Speed, Bonnie Boat, like a bird on the wing

We have braved the midgies and visited Skye. Pleasantly, the midgies were no bother, and we were able to fully appreciate the scenery that is Skye.
The homes on Skye are distinctive in character, white, with slate rooves, with two or three ‘attic’ windows looking out from them. A little portico poking out around the front door. Most quaint. They are not so much concentrated onto road sides, as scattered over the hillsides. (Mainly around the township areas….other areas are quite bare of people and signs of them) There are craggy, smooth topped mountains, and a couple of quite sharp peaks in one spot, creating a landscape quite similar to those we encountered higher up on the west coast. The sea side is rather mighty looking – especially on a day like today where there have been wind warnings, as it is a stormy blue, with choppy waters wearing little white caps. Dark, ominous rocks poke their heads up amongst the waters, threatening boats but inviting birds.
Hours in a car do not rate highly on the kids lists of fun things to do, and I confess that today they missed much of the scenery by having their heads down, drawing on notebooks, to pass the time. Sam particularly was disgusted with himself (and us – because of course, it was our fault for not telling him, ‘Look now’) when he missed the Skye bridge going into Skye, and then again on our way out.
We did let the kids out at a playground at around midday, to stretch their legs before lunch. This ended badly, when Sam jumped off the seesaw without warning, with Eliza on the other end. Her poor left foot caught the impact as she came slamming down on top of it. There was screaming, followed by the usual debate that parents everywhere agonize over…do we find a hospital…do we let it go for a bit. I suppose that given our circumstances it isn’t surprising that we decided to let it slide a bit. (I should add that there were no visual signs of breakage at this point). She has continued to nurse it for the rest of the day, but I did see here walk towards some toys with nothing more than a slight limp mid arvo, and this evening she is walking on it again, albeit very gingerly. I think we shall be okay.
Whilst on Skye we visited the ancestral home of the McLeod Clan, in Dunvegan. I saw the vest of Bonnie Prince Charlie, which was good because I had been hanging out for some evidence of his fleeting visit. (We had stopped at the cemetery where Flora McDonald’s remains reside, and I was still missing some lines from the first verse, and chorus of the Skye Boat Song.) The gardens at Dunvegan are beautiful. Delightful. Waterfalls, wooden bridges, highly manicured garden beds and all enjoyed without being rained on.
We also popped into Skye’s only Whiskey distillery where two things happened. I found the words to the Skye boat song in a cabinet (unfortunately they were obscured with other bits of info) so I couldn’t quite make them all out. The other thing that I learnt was that I hate Whiskey. I took the little sampler thinking that perhaps my taste buds may have matured and a little sip of whiskey may prove enjoyable, but, er no. My taste buds have not matured enough that they enjoy the taste of acids, textas or petroleum products – guess I don’t need to worry about developing any nasty alchohol habits any time soon!
Flora MacDonald, by the way, was made famous when she smuggled Bonnie Prince Charlie from the mainland, to Skye, dressed as her handmaiden. He had been on the run since his defeat at Culloden, three months earlier, and from Skye escaped to France. Flora as captured and taken back to London as a prisoner, but her fame as a heroine spread quickly and all sorts wanted to visit her. Eventually she was released, returned to Scotland and married. She had five sons, and two daughters…and then emigrated to America, where her husband and her became caught up in the war of Independence. Her husband and sons fought. Husband was taken prisoner. She returned to Scotland to visit, and on the way home, was attacked by pirates and during the skirmish broke her arm which plagued her for the rest of her life. The amazing thing is that her husband and her were re-united in Scotland, and stayed and lived til old age. (Sadly, minus two sons, whose lives the war had claimed) She was such an inspirational woman, it is enough to make me like the name Flora!
We will head south tomorrow, visiting Eileen Doonan Castle, and Loch Ness on the way down, possibly staying at Oban or somewhere geographically similar. That will leave Tuesday to visit Stirling Castle, on our way back to Innerleithen. Then there will be only one week remaining before we leave Scotland, for ever. Gulp.