Rain, Rain, and more Rain

19 August

Rain, Rain and more Rain!!!! Is this how the countryside stays so green????? It's enough to make one quote the childrens ditty.. rain rain go away.

After a good nights sleep, another grey and dismal morning. Breakfast was as good as dinner, I can get used to scrambled eggs and salmon, even though the portion I thought was a bit on the ''scottish'' side. My darling Jeff bought me a wee Hamish coo to remind me of our trip, though I think this little fellow looks more like a Guinea Cow than a Heilan' Coo!

A delayed departure meant a hurried ride towards the next ferry at Mallaig. Detour to the Bridge Across the Atlantic and the Tigh an Truish ''House of Trousers'' on the Isle of Siel. After the Jacobite Rebellion of 1745, highlanders were forbidden to wear the kilt on the mainland, but as this was an island it was exempt from the law, hence the inn where highlanders would divest their trousers and don their kilts! A 7 minute stop at the beginning of GlenFinnan * for a Kodak minute. The monument to Bonny Prince Charlie at the head of Loch ... and behind us the GlenFinnan Viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter railway scene. A harried ride through the Glen reminiscent of Prince Charlies escape to the Isle of Skye, rushing past gushing waterfalls over craggy boulders, lakes with islands of tall trees resembling grecian temples. One loch opens to another, and then finally the Atlantic Ocean.

Arrived at Mallaig, at the end of the GlenFinnan railway, to take the ferry across to the Isle of Skye, to be told that we were late. We were supposed to have been there 30 minutes before the sailing and were 5 minutes late. HAH! Let me at him Murgatroyd!! The crossing was 20-25 minutes and I was not going to take another of those tablets that would tranq a horse! I stayed topside and outside all the time, braving the rain and watching the mainland mountains disappear into the rain. Across the Isle of Sleat (pron. Slate) and drove to Toravaig House, our hotel for the night. A brief stop for tea and back towards the harbour to visit Armadale Castle, the Clan Donald H.Q. Walked through the gardens of the castle, and through the ruins and the raindrops. It was good to go through the Clan museum if only to get dry again. Quest for my t-shirt thwarted again. **

Whilst the others relaxed before dinner, I went out and took pictures of the few stones that remain of Knock Castle overlooking a wee bay (Knock Bay), not to be confused with Castle Knock near Aberdeen. Flat light did not deter me, and I wandered down the track, past a dog standing and looking at me without barking, past the eerie wee cottage to the waters edge, to find the tide coming in and a lonesome rowboat, an abandoned barn and the remains of the castle on the hillock. All very quiet other than the sound of the waves and I felt it was time to go back and get ready for dinner. Luckily no dog to watch me pass and only the sound of the wind to accompany me.

Was late for dinner and went straight into the dining room for a 3 course dinner, after which Jeff and I retired to the lounge for coffee next to the fire. I could get used to having the fire on in the evenings. Another night of falling into bed after a long and tiring day in the car.

* http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glenfinnan

** http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/skye/armadale/index.html