The Isle of Skye

Scotland’s second largest island (50 miles in length) is a very special place to me, since I have spent a lot of time here.  It is a very beautiful and romantic island with a lot of history.  I grew up hiking in the Cuillin range, which attracts climbers from all over the world.

It is famous for two of the greatest Scottish clans, the MacLeods, and the MacDonalds. Dunvegan Castle is a major attraction, (north west) home to the Chiefs of MacLeod for over 800 years.  On display in the castle is the famous Fairy Flag, a sacred clan banner which has miraculous powers and is said to have brought the clan victory in battle.  I was at the Clan Chief’s burial chapel earlier in the month and one chief  was 75 years old when he married an l8 year old and had l4 children with her before he died.  My kilted driver said with a grin, that it must have been the Cullen Skink (soup of potatoes and smoked Finnan Haddock) or the Talisker (whisky)

One of the most famous restaurants in the land is the Two Chimneys, near Dunvegan, and I love its hot marmalade pudding—it’s  my No. 2 favorite following Sticky Toffee Pudding.

I always take the ferry from Uig, east of the castle, to the Isle of Harris, home of the famous tweed and the mysterious Callendish Stones.  

You could only get to the island by two ferry routes and when a bridge was built in l995 from the Kyle of Lochalsh, there was an uproar.  Some people didn’t want more traffic, and when there was a toll charge, there was such an outcry that it was quickly cancelled.  The free church of Scotland then said it wanted a gate on the bridge, so people couldn’t leave the island on Sundays.  The ‘wee freebies’ as they are called, only want people to pray and stay home on the Sabbath--no golf, no fishing, and even the swings in the children’s play grounds are chained up.

I like to take the ferry from Mallaig to Armadale, on the Sleat Peninsula.  It’s a 25 minute journey of bliss, lovely scenery and it is the end of the historic one lane Road to the Isles.  I remember my father telling me that he would dream of the Road to the Isles, and the magnificent beach at Morar when he was a prisoner of war in Burma.   Mallaig is also the main hopping off point for those wanting to visit the small islands of Rum, Eigg and Muck. The West Highland railway station is the first and last place that many people see in Mallaig if they take the wonderful steam hauled Jacobite train from Fort William, which is one of the most enjoyable ways to experience the world’s most wonderful railway journey.  This was made famous in a Harry Potter movie.

If you want to do something unusual, take a boat from Mallaig to the village of Inverie, (only 50 inhabitants ) on the southern side of the Knoydart peninsula which is said to be the only village in Scotland with no link to the road network.   Have a shandy (half beer and half lemonade) at “The Old Forge”, the most remote pub in the United Kingdom according to the Guinness Book of Records.There is only one distillery on the island, Talisker, which is known as one of the finest malt whiskies.

Kinloch Lodge is the home of Lord Godfrey Macdonald and Lady Clare Macdonald, an award winning cook, food writer, and television personality.  She has written several cookbooks.  They have held a Michelin star for several years and their ancestral home is a lovely place to stay.  He is the Eighth Chief of the Clan Donald.

If you don’t want to drive yourself, there is a 3-day tour you can take from either Glasgow or Edinburgh as part of a small group.

Skye is a wonderful place to visit; there’s great food all over the island: Bon appétit! Or as is said in Gaelic, “Ith gu ledir!”

Maureen Jones, Scotsmaster, and president of All Horizons Travel at 160 Main Street in Los Altos. Members of her staff are experts in business travel, cruises, and all types of leisure.