Scotland.....Part 3 ....Skye

Stopped enroute and had a meal of goulash (annie had haggis). Very hospitable and they even let my wayward dogs in. This resulted in random backpackers coming over and having surrogate cuddles with both of them. It's amazing how many people missed their dogs at home and just wanted a squeeze. I didn't like to mention Homer was borderline psychotic so I just let them hug him, and hoped perhaps they had sabre toothed tigers or similar at home



We actually passed this same food place regularly for the next 3 days (all roads seemed to detour past the same junction at Sligachan)



Stuck the postcode in the satnav for the Glenbrittle campsite and thought it was a bit strange when it took us straight past an area called 'Glenbrittle'. 20 mile down the road we pulled up at a bakers (excuse for cakes really) and asked where the campsite was...20 mile back the other way. It seems most of this part of Skye is owned by the Dunvegan castle people, including the bloody postcode on the website

Eventually found the turn off again and after a short 9 mile lane (takes forever) we found ourself at a dead end. We were there

Did get some pics of friendly natives on this road though (actually did think of Mr fifty shades when i saw his haircut)



and with the 'Mrs'



And here are the VW's again....



After a bit of a debate as to whether to pitch by the loch or in the field we both agreed. Annie went in the field and I went by the Loch (in fairness the 5m bell wouldn't have fitted by the loch side of the road)

Tents pitched the first night

Annie on the field



And the toerag by the water



Nothing could beat the sound of water lapping at night, and even a piper playing on the beach as I lay in bed that evening.

We had some stunning sunsets









And the early mornings were pretty good as well. The dogs were in their element having a loch in their 'garden'





A quick video of my camping garden....



We took a few trips out - day 1 we visited Dunvegan castle. Nice grounds but the actual castle was a bit grotty with its pebbledash frontage.







So had a poke round the rooms, scared the shit out of Annie with this woman on the stairs...



There was a pic of washer women in Skye...sure it was me and Annie re-incarnated....although she did wash her knickers in a previous life....



Now there was a bit of a problem with the myth regarding the 'fairy flag'....Legend has it that the fairies had donated a flag in a box which was used as protection for the young clan chief people who lived in the castle. This so called fairy flag is proudly displayed in the castle. Now not wanting to sound cynical but when i interrogated the young curator as to how she knew it was a fairy flag she did not have one legitimate reason why it is. There are no silver winged little fairies and toadstools playing on this flag. It is a cream scrap of material with a red blob on it. It could just have easily been my grubby tent canopy canvas

Really??? a fairy flag????

Now if it had been more like this,I would have been move convinced to be honest...



Moving on we fetched the dogs and had a mooch round the gardens, this didn't go so smoothly as the dogs spent most of the time trying to plough into the stream of the water garden








Finally a walk down to the boat launch finished off the castle

Also paid a trip into Portree (the sort of capital of Skye as it has a co-op) Found a shop selling some nice stuff, so bought a couple of sea eagles and a giant midge (as everyone does)



Portree



Next we went to a cafe for a large ice cream. Annie ordered the banofee surprise. The surprise was there was no banana or toffee ice cream left - the choice was liquorice, haggis and fried onion flavours due to the bank holiday rush....so Annie opted for lemon meringue instead

I had the pear Helene which was marginally better, but with nothing pear in it



Quick visit to the co-op, bought the entire cheese stock of Skye and back to the campsite

Next day we took a ride out the other way to Broadford (highlight was a shop that sold fuses as Annie had managed to blow most of them on the car) and a drive down to the ferry port of Armadale

Here's the dog having it's ice cream



Oops wrong picture



After having a ice cream we mooched up the bank to vist the eco camping. Annie led the way. After 10ft of walking to a dead end we went up the hill



The eco camping wasn't quite as expected. They were very eco with the size of the pitches. It beared more resemblance to a Stephen King novel. Altho they were very enthusiastic about the compost loos. No one was actually camping here, as you couldn't find room to pitch a tent

Couldn't get Homer through never mind put a tent up



One of the extensive tent pitches...



Trying to balance Barley on a log (no, I dont know why either)



watched the ferries, a quick walk on the beach and back in the cars



Having gained about 3 stone in weight over the last 7 days we decided to go for a walk above Glenbrittle to see the 'Fairy pools' (see we can do this backpack hiking stuff, sort of)

Barley, usually the clean mutt decided that a muddy welly look was the latest fashion



Homer for once was clean, until he decided to demonstrate just how Barley had acquired the muddy welly look....



few pics of walk



Hippo watering pool



a thistle. cos we were in scotland. and i like taking pictures of weeds



It is only now I have returned home that I realise the fairy pools were in the opposite direction, across the road from the carpark :(

So these were what we would should have seen!




Drove off again and visited a gallery. Bit bloody expensive for us so Annie bought a postcard for £2 from there. I'm sure that would have covered the rent on the building for the day

Following day we decided to take it easy and just drove local to visit the village hall coffee morning

We hadn't seen this many humans in one room for days



The cafe blackboard offered such delicacies as Mildreds Coffee and Walnut cake, Dot's victoria sponge and Lilibet's lemon meringue...

Annie went for the lemon meringue. And found out Lilibet was a right stingey bggr, as it was tiny. Perhaps she was the local midget



On another stall were some photographs of Skye..after a bit of a conversation with the stall holder about the various places on the island...our relaxing day then turned into a 100 mile trek around Skye to see some of these landscapes/sights

Headed off for the old man of Storr

didn't find him but there were these rocks



Then the waterfall at Kilt Rock which was a bit weak as it hadnt rained much (was cold tho)



An the reason I drove up to the North East was I wanted to see the dinosaur footprint at Staffin beach

This is my foot, not the dinosaurs. But its probably just as dirty as his would have been



Stopped of for another calippo on the way to the beach and then tried to find the bloody footprint. Guided Annie to treachourous slimy filled rock as usual



We gave up, must have been a tiny dinosaur



It's here somewhere, so he must have played on these rocks when he was sunbathing



Drove back via Usk (more Lochs, mountains etc etc)

Bit of a windy night back at the campsite and managed to break the top pole on the quechua. Have tied it to fence for now

Have also managed to download other fifty shades book on petrol station forecourt. Getting a bit bored with them to be honest. Have got to the end of the second book and he still hasn't used the butt plugs (or dyed his hair)

Pack up tomorrow to head for Glencoe