same one or two cars every day, but the bus is big - a full-size single-decker - so it is best to be aware of its approach, and find a good place to pause for it to pass and give a wave to the driver.

Drive carefully...!!!

2011-08-14T12:27:00.000+01:00

Doing two turnarounds yesterday meant I had to drive right across the island twice. It was one of those weather days when anything could happen at any time with very little warning - dazzling sunshine, heavy rain, thick drizzle, swirling mist. We were getting frequent bright rainbows, and because of the rain, there were foaming waterfalls splashing down every hillside.

Quite spectacular. (Of course, my camera was safely tucked up at home...grrr)

Now, Saturday is the day in the week when many people begin their holiday, so there were a lot of people driving across Skye yesterday who hadn't been here before. Many of these visitors are foreigners, often driving unfamiliar hire cars and for them, on the 'wrong' side of the road.

Can you see what's coming...? Suddenly-appearing stunning scenery, wet roads, unfamiliar car, someone in the back shouting 'stop, I want to take a photograph'...!

I didn't hit anything, and didn't see any accidents, but near-misses were happening all the time. Cars were parked in the daftest of places, or stopping suddenly without any kind of signal, or creeping along at 20mph inviting reckless overtaking.

My message - when you come to Skye, don't be surprised to find it to be beautiful. And if you are driving, while your passengers may excitedly point out every highland cow or brilliant rainbow, you need to keep concentrating on getting those passengers safely to where you are going. PLEASE remember that there are other people on the road, and don't leave your driving skills at home.

Great weather

2011-07-22T20:19:00.000+01:00

We are enjoying a spell of especially good weather just now. There's a breeze to keep the midges away, but the sun shines much of the time, and the temperatures are up to about 20C.

I've mentioned previously that I have a contact who owns a building plot in Harlosh (a couple of miles from Roskhill). He has a shipping container on the site, and I have taken on the job of giving it a couple of coats of rust-proofing paint. I have to admit, I am thoroughly enjoying spending the occasional hour or two on the job, and when I glance over my shoulder - this is the view...

Squeaking dog

2011-07-20T10:01:00.000+01:00

Cupar is very fond of playing with a tennis ball - when we first tried it, he was clearly very motivated to 'fetch', whether this was a natural instinct, or learned behaviour, we will never know. However, he will now drop the ball at my feet and back off a few yards, then lie down, waiting for the ball to be thrown and retrieved again. He'll keep this up until I get fed up - he seems to be completely tireless.

Cupar also has a talent for finding balls lost by other dogs. The other day, just as we set off for a walk in the Dunvegan woods, he found one which, to his enormous delight, squeaked when he squeezed it. He insisted on carrying it throughout, so our entire walk was accompanied by plaintive little squeaks from the ball, echoing around the silence of the woodland.

Long-term residents

2011-07-13T12:20:00.002+01:00

I guess most places in the world have been occupied by humans for thousands of years, and man has left his monuments and burial mounds and so on.

Somehow, though, when you come across such a location on Skye, where some of the remains are just 'there' - for you to touch, and explore - the feeling of history is much more tangible.

I explored one such place the other day. This is Rubha na Dùnain, near Glen Brittle. No-one lives there now, and it is a three mile walk from the nearest road. But there are relics everywhere. This has been a busy place for thousands of years. There's a neolithic cave, which has been excavated, and signs of its use as a stone napping workshop were discovered....

There's a chambered cairn, also excavated and left open, so the entrance passageway and burial chamber are exposed. It was built at least 5000 years ago! (Sorry, I didn't get a good photo of that one)....

There's an iron-age Dun...

Then there's a canal, providing access from a small loch to the sea. The canal may be over 1000 years old.

And there's quite a substantial house, also possibly 1000 years old, but with a chimney added in the 16th century. And ruins of so many other houses...

Plus - of course - some great views...

(Click any picture to see it full size)

It's looking good on the allotment

2011-07-04T19:19:00.000+01:00

I know - you really want pictures of lochs and mountains... after all, we do live on Skye...

Sorry! We are in full 'work mode' here right now, with turn-rounds, washing and ironing (interspersed with frequent dog-walks) taking priority over jolly hikes on the hills.

Mind you - I am yearning to get my boots on, and have just bought a new camera... so keep watching this space...

But for today, the best I can offer is a couple of today's pictures (old camera) of the Roskhill allotment. It's looking pretty good, considering the shaky start following the cold and windy spring.

Here's the broccoli (nearest, left) sprouts (with the taller sticks) and dwarf runner beans.

Lots of other stuff in the other beds....

Broccoli and sprouts again, and potatoes nearer the shed...

and strawberries...!!! Sue will be making jam soon!

Life goes on...

2011-06-29T20:57:00.001+01:00

Many apologies to our regular Blog followers for the recent gap in postings.

Just recently, there's not been a lot of interest going on to report...

I suppose I could tell you about the new glasses I've just bought from Specsavers.... I think they'll be OK, but they are super-clever varifocals, and apparently they need to fit exactly right on my nose and ears before I can see exactly right, and we are not quite there yet....

Then, I suppose you just might be slightly interested to learn how I have been coping with EVERYTHING (including 4 miles of dog walks every day) while Sue has been away visiting her Mum for over a week...

Or... I could tell you about all the weeds I have been tweaking out from in between my baby veg plants on the allotment...

... or the lawn mowing...

... or the ironing...!!!

But really - life goes on, just the same, and just as much here as everywhere else on the planet. I promise we'll do our best to post something interesting soon...!!!

The allotment needs its own blog!

2011-06-10T20:07:00.002+01:00

I took a couple of photos of the Roskhill allotment today, and then immediately realised that, if only for my own records, I should be photographically recording every significant event that takes place there. If I can find the time, I'll look into adding an allotment-specific page to this blog. If I can't find an easy way to do it, I might start a new blog. just detailing everything I do on the plot. It'll be useful for me, and just might be of interest so someone else out there too! Here's today's photos from Roskhill:

Can you believe that view...???

Incidentally - I also currently have use of another bit of land on a building plot in nearby Harlosh. There, the soil is wet and heavy boulder clay, and there are rabbits... Aargh!!! But I am having fun trying to see if I can successfully grow any vegetables on the site. My first planting of sprouts were rapidly devoured by the bunnies, so sprout-protection is now in place... I think potatoes would do well there, but I was a bit too late this year to get any planted.

Ben Tianavaig - a great walk

2011-06-09T19:07:00.000+01:00

Anyone who has visited Skye is likely to have gazed upon the triangular mountain that rises to the right of Loch Portree. This is Ben Tianavaig. The hill is also prominently visible from Braes, and from one of the bedroom windows at one of our cottages - Aird View. Here's Ben Tianavaig seen from the beach close to Aird View:

Finally, a couple of days ago, the time and weather were right, and I took a walk up the hill. Wow! It's wonderful! The most difficult bit is finding the start of the path in Camustianavaig township - well, I can now tell you, it's right by the post box! The climb starts at sea level and rises some 1,300 feet to the summit. There are a few steepish sections, but mostly the gradient is comfortable. Best of all, there are no burns to ford, and no seriously boggy bits either. Once out of the bracken forest at the start, the going is over short springy grass, and the views are just sensational. My photographs don't do them justice, but enjoy...

There is a traceable path all the way up

The summit is at the top left of this picture

Aird View is approximately in the centre of this picture...!!!

Just look at how far you have come...

The summit, with the Cuillin beyond

Looking north from the summit to The Storr

Soggy spring

2011-05-27T10:03:00.002+01:00

Does bad weather ever make you miserable? You are not alone...

I'm copying below a short section of an email received yesterday from a friend who has lived on Skye for many years, and who tries to be as self sufficient as possible.

"There are really no words to describe the awfulness of the weather, so think I'll pass on that one and hope like me you have enough things to do inside to take your mind off the otherwise unbearably depressing effect of watching everthing outside either shrivel and blacken in the wind or keel over with the weight of the water attacking it from the top as well as at the roots..... Things here are so badly battered now that they will never fully recover, even if we were to get a heat wave as from to-morrow, it's this learning to be accepting no matter what, that I find hardest, and don't expect I'll ever fully master it, or perhaps even want too if it comes to that ! "

Yes, it can be tough. I will be re-planting some of my allotment too. It was disastrous harvests and subsequent famines that drove many of the residents to leave Skye in the 18th century.

Latest Cupar pics...

2011-05-20T17:11:00.002+01:00

....with a bit of a look of, 'will you get off that computer and take me for a WALK?!!!'

Floral fireplace

2011-05-20T14:18:00.000+01:00

Sue is charge of flowers, including the indoor pot plants. Most of these spend their days on the windowsill, but the current 'sunshine and showers' weather means periods of hot dazzling sunshine, which they wouldn't like. So, as the stove is not in use during the summer, they have found a new themselves a new home. Look good, don't they?

Allotment Impatience

2011-05-19T16:28:00.001+01:00

I have almost all of the ground in the allotment planted now. The weeds had not reappeared much over the winter, so preparing the ground was easy. The potatoes went in first, and are growing well. Every one of them has come up. The onion sets are all looking good too - only about three have failed to sprout.

Elsewhere, most things are barely poking a leaf above the soil. I find myself on my hands and knees looking for the first sign of a carrot leaf or a shooting runner bean.... today, I excitedly spotted that the swedes are showing - just two little seed-leaves to each baby plant. Just think about how big they will grow over the next six months!

To be fair - the brussels sprouts and broccoli are all six inches tall or more - but they were started in pots, and have only been put in the ground today, each one tied to a stake in an attempt to prevent them being broken by the wind.

This year, I have been offered the use of some land on a nearby building plot to grow a few more veggies. It's only about three miles from Roskhill, but the soil is very different - being clay. I'm going to try the sprouts, broccoli and cabbages over there, as they were not very successful here last year. It will be interesting to see which location suits the plants the best.

Living on Skye

2011-05-15T22:01:00.000+01:00

It’s not at all difficult to see what makes visitors to Skye think that Skye is a wonderful place to live.

Skye is stunningly beautiful. It is peaceful, magical, etherial. Nature is vibrant. There's more sheep than people. Strangers wave to each other. People have time to stop for a chat. The roads are virtually empty of traffic…. and yet the post arrives every day, there is high speed broadband, and the supermarket is stocked with just the same fruit and vegetables as you will find in Edinburgh, or even in the south of England.

There are building plots for sale with wonderful views….. “we could build the home of our dreams here”…. There are lovely houses for sale too… lots and lots of them… business premises too…

errrr... What does that tell you.....?

BUT…..

Living on Skye IS every bit as wonderful as people imagine …….…..providing they are of the right mind to live here.

What do I mean by that?

Well, don’t tell the tourists… but… Skye is wet, cold and infested with midges. The wet and cold can be anytime, including mid-summer. Shorts and tee shirts are just never the right clothing for Skye. GOOD NEWS…the midges only swarm between May and September.

Joking aside - every member of the family who move to Skye with you MUST want to move here and live here just as much as you. Do they all like wet, cold and midges?

If you plan to move to Skye and in doing so, you will move away from close friends or family – you MUST be sure that both you and they are completely happy with that. On Skye, you will be as far from London than London is from Innsbruck in Austria or Milan in Italy.. It’s an awful long way to ‘pop back to see the kids’.

You will need LOTS of money. Living on Skye is much more expensive than you can imagine. It’s not just the inflated cost of petrol for the car, or the huge distances you have to drive to do the shopping - it’s the cost of heating your home (summer as well as winter, remember) and the cost of maintaining it too. ‘Weathering’ happens at least twice as fast here as in the south of

England

– so expect to be decorating outside every couple of years, and replacing the entire roof every 25.

You will need to be totally comfortable with the silence. Are you OK with not seeing another human being, outside of anyone who lives with you, for several days at a time? Are you SURE? It’s an expensive mistake to move here only to find that you are crying out for human company after six months…

Then there’s cinema, shows, soccer, shopping…

Can’t we do that on Skye…?

B&B or Self Catering?

2011-05-13T19:23:00.002+01:00

B&B or Bed and Breakfast is a convenient way for a travelling visitor to procure a bed for the night and breakfast the next morning. There are many B&B establishments in Skye and Lochalsh, ranging from small croft cottages to large modern purpose built premises.

Historically, the B&B business started when Skye began to become a tourist attraction. People wanted to visit this unique and beautiful part of Scotland, and they needed somewhere to sleep. Crofters would often be asked if they had ‘a bed for the night’ and soon, the hospitable offer of free accommodation turned into a useful money-making business, usually operated by the crofter’s wife.

Visitors would share the crofter’s house – maybe sleeping in a spare bedroom, but sharing the bathroom facilities (such as they were) and eating breakfast with the family. There are still a few B&Bs where little has changed, though over the years, it has become commonplace for B&B accommodation to include an en suite bathroom or the exclusive use of a separate bathroom, and many establishments also offer a guest lounge and dining room, often with free broadband access for the wi-fi equipped traveller. B&B businesses are invariably family owned and run, and many hosts take pride in offering substantial high quality cooked breakfasts to their guests.

In the 1950s, an increasing demand for holiday accommodation encouraged local residents to come up with other ways of providing beds for the visitors. By putting a caravan on the croft, beds could be provided for visitors who were willing to cook their own breakfasts. Ideally, such visitors would stay for a full week, rather than the night or two that the B&B guests would stay… and the idea of self-catering was born.

There are still a few self catering caravans to be found on Skye, but the modern visitor has come to expect self catering accommodation to provide all the space and comfort of home. So today, although self catering accommodation comes in all shapes and sizes - from one bedroom chalets and apartments, through restored croft cottages to modern bungalows and houses with five or six bedrooms - a typical self catering cottage will be equipped with a modern fully fitted kitchen with full size cooker, fridge and freezer, microwave oven, electric kettle and toaster, a washing machine and maybe even a dishwasher. There will be a comfortably furnished lounge with colour TV, and bedrooms will be made up with cosy duvets. The bathroom is likely to have an electric shower.

The ‘icing on the cake’ is that the majority of B&Bs and self catering accommodation in Skye and Lochalsh is situated in stunning locations, with views to die for out of every window. A visitor is more likely to be woken in the morning by birdsong rather than traffic noise, and when they draw back the curtains; they will probably be greeted by a view of grazing sheep, the sea, mountains and sky.

Are you coming to visit soon?

Birthday Treat - Photos!

2011-04-28T13:41:00.000+01:00

As mentioned in my last post, As a very special Birthday Treat, Sue bought me a voucher for a helicopter trip over Lochalsh and south Skye. I took the trip the other day, and have now edited some of the many photographs I took. I'm posting just a few of them here. I'm uploading them full resolution, so if you click on a photo, you should be able to zoom in for greater detail.

The trip started from Plockton airfield. This is the track of the flight as created by my GPS device.

- and here we are, setting off from Plockton:

As you can see, it was rather cloudy, with the tops of the hills hidden, but the pilot kept quite low, and the views downwards were brilliant. Here we are flying over Kyle of Lochalsh:

The pilot obligingly headed for Strollamus, so I could get a picture or two of Rowan Cottage. Rowan is next to the rather untidy looking boatyard, though on the ground, the yard is hidden from the cottage by a hedge!

We headed a little further north, then headed back over Loch Ainort. That's a little road running along the side of the loch. The islands of Scalpay and Raasay lie ahead.

We came back close to the coast of Broadford Bay. Below is the community of Breakish....

.... and soon were circling over Eilean Donan Castle.

We had a good view of Duncraig Castle too:

Then it was over the top of Plockton Harbour before returning to the airfield, which is just visible towards the top of this picture:

That was some Birthday Treat! Thanks Sue! I'll have to be 60 more often.

Birthday treat

2011-04-27T09:41:00.000+01:00

Sue bought me a very special treat for my recent 'significant' birthday - it was a voucher for a trip in a helicopter over Lochalsh and south Skye. I went on the trip a few days ago, but took so many photographs, it is taking me a while to get them edited for posting here. I promise I'll have some here soon....!!

ONE OF THOSE MAD MOMENTS..... !

2011-04-21T20:03:00.002+01:00

(A post from Sue)

Cupar the Collie has been noticeably absent over the past few weeks on this blog

but I just HAD to add this particular post!

When our four legged friend is in 'relaxation mode' he tends to lie on his back

to have his tummy tickled and as a rule one of his front legs

is stretched out as far as it will go!

We think this is a hoot and the other evening Richard

- having had a beer or two - decided to keep him company!

Hence the somewhat amusing photo below..... :)

That aside though, Cupar spends most of his time on all fours

and seems completely tireless and full of energy!

Recently Cupar and I met Andrea and her two springer spaniels

down near the Cuillin and we all went for a walk.

Inevitably this turned into an excuse for a bit of running around a

and I was there with my camera....

Below Andrea gets ready to launch a tennis ball for Cupar!

Cupar waits expectantly - watching her every move.....

... and then two minutes later after a LOT of charging about
and a few skirmishes between the boys and .... guess what.....

Toby gets the ball! Is that a grin I can see on his wee face?!!!!!

Cuckoo

2011-04-18T19:26:00.001+01:00

Sue came in from walking Cupar yesterday morning, saying, "I've just heard a cuckoo!"

Today was my turn for the 7.00am 'walkies' - and not only did I hear the little chap, but I saw him too. So we can safely confirm, the 2011 cuckoos have arrived!

I mentioned cuckoos in this blog last year - http://skyecalling.blogspot.com/2010/05/cuckoo.html

Skye weather

2011-04-13T21:05:00.001+01:00

We get every kind of Scottish weather on Skye - and maybe we get a bit more of some kinds and a bit less of others.

But we seem to get everything in moderation. It seldom gets extremely hot - summer maximums might make mid 70s F (low 20s C). In winter, it seldom gets extremely cold (25F/-4C being about the lowest overnight we might normally expect). But it might not get above 50F (10C) from September to May. So, mostly I like to wear a jumper or two...!

We get snow in winter from time to time - any time from November to March - maybe a few inches at low levels, but it's unusual for it to hang around for more than a few days.

We get quite a bit of rain. It often comes in the form of thick drizzle, which is very wet! It's not unusual to get rain and sunshine at the same time, so we get some brilliant rainbows! It is quite unusual for rain to fall continuously for more than a day. When it does, the rivers and waterfalls are fantastic! Here's our local river today, the highest I've seen it in the three years we've lived here:

As it flows through quite a deep gorge, we are not at risk of flooding!

And we get wind. Storms reaching 60 -70 mph occur most winters. Gales of 40 -50mph can happen anytime.The island is used to it - there are very few exposed trees, and buildings are built to withstand the strength of the battering.It's rather nice to huddle in front of a hot stove during a storm, and listen to the wind racing itself round the chimney!

But extreme winds - hurricanes/tornadoes - are something we very seldom experience.

And as a bonus - we very seldom get fog!

Potatoes planted!

2011-04-11T16:53:00.000+01:00

Here's a shot of the alltoment in the sunshine today. To the left of my planks are four rows of 'earlies' - Pentland Javelin, and the row just in the ground and three further rows I've just finished planting to the right are maincrop Maris Piper.

This is the first planting I've done on the allotment this year, but the beds are all dug and ready. I have some brussels sprouts, broccoli, leek and broad bean seeds germinating in trays. The weather seems to be perking up a bit now - I hope we are going to be frost-free from now into summer, so I don't think it will be long before I get the onion sets and some of the outdoor-planted seeds going.

Don't you just hate it when...

2011-04-06T17:16:00.000+01:00

....the DJ on the radio keeps telling me that today is the warmest day so far this spring....

.. and it hasn't stopped raining here all day...

...and I am about to light the stove....

As you can imagine, the dog-walking continues unabated, no matter what the weather is doing. Cupar is getting more used to being rubbed dry with a towel, and we are wizard at drying our waterproofs!

SUE AND JOHN'S VISIT

2011-03-26T19:41:00.006Z

Sue's post:

We had the pleasure of another visit from Richard's sister Sue and her husband John up from Devon for a few days to coincide with a somewhat 'Big Birthday' (!!!!) for Richard on 18th March. Although we were not fortunate enough to have another completely rainfree and fabulous week's weather as we had during their last trip to Skye in October of 2010, we did manage to dodge the showers most of the time.

Below are a couple of views taken at Talisker Bay. It was a bright and sunny but lead soled boots would have been an excellent idea bearing the strong winds that prevailed that day...!

Looks can be deceptive - there was a howling gale blowing when I took both of these photographs

and it was freezing...

A couple of days later we all made our way down to Elgol - something we have intended to do since we arrived on Skye nearly three years ago.... (!) Again the weather was kind to us and the roads devoid of other visitors or tourists. Below is a view of some of the Cuillin taken from the slipway down in the village.....

.....and spot Sue and John walking along the beach amongst all those pebbles!!

En-route home we stopped at a telecommunications mast as Richard was keen to get a couple of photographs for Geograph. I also went off, camera in hand, and once he'd finished took some shots of him and sister Sue.

Further on we spied a well camouflaged local resident amongst the heather....! I don't know who was more surprised - him or us!

Lastly, this entry cannot go 'to print' before including the preverbial birthday cake that I produced - candles and all - two days late! Its a long and boring story so I won't go into it now but the cake wasn't bad all the same..... :)

HAPPY BIRTHDAY RICHARD!

Spring outings

2011-03-25T08:43:00.000Z

Having my sister and her husband staying with us for a week has encouraged us to get out and visit a couple of the often-visited spots on Skye that we haven't made the time to visit before. Here's a couple of my pictures to whet your appetites, and Sue promises to post some of her shots shortly.

Talisker Bay - that's Sue just escaping from view on the left.

Bla Bheinn from a car park near Torrin

The Cuillin from Elgol

Being a Tourist

2011-03-22T10:38:00.000Z

We don't spend enough time 'doing' the tourist attractions of Skye. Although I walk a lot, I do not often go to the places which are popular with the visitors. I am sure that is the same for people all over the world. How many residents of Paris have been up the Eiffel Tower, or residents of Delhi visited the Taj Mahal...?

So today, while my sister and her husband are here for another short holiday, we plan to be tourists, and travel down to the south of the island and do a bit of sight-seeing ourselves. All being well, there will be some pictures to follow!

Old photographs

2011-03-15T10:11:00.003Z

I popped into the loft the other day, looking for something which I failed to find. However, I DID come across a box containing hundreds of old slides which I took between about 1975 and when I went 'digital' - probably about the late 90s. There was even my old projector in the box with them, but it doesn't work properly, and I can only project the slides one at a time, manually.
The problem now - what to do with them all?
Part of me wants to wallow in the past and look at them all and transfer then onto the computer. But I know this would be emotionally difficult, as there will be pictures of family and friends who are no longer with us, past partners in the happy times, and even some pictures which will be, frankly, embarrassing!
So, another part of me says 'put the whole box back in the loft'.
But of course, I've already looked at a few.
It's very strange, but looking at them makes me feel old, and sad that all those great times (and mistakes and missed opportunities) are gone for ever. It's not that I don't have a wonderful life now, but I reach my 60th birthday soon - a bit of a landmark I guess - and the realisation that more of my life has gone than I have ahead of me is sinking in.

Skye weather

2011-03-09T10:11:00.000Z

Sue is away in Kent this week, telling me on the phone how nice the sunshine is down there...

Here, I have all of Cupar's LOOONG walkies to do on my own (I am getting soooo fit!) and have so far this week been soaked by horizontal drizzle, almost blown away by the wind, and this morning... slithered about in SNOW.

It's snowing now, as I type this... but the sun is shining too.

You have to love Skye weather!!!

Obedience Training

2011-03-04T13:16:00.006Z

I think he's getting the hang of this quite well... I just sat here and said, "Hold the stick out in your right hand. Keep your left hand behind your back. Good Man..!"

"give"..... "Give"..... "GIVE!!!"....... Hmmm... he can be stubborn!

Another Blog!

2011-03-03T12:13:00.000Z

In my efforts to promote my Skye and Lochalsh business directory website (www.holidayskye.com) I have added a blog to the site. It's just another little thing to keep me out of mischief!

The new blog is created in Wordpress - so it's another new learning curve, but I have to say it seems to be more adaptable than this Google Blogger blog.

You will find the HolidaySkye blog linked from every page on HolidaySkye.com, and here: holidayskye.com/blog

Happy 8th Birthday!

2011-03-01T09:27:00.002Z

It is eight years ago today that I took delivery of our Citroen C5 Estate car - so not quite a birthday, but a 'registration day'!

New - at White House Lodge, Kent.

We bought the car knowing that we would be doing many trips from the south east of England to Skye, and wanted a comfortable, spacious and economical cruiser for the job. And it did the job superbly well. There were invariably our two dogs in the back, the rear seat was piled with luggage and other oddments, and we travelled smoothly in front. The diesel fuelled car regularly returned around 50mpg.

Now, with just under 130,000 miles on the clock, and the ravages of life in Skye weather and roads beginning to show a little, the old barge is becoming a bit of an old banger, but as it keeps passing its MoT test, and continues to run reliably, there seems no point in changing it. It still has its original battery, too!!

"TIMBER....!!! "

2011-02-19T19:06:00.003Z

We have had no visitors at Aird View for several weeks now, so I visited the other day to check things over. With some dismay I found that the recent storm had brought down the old tree above the back garden. Part of the same tree came down about 5 years ago. This time, it is completely on its side. Trees in this state almost always carry on growing, but as it had spread itself across the lawn, some serious 'surgery' was required. What a good thing I had just bought myself a new chainsaw...!!!

Several hours and lots of hard work later....

I've left some large branches which by chance are pointing roughly upwards, so hopefully, the tree will regenerate itself and keep on growing for many years to come.

And finally, here's my little van ready to take some of the logs back to Roskhill where they will provide us with many cosy evenings by the stove in winter 2011.

Latest Cupar Picture

2011-02-15T19:45:00.001Z

I still have to find the time to find out how to get a video on here, but in the meantime, here's a still photo of Coops looking just a bit special - (I must remember to take photos of things other than dogs...)

Cupar the Collie

2011-02-11T09:43:00.002Z

It's only just over a week since we brought the chap home. He has done brilliantly. Sue is training him to 'fetch' and drop his toy in her hand. Video to follow, I hope...

And I am trying to train him to relax (photo). Do you like the plant growing out of my head?

New resident at Roskhill Barn

2011-02-03T15:24:00.001Z

Yesterday we made another trip to Inverness, and came home with a new addition to the population of Roskhill.

Meet Cupar the Collie...

He is probably less than 2 years old, and was found as a stray. Today, we have discovered what people mean when they say that Collies are good at training their owners, but we think we are just about on top so far, though we have had four walks today already..... (Sue did mutter something about me needing to lose an inch or two from my waistline).

Unfortunately, the weather here today is becoming ever more wet and stormy, so we are in for a bit of a blow when it comes to the late afternoon 'walkies' in a few minutes' time!

I'm sure Sue and I will be posting plenty more news and pictures soon.

My trip south

2011-01-31T12:54:00.001Z

Events surrounding our lovely Basil very much took over our life for all the time since my return from Devon, so I haven't had a chance to put any pictures on here. Now, however, time and events are moving on., and although Basil remains frequently in our thoughts, there'll be some new doggy news here shortly...

Meanwhile, here is a little from my week away...

At home, and when I travel, I take photos for my Geograph collection - For the uninitiated, it's not easy to explain, but here's a link to the Geograph website: http://www.geograph.org.uk and my own profile page is here: http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/20032/

In a nutshell, I take pictures of what is there - pretty, ugly, town, country. It's good to spot things that others might not notice. It's very interesting to research my images to provide some information to go with them when they are on the Geograph website. Travelling gives me the opportunity to visit places where I haven't been before with my camera. Here's a tiny sample of the couple of hundred pictures I took during my trip -

On the way south, I paused a while near Dalkeith -

and photographed a tiny takeaway in Newtongrange.

I stayed overnight in Hawick -

While in Torquay, I wandered the local streets -

While with my Sister, we had a walk in the Devon lanes -

On the way back, I paused again in Wybunbury, Cheshire -

It's a good thing digital photography is virtually cost-free!

TRIBUTE TO BASIL

2011-01-28T16:48:00.001Z

The loss of our wonderful Basil on Burns Night this year has left a huge black hole in our lives. We got him as 'rescue dog' from Bobbing Kennels in Kent back in 1996 and throughout his long life with us he proved to be a hugely loyal, faithful and loving four legged friend. His presence with us for those 14 great years have been much recorded on camera and here are just a few shots as a Remembrance Gallery of his life with both of us!

For ten of those fourteen years he also had our other dog, Bentley, as a companion. Below are both of them taken when we on a weeks holiday at Kinlochewe, Highlands, in 2003.

Basil was always our constant shadow wherever we went and loved spending time with us whilst we were working in our gardens up on Skye when we moved here.

Below is a shot of Basil and I in the garden at Aird View back in June 2008. Somehow he never quite got the hang of weeding!

Basil was also very keen on playing with his toys! He just loved his ragger and was loathe to part with it so many tugs of war ensued....

... and then there was the sunbathing! He loved it... Whilst we were working in the garden, Basil usually lay there soaking up the sun.......typical! It's a dog's life eh?!

In his day he was also a great walker and loved to come out with us. He was still relatively active when we first arrived on Skye and accompanied both Richard and I on all our local jaunts and beyond until quite recently..... Below is a shot of him on the road down to Greep about 1.5 miles from Roskhill on a bright and hot summer's day.

However, much as Basil was an outdoor dog he also loved being at home. I just love this shot of him asleep on his favourite blanket....

... but possibly even better is this one both him and Richard in September 2010, in our lounge at home. They both adored each other!

Finally, we all managed to get together for this last photograph which was taken during Sue and John's visit back in October 2010 on a beautiful autumn day with lots of bright sunshine.

* * * * * * * * *

DEAREST BASIL WE MISS YOU

BUT YOU WILL NEVER BE FAR FROM OUR HEARTS.

Basil

2011-01-26T17:52:00.000Z

Old age comes to us all, and sadly our pets don't have the life expectancy of us humans. So old age came all too soon to Basil. Yesterday, at the age of 15, he was helped to go to a more comfortable place. Sue and I brought him home and he is now laid to rest in a corner of the garden, where he will continue to be with us for ever. Sue is going to put together a few photographs for this blog. as a memorial to Basil, in a day or two.

Richard's trip south

2011-01-12T09:54:00.002Z

Today I am preparing the van, and packing my bag in preparation for a trip to Devon in the south of England. I set off early tomorrow morning, and will have a pause on my journey to satisfy my hobby of taking photos for Geopgraph. My profile is at: http://www.geograph.org.uk/profile/20032 . I will then have a night in a B&B in Hawick, in the Scottish borders, before travelling on to Devon on Friday. I'll post a photo or two and occasional reports from the deep south during my week away.

... BACK AT LAST - SUE HERE AGAIN WITH SOME RECENT SNOW PICS

2011-01-11T20:08:00.001Z

Forgive my absence from this blog! The last few photographs that I posted were autumnal views and since then we've had a LOT of snow. I finally got my act together last week and hey presto, last Saturday morning there was new world outside - a white one - with every surface covered with a layer of either ice or snow particles!! It was stunning.... These photographs below were taken during a brief walk around Roskhill with the new camera!

Below is dead vegetation embalmed in the 'white stuff' - looking like very long frozen sausages!

Similarly trees and grasses alike were all caked in the snow ........

The sun was really bright and I just couldn't resist this view of sunlight piercing the morning mist!

Below is one of Roskhill's garden benches with a mound of dead, snow covered, montbretia vegetation with a view of the mountains beyond and a very wintry looking sky...... Brrrrrrr !

.... and finally, a view looking across Pool Roag towards Herebost with Healabhal Mhor looming out above the morning mist!

What a beautiful world!

Even more snow...

2011-01-09T18:41:00.002Z

This time it was the fluffy stuff which sticks to everything. It fell overnight, and the morning was all swirling mist...

(The top picture is taken from our living room, using a bit of 'zoom'. The second is a crop from a picture taken by Sue looking from Roskhill over Roag to a mist shrouded Healabhal Mhor. The third is a view from just down the road, taken by Sue). (Throughout this blog - click on any picture to see it full size).

No new photos from Sue yet...

2011-01-03T10:31:00.002Z

In my last post, I suggested that there should be some new photos coming here imminently - this was because I knew that Father Christmas was dropping a new camera down the chimney for Sue.

The camera survive the fall OK, but Sue is yet to have the chance to get out in decent enough weather to take some photos - there's also new and different knobs and buttons to get used to.

So we'll just have to wait a little longer for Sue's next photo post.

Meanwhile - Sue sent me out for a walk... Perhaps she had noticed my gradually expanding waistline? I made it up a hill above Portree, where a waterfall is visible from the road, but access looked difficult. (It was...)

Here's a distant view of the falls over the hillside I was crossing. Look! A stile in the fence...!! That's really unusual to find. I'm glad there's never anyone around to see my wobbly attempts at teetering over the wire fences that seem to be placed in all manner of unnecessary places just to make life more difficult for walkers. And sometimes they are deer fences, which are six feet tall....!!!!

Looking back down the hill to Loch Portree. Low cloud is hiding the hill tops and mist envelops the island of Raasay, which lies out to sea beyond the mouth of the loch.

The falls from above. I've now found an easier route to get there, so will hopefully pop back in better weather in the spring when the moorland will be green instead of brown and wild flowers will be in bloom.

Another Christmas Day!

2010-12-29T11:23:00.000Z

Sue returned last night from her family Christmas in London, so as we spent December 25th apart, today will be OUR Christmas Day together! Hooray! Pressies! (And maybe a photo or two later...)

Christmas Greetings!

2010-12-24T16:33:00.001Z

Wishing all our readers a very Happy Christmas, with just a few photographs taken earlier today:

Gesto Bay

Natural ice sculpture at Sligachan

and finally, Christmas Eve sunset from Roskhill

More snow....

2010-12-19T16:11:00.002Z

It's going to be one of those winters, isn't it?

Everyone in the UK will be fully aware that we have all had a significant dollop of the cold white stuff again. This time, it seems likely to be hanging around for quite a while, though there are no further significant falls due in the near future, so Sue should be OK getting down to London for her family Christmas. She sets off by coach tomorrow afternoon.

I will be staying on Skye with the elderly Basil, and even have B&B guests to look after one day this week!

Here's a couple of pictures taken yesterday -

one in the morning...

... and one in the afternoon -

Walking again!

2010-12-09T18:46:00.002Z

At last I've made the time to have a walk in the hills - and in the snow too! I finished the decorating at Aird View, so while I was still there, I spent a few hours on Ben Lee which overlooks the Braes. That's An Aird in the middle of this picture, with Raasay in the background.

(Throughout this blog - click on any picture to see it full size. Use your 'back' button to get back to the blog).

There were huge snow showers racing past - but the sun shone on me throughout my walk.

It was too snowy for me higher up...!

These pictures were taken two days ago. We've had a significant thaw today. It has felt almost balmy with temperatures as high as 5C!

LEST WE NOT FORGET......

2010-12-05T18:26:00.002Z

Sue here - just for a change!
I'm getting tired of the snow already and the sudden loss of the abundance of colour around about us in the vegetation and the trees. Here are a few photographs taken before the onslaught of the 'white stuff' last weekend as a reminder of the fading summer and the vibrant shades that accompanied its demise!

Above is a shot of some Cotoneaster in a friend's garden and below you are looking at the main street through Edinbane that for a while was ablaze with autumnal colours in the overhanging trees.

When Sue and John were here in mid October we all went on a number of walks around Skye and just underneath is a view taken from the cliffs beyond Gillen - with the birch trees in the foreground sporting their golden autumnal jackets......

... .whilst on the ground virtually unseen - (unless crawling around on your knees as I did when I tripped over)

- is a small dew draped spiders web, suspended by the surrounding heather!

Finally, lets not forget the wonderful skies like a magnificent changing multi coloured umbrella above our heads - with its often fantastic array of oranges, pinks, blues and golds.........

Above are orange tinted clouds with a snow topped Cuillin languishing underneath and below the main road just along from Roskhill Barn looking back towards the mountains during a particularly dazzling sunset

in November!

Sky on fire

2010-12-04T10:52:00.000Z

Just another Roskhill sunset...

Decorating

2010-12-04T10:19:00.001Z

This is the painting sort, not tinsel and baubles!

I've been working at Aird View for several days out of the last couple of weeks. I've refurbished the bathroom, adding new tiling and some classier fittings, and also repainted all three bedrooms. I have been staying at the bungalow for three nights at a time while I've been working there - it saves driving backwards and forwards. In spite of the snowy scenery and stunning weather, I've not had the time to go off taking photos, but I'll post a couple taken from just outside the front door of Aird View -

The evenings were amazing... the setting sun turns the snow pink

New van..!! (brrrrr...)

2010-11-27T20:12:00.001Z

I was really disappointed with my Mercedes Vito. The Mercedes quality may have been evident in the quality of the furnishings in the cab, and with the equipment included as standard, but the thing was horrible to drive, developed faults too often (it had only done 65000 miles from new), and drank far too much diesel. Also - the radio was cr*p.

So, a new van now stands on the driveway. I've downsized - no need to carry lots of empty space around - and I have bought a one year old Citroen Berlingo. This one has the 92bhp engine (more powerful than the Vito...) and the 'SX' trim, which gives me two (squashed) passenger seats, with a clever folding arrangement for carrying long loads, and a sliding rear door (but just one - I would have preferred one each side).

In the 800 miles I've driven it so far, it's doing around 52mpg.... now that's more like it! It's also a little cracker to drive! I've got the 200 XMF number plate transferred. Just need to get some SkyeHolidays sign-writing organised now!

Here's the van today...

Sue takes better pics than me...

2010-11-27T19:59:00.000Z

OK - snow makes everything look amazing.But even more amazing is Sue's eye for a brilliant photograph.
I offer here just a few of the images Sue captured from our front garden today...
(As ever - click on any image to view it larger)

Here we go again...

2010-11-27T10:11:00.000Z

Only ten months ago, and the scene outside looked very similar. And also much as in January 2010, the whole of the country is getting the snow again. It is coming down really heavily as I post this - so I might add another picture later!

HolidaySkye.com

2010-11-07T18:57:00.001Z

One of the reasons new posts on here have been a bit thin on the ground just recently, is that I am busy with launching a new online business directory for the Isle of Skye. It is at www.holidayskye.com .

It all started when I spotted that the excellent domain name 'HolidaySkye.com' was available to purchase, so I bought it, and then thought... what shall I do with this?!! (This was over a year ago....) I then thought that I could use the name for a business directory, listing every business with any slight link with tourism on Skye - not just the obvious B&Bs restaurants and visitor attractions, but also every cafe, pub and shop, every self catering cottage, every mountain or tour guide.... and then every business which depends on the tourist industry for its livelihood. Again, there's the obvious wholesalers, food producers and fishermen, but there's also the taxi companies, petrol stations, plumbers, electricians, estate agents..... Basically, it's EVERY business on Skye.

So, what started as last year's winter project, has stretched into being this winter's project as well. I now have quite a few businesses listed, but it will take a lot more work to find and list them all!

Possibly the best feature of HolidaySkye.com is that it has its very own interactive forum called NewSkyes. The forum is not my creation - it was originally developed by a young Skye resident called Bede. He tried to launch the NewSkyes online a while ago as a stand-alone website. I thought it was a great idea, but not enough people saw it and signed up, so it folded. So now, Bede and I are working together to relaunch NewSkyes as part of HolidaySkye.com

NewSkyes is completely free to use, and is open to the world. It has a Skye focus, but I imagine anyone reading this blog would also have that same focus... It is difficult to get people to sign up and use NewSkyes. It would help us a lot if any readers of this blog would sign up, join the NewSkyes community, and make a few posts

You will find a link to NewSkyes on every page of www.holidayskye.com

Sunrise - 01.11.10

2010-11-01T18:21:00.001Z

Sorry about the lack of posts recently - we are still welcoming visitors, mostly for short breaks now, sothere's been an increase in doing turn-rounds and washing and ironing and stuff!

Just thought I had to put on this picture of the astonishing sunrise that started this day. Unfortunately, things weather-wise went downhill pretty quickly, and by sunset, there was a gale lashing rain against the windows!

Sue and John on Skye

2010-10-13T19:17:00.001+01:00

My sister Sue and her husband John, in the garden at the Barn.

Sue and John left the Barn this morning after a week with us. We've had a brilliant week - the weather has been especially good, and we have been out walking to some of my favourite places every day - the kind of places most Skye visitors never find!

They came up in the little trials car that John built himself. He built it to compete in Classic Trials - events where road going cars tackle impossibly steep, bumpy and muddy hills to see if they can get to the top. (The bodywork is all hand-formed aluminium, including the double-curvature panels - the car was very much a labour of love!)

John was so pleased with how the car drives on the road that he likes to use it for other outings, and now it has been all the way to Skye! We wish Sue, John and the car a safe journey back home to Devon.

Long distance deliveries

2010-10-04T16:45:00.002+01:00

We have bought a couple of large 'household appliances' in the last couple of weeks.

First, a tall freezer was ordered to replace the worktop-height one we originally had - we needed extra space to freeze some of the allotment produce! This came from Curry's Online, who advertise free nationwide delivery. Everything to do with the purchase went like clockwork. I was given a delivery date when I placed the order, and the day before this date was telephoned with a four hour delivery 'window' during which time I was promised the delivery would happen. And, yes, it did! Top marks to Curry's.

Next, our washing machine went 'pop'. It was five years old, and has a pretty hard life, so we deemed it not worth having repaired, and I searched online for a replacement. This time Curry's couldn't match a price offered by online electrical retailer TribalUK. This company also offered free mainland delivery. We know from experience that Skye is often not considered mainland, in spite of our toll-free bridge, so I tried placing my order half expecting to be told that delivery would cost ££££'s extra. But the order was accepted, and within 24 hours I had an email telling me that the item had been dispatched. Again, a telephone call was received confirming the day and approximate time of the delivery.

Mid evening, the day before delivery was due, the phone rang. It was the delivery driver - "Would it be OK if we deliver your item at 6.30am?" Now, that's pretty early, but as Sue gets up at 6.15 for work, it wasn't a problem to us.

We were woken next morning just before the alarm went off by a van pulling up outside. So by 6.15 this morning, our new washing machine was unpacked and standing in the kitchen, and the driver was thanking us for accepting the unusually early delivery. I asked the guys about their early delivery. "We do the Highlands once a week" was his reply, "We're up to Ullapool next, then Inverness, then Aberdeen, then back to our depot in Leeds. When we phoned last night we were just setting out".

So full marks to TribalUK and their couriers, too. Now that's service!

I ponder over the size of the profit margins... How can these companies offer a free delivery service - all the way to Skye - as well as prices better than in any High Street/Retail-Park? But I'm not complaining!

Visitors and Raasay

2010-10-03T14:03:00.004+01:00

The busiest part of the holiday season is drawing to a close, so we are now eager to have friends and family come and stay with us before the winter weather takes a hold. We've just had a long-time friend of Sue's stay for four nights, and my sister and her husband are due here shortly.

It's nice to have visitors - taking them out means that we can become tourists ourselves!

Sue's friend was keen to visit the island of Raasay. It is a small island off the west coast of Skye with a resident population of around 200 people. It is reached by ferry from Sconser on Skye. I have been determined to visit there myself for ages, and never managed it. Now at last, I have been, and I am left keen to go again.

If you think Skye is quiet - try visiting Raasay...!!

The Cuillin (on Skye) from Raasay

Brochel Castle

The road to the north of the island

Growing your own

2010-09-13T10:40:00.000+01:00

Regular readers will know that I took on a large overgrown allotment in the late spring this year.

Yesterday evening, I gathered from it all the vegetables needed to go with the sausages we were having for dinner - potatoes, an onion, peas, broad beans and cauliflower.

Back in the kitchen, and preparing the veg took me back to my childhood. Dad (a keen gardener) would bring in vegetables from the garden, and my sister and I would often sit at the kitchen table with the job of shelling the peas or podding the beans - marvelling to inspect the way they had grown.

There is just nothing about the cultivation of the land, growing of the crops, preparing them for the pot, or the eating of them, that is not a real pleasure. The soil is lovely to dig, and working it provides useful exercise for me, in the wonderful fresh Skye air, with a view to the sea every time I look up. Planting the seeds and tending the crops as they grow is a delight. Watching the miracle of nature turning tiny seeds into big healthy plants, and keeping the whole plot looking tidy is so rewarding. My allotment doesn't match the perfection my Dad used to achieve though, with his immaculate straight line planting and neatly manicured grass borders. I'll work towards that...

Then there's the preparation - the cutting and cooking of fresh vegetables produces aromas that are totally unique. Tired, shop-bought produce just isn't fresh enough to smell the same. And as for the final delight - eating - I can leave the pleasure of that to your imagination!

Sparrow in the birdbath

2010-09-12T11:47:00.001+01:00

Errr... SparrowHAWK that is....!!

It was a bit of a surprise to glance out of the window and see this chap sitting there. I guess he was hoping for his evening meal to pop by. He stayed long enough for me to get a few photos!

Monsters in the allotment

2010-09-02T19:44:00.000+01:00

I've been away 'down south' for a week or so. Now back home, there's a few things to catch up with...

Skye is not usually associated with long periods of dry sunny weather, so as it is both dry and sunny just now, I have decided to do some harvesting in the allotment. Here are a few of the champions - (that's my gloves at the top of the picture, which give an idea of the wonderful size of the potatoes, onions and swede).

And just look at the cauliflower... There's quite a few this size. We're having cauliflower cheese tonight...

Everything I planted has done sensationally well. I won't grow peas again though, because the plants have been blown all over the place in the wind. I'll put the brassicas in more shelter next year. But the dwarf runner beans are fantastic!

Sue up a hill

2010-08-16T15:09:00.002+01:00

Mostly, I do my walking on my own, but with the weather being perfect yesterday, we both got our boots on. Here, we are on a hill called Druim nan Sgarbh, just west of Glendale. That's the 296 metre Waterstein Head beyond. (Basil is sadly too old for walkies like this, so he remained contentedly snoozing in the van).

Bambi

2010-08-15T18:59:00.000+01:00

Bambi: "Mum, Mum! There's something watching us!"

Mum: (deep in the bushes) munch, munch, yum, yum.

Bambi: "Mum, it's pointing a black thing at us!"

Mum: (STILL deep in the bushes) munch, munch, yum, yum, munch, munch.

While this exchange was going on, I had time to zoom in and take another shot -

Bambi eventually took flight, and Mum scrambled out of the bush to follow!

Cliff top walk, anyone?

2010-08-08T15:56:00.001+01:00

The coastline of the Duirinish Peninsula is possibly my favourite part of Skye. Access by road is very limited, so it's on with the boots, and fingers crossed that the weather stays fair. There's never any people there, just me, deer and the occasional sheep or eagle. And the scenery is just... well.... take a look! (Remember, you can click any picture in the blog to view it full size).

Veg!

2010-08-07T08:17:00.000+01:00

We won't be buying potatoes or carrots for a while - the allotment is in production! The small carrots here are just thinnings - the big chap on the left is a 'full size' example. The potatoes are lovely, with each plant producing about six or seven good-size spuds. I haven't pulled-up a swede yet, I think they have some more growing to do. Same applies to the beetroot and the onions. The pea plants are huge with literally hundreds of pods plumping up nicely. Likewise the broad beans. The cauliflower and broccoli struggled with the wind, and don't look to be liking the soil much either. I don't think there'll be a crop from them.

Just me and Basil this week...

2010-07-28T20:46:00.003+01:00

Sue is in Kent this week, on one of her regular visits to see her mother and catch up with her southern friends. That leaves me and Basil in charge of looking after things on Skye. Other than a laundry and ironing mountain, and a few 'turn arounds' of our cottages, there's not a huge amount for me to do, so while down at Rowan Cottage mowing the lawn yesterday, I took the chance to have a walk in Kinloch, and found this -

There's no road, or even a decent path to this spot. But the cottage has recently been renovated. It'll be someone's little piece of heaven on earth!

Here's another bit of South Skye from yesterday's walk - Kinloch Forest - where a pine plantation is being replaced with native broadleaf trees to recreate a natural landscape. Errr... shouldn't they be getting rid of the road as well...??!

Visit to A&E

2010-07-17T19:21:00.003+01:00

I clumsily managed to stab myself in the palm of my left hand with a kitchen knife today. I was just completing the 'turn round' at Aird View, so as I had to come through Portree on my way home, I thought I would pop into the hospital there to have it looked at.

I managed to drive more or less one-handed, stopping the bleeding by pressing my left thumb onto the cut.

A&E was completely deserted and as quiet as a grave. There was a huge handbell on the desk, with a sign 'ring for attention'. I reckon everyone within 20 miles would hear that bell if it were shaken in earnest! Portree was saved from a loud clanging as a nurse happened to pass by. I explained why I was there, and she pointed me to a seat and said she'd tell the Staff Nurse.

I had barely sat down before the Staff Nurse appeared and immediately took my details. Then I was whisked off to a treatment room and examined. 'I think I'll get the doctor to look at this, I'm not very expert with hand wounds' says the Staff Nurse. 'Wait there'.

Not thirty seconds later, the Staff Nurse reappears with the doctor. The doc is very pleasant, and makes a thorough examination of my hand. Apparently I am fortunate not to have damaged any tendons or nerves. He tells me, 'I rather like stitching, but if you are not doing anything vigorous for a few days, you'll probably be OK if we glue you and use a few steri-strips'.

With that, Staff Nurse sets to work with assorted bits of tissues, wipes, and sticky things. 'I'll bandage it up, to make it look impressive, but when all this falls off, just stick a plaster over it' I am told.

And that's it. I was in the hospital a total of maybe 10 minutes.

How long did your last visit to A&E take?

Weather

2010-07-09T16:42:00.000+01:00

I guess we had to pay for that couple of months of warm, dry weather in the early summer....

Today, the south of England endures a heatwave, and the north west of England has introduced a hose pipe ban. Here, we have just had three days of heavy rain and strong winds... errr... of course, I really mean 'Skye drizzle and breezes'.

But it's not all bad - this afternoon, the 'Skye Switch' has been pressed, and I can see blue sky and fluffy white clouds again. It's challenging weather for the visitors - What to wear? Where to go? - All part of the Skye holiday experience!!

But the veggies in the allotment are enjoying the rain, even if the peas and cauliflowers look a bit wind-blown. We are currently harvesting what seems like several tons of strawberries. Who-ever thought they would not do well on Skye was wrong. Many have been distributed to friends and neighbours, and some are destined to spend some time in a large jam saucepan. I'm off out now to see if I can find enough carrots among the thinnings for tonight's dinner.

Otters

2010-07-02T17:38:00.005+01:00

Otters do live and breed on Skye, and with patience and quite a bit of luck, you may see one almost anywhere around the coast. You are more likely to see one in the water than on land. They have an acute sense of smell, sight and hearing and will almost certainly disappear if they become aware of your presence. They are more likely to be spotted in the early morning. If the water is very calm, you may spot the v-shaped wake of a swimming otter (they swim with just a little of their head protruding above water). Otters eat fish, birds, small mammals, frogs and crabs. They are often larger than people expect with an adult being between 1 and 1.3 metres in length and weighing 7-9 kg. Sometimes you may see something in the water and dismiss it as a seal, but it is often worth having a look with binoculars in case it is an otter.

Best otter spotting spots on Skye - Rubha Hunish, Irishman’s Point, Rubha Arnish, and Kylerhea Otter Haven (which has a purpose built hide). The Bright Water Centre in Kyleakin has lots of information about otters and other wildlife and you can take a trip to Eilean Ban, the island out in the Kyle straits where Gavin Maxwell (author of Ring of Bright Water) lived for a time; there is now a museum there and otter hides.

Good luck!

Eagle and otter spotting

2010-06-28T09:24:00.008+01:00

Many visitors ask “will we see an eagle?” (Or otter, or either or both).

Let’s start with eagles…

Tourist Eagles, Golden Eagles and White Tailed Sea Eagles certainly live and breed on Skye. Sea eagles are more scarce, but any of the three species can be seen almost anywhere.

Here is a shot of a short sighted Tourist Eagle looking for the way to Staffin...

The Tourist Eagle is by far the most common of our eagles. This species has another, more correct name – the Buzzard.

Buzzards are so common, they probably outnumber our sparrows. In flight, they look very eagle-like, though they tend to ‘flap-flap, soar, flap-flap soar’ whereas golden eagles will flap strongly and steadily or soar for ages without flapping at all. The outstretched wings of a buzzard are slightly rounded at the front edge, and buzzards fan out their tails more than golden eagles in flight. Golden eagle's wings are straight-edged and their tails are longer and more square. Buzzards have a longer neck. Buzzards usually hover when hunting and then pounce from above, whereas golden eagles fly in onto their prey and will also take other birds in flight. Buzzards make a cat like ‘mee-oo’ call in flight. Eagles are silent. And that eagle you have just passed perched on a fence post will be a buzzard – Eagles don’t perch.

We also have hen harriers, which look a bit like buzzards…

But when you have seen enough of them – you really do start to see the differences – honest!

So that was easy!

Sea eagles are HUGE. When you see one, you will know you’ve seen one. They are often referred to as ‘flying barn doors’ because they have massive straight edged wings and when soaring, wings will be held flat (not in a shallow V shape). Sea eagles don’t soar as often as golden eagles, and flap heavily. Sea eagles mostly eat fish or sea shore carrion, so are most commonly seen over or near water.

I’ll deal with otters in a separate post…

Allotment latest

2010-06-26T19:25:00.001+01:00

Here's a picture taken yesterday. It shows about half the total plot. Growing in the far bed are Jerusulam artichokes (rear right), potatoes (right), swede (left of the potatoes), Onions and beetroot (more or less hidden), carrots - two rows planted a month apart, and on the far left, a plum tree (inherited with the plot) and struggling rhubarb (hidden).

In the nearer bed, on the right are savoy cabbage, sprouting broccoli and cauliflower. Then there's two rows of dwarf runner beans (one either side of the grass path). It's peas amid the pea sticks, and a healthy row of broad beans on the left.

It will be really interesting to see what does well and what doesn't. It's a surprise (to me) that the two rhubarb plants I bought earlier this year (different varieties) are both really struggling.

Much of the land behind me is currently covered with strawberries, which are in a terrible muddle, but fruiting. I'll sort them out eventually. There is also a bed containing raspberries and blackcurrants, which, like the plum tree, were inherited with the plot. I'll have to learn what to do with them....

Drought!

2010-06-22T19:10:00.003+01:00

Can you believe it? We can't!

"NO RAIN FALLS ON THE WEST COAST OF SCOTLAND"

That's not just for a hour - it's not even for a day... two days ...a week... No - we haven't had any worthwhile rain here for about TWO MONTHS!!

Generally, nothing looks any different from 'normal'. The grasses are tall and waving beautifully, there are all kinds of wild flowers blooming everywhere, and birdsong fills the air where ever you go. But the moors are crunchy rather than squelchy to walk on, and the burns are trickling rather than gurgling...

The seedling vegetables in my allotment are struggling too. I've been watering, but the only things really thriving are the potatoes, Jerusalem artichokes and broad beans. I'll try to remember to get some photos and do an allotment update...

Longest Day

2010-06-22T18:55:00.002+01:00

Yes, I know, all days are the same length of 24 hours... but believe me, a day with 20 hours of good daylight (like June) is a whole lot different from a day with only 8 hours of greyness (like December).

It doesn't get completely dark here at any time for a couple of weeks either side of the Summer Solstice. Here's our garden view at about 10.05pm yesterday (the white spot in the sky is the moon...!!!) - (and remember to click on any picture in the blog to see it full size)

Dunvegan Head

2010-06-08T19:26:00.004+01:00

The weather for the last few weeks has been just fantastic. There's been the occasional misty day, but we've had no worthwhile rain for weeks. It's really pretty warm right now, too.

Yesterday I took a walk to Dunvegan Head at the northern tip of the Duirinish peninsula. It's only a couple of miles to the Head from the nearest road, and there's brilliant cliff top scenery all the way...

....and deserted beaches....

....and the first Yellow Iris I've seen this year.

I can see for miles and miles, and miles and miles...

.... there's amazing coastal features too....

...and finally - Dunvegan Head - with North Uist on the distant horizon.

Sparrows

2010-05-30T09:36:00.000+01:00

Reading back through this blog, I've just come across a post from August 2008 when I mentioned that we had just seen house sparrows in the garden for the first time.

Well, since then, they have become permanent residents, and are currently nesting in the roof for the second year. They can get through two fat balls a day, though are being helped in that task by the robins, blackbirds, tits, starlings, greenfinches and goldfinches. The chaffinches, dunnocks and thrushes haven't developed the technique of hanging on to the feeders, and wait on the ground for little bits that drop from above.

There's plenty of birds here now!

Cuckoo

2010-05-23T10:01:00.000+01:00

Two springs ago, there were so many cuckoos about that at least one of them was in danger of extermination for shouting it's 'song' for ages at first light every morning (that's about 4.00 am at this time of year...)

Last spring, we were really worried, as there seemed to be virtually no cuckoos calling at all.

So this year, I am happy to report that everywhere you go on the island, cuckoos may again be heard, and I don't really mind being woken up by them...

Wild places

2010-05-18T11:03:00.008+01:00

The tip of the Waternish peninsula, north from Trumpan, is uninhabited. It has a north west aspect and views over the Little Minch to the Outer Hebrides. It is not mountainous, but has a rounded hilly backbone. The hills are heather clad, and boggy on the tops. The peninsula is almost totally surrounded by sheer cliffs. Even on a calm sunny day you can almost 'feel' how remote and wild the countryside is.

And yet, in the 18th century, there was a farming township right at the exposed tip of the peninsula. Their township was called Bail an Tailleir, which translates as Tailor's Town. Today, the ruins have the name Unish.

There were 47 buildings and 15 enclosures in the township, and at least fifteen farmsteads. All around are extensive areas of lazy-beds.

Unish is first documented when it was leased in life rent to Donald Macleod for 306 merks in 1708. In 1788 a report to the British Fisheries Society found 10 married couples, 17 children, 30 unmarried adults, and two widowed adults in a total population of 69. The clearance of the township was certainly effected by the time of the first edition of the Ordnance Survey map of 1880, when only a single house was in occupation.

Calling Julianne and John !!

2010-05-13T19:11:00.001+01:00

Hello!

Julianne and John left a message on this blog a few days ago, re. http://skyecalling.blogspot.com/2009/11/do-you-fancy-living-on-skye.html and we would really like to get in touch. My personal email address is richarddorrell@aol.com . Hope to hear from you soon!

Big, brown and hairy

2010-05-10T18:57:00.001+01:00

There's a few of these chaps about just now...

They are OK when you come across one on a path, but they are a bit vulnerable when crossing roads, as they can't run very fast.

The cabbages in the gardens don't need to panic, these guys eat heather. They eventually turn into a Northern Eggar Moth, which is a browny yellow moth with a wing span of as much as 9cm.

Heather must be more nutritious that it looks...

ALLOTMENT PROGRESS!

2010-05-04T17:08:00.001+01:00

Yes, Richard is making some real progress with the allotment. With some wonderful warm sunshine a couple of weeks ago he spent hours out there digging the bottom section over. It was hard work by all accounts but he still had a moment for a smile and a pose for the camera!

A few days later the fruits of his labour were quite evident. Basil is shown here with Richard - by the side of the freshly dug plot. The soil is wonderful and also very deep; great news as we have plans for a number of root vegetables including carrots, potatoes, swede, onions and Jerusalem artichokes!!

Meanwhile, spring is quite evident in the Roskhill front garden with our daffs fully open revelling in the bright sunshine and all that extra space that has appeared since I spent days out there getting rid of all those weeds!!

Four black sacks later the borders were looking a lot better following my battle to extricate nettles, ground elder, docks and dandelions. Now it's just keeping on top of them throughout the next few months that is important.....

The Season Begins!

2010-05-01T16:56:00.002+01:00

It's the 1st May, and a bank holiday weekend, and for the first time this year all three of our properties are fully occupied by holidaymakers. They should be having a good time today - the sun is shining, there are newborn lambs everywhere you look, and primroses in flower on all the roadside verges.

I'm just back from 'servicing' Rowan Cottage, and Sue is garden-tidying at Aird View. I need to get the lawn mown here at the Barn too, and then there's the seed potatoes on the windowsill waiting to be planted, and more ground to clear on the allotment.....

It's our busy time of year!

Loch View Cottage - website live!

2010-04-22T19:49:00.002+01:00

I'm getting more used to Dreamweaver now - that's the industry standard software used for website design. So I've created a new website for Loch View Cottage in record time.

Loch View belongs to an elderly lady who now lives in Inverness. She has let the cottage for the holiday market for years, but never really advertised much, so although the place is in a fantastic location, it is nowhere near fully booked yet for the 2010 season. She asked me if I could get her a few more bookings...

OK - the cottage doesn't look too special from the front...

...but just look at the view it faces.....

... and when I mention that Skye's only whisky distillery is just a mile down the road... the phone should start ringing with bookings very soon.

Do take a look at the new website - it's at www.cottageholidayskye.co.uk - and please tell your friends!

Skye awakes from the winter

2010-04-16T19:09:00.001+01:00

The tourist season on Skye starts at Easter, then pauses for a couple of weeks, then gets going for real in May. Businesses which close for winter have dusted off their 'closed' signs, and there are a few camper vans on the campsites. There's also a few cars with overseas number plates driving about. Many visitors come in hire cars, but we get used to recognising them - the cars are usually less than a year old and very clean. Not many cars owned by the residents fit into either of those categories!

Of course, 'natural' Skye is waking up too. The daffodils are especially good this year, and there are primroses in flower in hedgerows everywhere. I've already had the lawn mower at work, but it looks like the bluebells may be a bit late this year.

The weather continues to be kind. There's been no real rain for ages, and not much wind either. We are still getting frost most nights, but daytimes this week have seen fluffy white clouds and blue sky.

Wonderful!

Loch View Cottage

2010-04-09T17:07:00.000+01:00

We have taken on the challenge of improving the marketing of another Skye holiday cottage. Currently, it has only 9 weeks booked for the whole of this summer... get in quick!!

This cottage is a little gem, being perfectly located for walkers and climbers, located roughly half way between Sligachan and Glen Brittle, which are the two most popular start-points for exploring the Cuillin mountains.

The cottage is at the bottom left of this picture (taken yesterday)

The bright modern cottage is graded two-star because of its 'no frills' furnishings, but it is more than adequately comfortable, and has all the features one would expect, such as electric shower, modern cooker, fridge, freezer, microwave, washing machine, etc, etc.

There's a full website to follow, but for now, you can see more pictures and information on the Visit Scotland website here.