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Our 2007 holiday was a week on Skye, with a night at Ratagan on the way home.
We stayed at Brook Cottage and would happily recommend - it is just 10 minutes walk from centre
of Portree, and is very well equipped. The lounge looks out over Portree Bay. There is a double and a twin. We nicknamed it the Tardis because it is
much larger on the inside than it looks from outside.
On the way home we treated ourselves to a stay at Grants at Craigellachie
a restaurant with rooms situated in Ratagan on the shores of Loch Duich.
The food here is very good, we really enjoyed both the evening meal and breakfast.
Many of our walk ideas came from Skye Walks and two pathfinder Jarrold Guides numbers 3 and 43, details of which can be found
here.
Our first walk was in the Quirang - and area that Jackie had fallen in love with on our first visit to Skye in 1987, but new to Dennis.
It is an area situated at the northern end of the Trotternish Peninsula and well known for its splendid rock formations. Our walk started at
Flodigarry, close to Loch Langaig. We walked up a well used path, past Loch Langaig and Loch Hasco to join the main Quirang
path, which runs below the cliffs of Meall na Suiramach. Heading south, the path goes round the base of the most famous of the rock formations,
the Prison and the Table. The path leads onwards towards a car park on the col - which is used by most people exploring the Quirang. Cutting off before
the car park we headed north on a path (quite rough and boggy in places to start) that followed the edge of the cliffs, and afforded us good views
over the Quirang. Near the top we headed inland to the trig point on the summit of Meall na Suiramach at 543m.
From there we walked out to the end of the Sron Vourlinn ridge before returning to Flodigarry.
Next day we decided to do a coastal walk around the Rubh' an Dunain headland. We used the car park at the end of the public road
in Glen Brittle. You walk through the campsite to start and finish the walk - there is a shop here where you can buy refreshments.
The cloud was often low and rain threatened, although we did get some views of the Southern Cuillins and the islands of Soay, Canna, Rum and Eigg.
As with many costal walks it was quite tough.
Tuesday found us on the Black Cuillin - Bruach na Frith - a relatively straight forward walk - but the level of challenge was greatly increased
by the strong gusting wind in the approach to the ridge. Once atop, the wind dropped considerably. The walk started from Sligachan and followed
the Allt Dearg Mor on a very good path before turning off and heading up into the Fion Choire. From the corrie we walked up to the Bealach nan Lice
on the main ridge and from there up to the triangulation pillar which marks the summit of Bruach na Frith. For the return we retraced our steps
and had a welcome drink in the Seumas bar of the Sligachan Hotel before driving back to Portree.
Wednesday a day off at Dunvegan Castle - very enjoyable - we did the gardens (£5 per adult)
and the seal trip - just £1.50 extra, very good value and an interesting 30 to 40 minutes out on the boat. I think the seals
thought the tourists were provided for their amusement.
A wet start to Thursday- so we ambled in the morning and a look around the Aros Centre a cultural and heritage
centre a couple of hundred yards from our cottage. The weather started to improve in the afternoon and we did Ben Tianavaig from
Camustianavaig - a pleasant climb to a cracking view point followed by a narrow
path round the coast. In the evening we did a circular stroll on the Storrybrae path (take the midge repellent) from Portree.
Jackie's bete noir - Glaimaig - rough boggy ground, a climb up the valley (having mislaid the path) and then many hundreds of feet of scree from the
col. The view from the top compensated, but I doubt that we will do again. This was another walk from Sligachan, which meant another visit to Seumas bar
at the end of the walk. Glamaig, a Red Cuillin, is one of only two Corbetts on Skye.
Saturday found us doing low level walk on mainland. After packing up and saying our goodbyes to the cottage owner we drove over the Skye Bridge and
drove a short distance to the forestry village of Balmacara square. The walk was on a very pleasant path though forest and across moorland to
Loch Achaidh. From here we did a circular walk on road and forest tracks through Creag daroch Wood back to the lake, before returning on the path to
Blamacara square.
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This page was last updated on 22nd October 2007.
