Subject: From Caledonia, Saturday am

  

Well, 'tis come down to this, our last full day in this rich and fabled land. As we are on our own for this morning, I should be able to catch up with my travels.

A Dram before Lunch

On Tuesday we bade adieu to the charming Banchory Inn and set off for the Isle of Skye, known far and wide as the Misty Isle. As we left Royal Deeside, Alec played "The Road to the Isles" a portion of which states "...from the Skerrys to the Lews with heather honey taste upon each name" as it names Loch Crannoch, Lachaber and "...by Morag to the sea", all places of dream and romance.

But I get ahead of myself. Being still early in the morning and just past breakfast, it was only fitting that we stop for a wee dram, the Strathisla distillery. Having been only lately introduced to that heavenly elixir, single malt whiskey (here of course it is whiskey, not Scotch), I was anxious to see the process by which it is distilled. And more anxious to taste the whiskey. The product of the Strathisla distillery is not bottled as a single malt whiskey but is, in fact, the main ingredient in the blended whiskey knownthroughout the world as Chivas Regal. Our guide for the tour was very thorough in his discourse but we finally rushed him through to the tasting room. Whilst a right fine blend, the end product did not approach the Glen Isla Lagavulin that Alec had provided previously.

Culloden Moor and the Bold 45

Leaving the distillery at Keith, we turned west and south for a brief visit to Culloden Moor. To properly understand the significance of Culloden Moor, I must relate a bit of history. As are many of the stories to be found in this proud land, it is both gallant and sad.

For many years the James' had ruled Scotland until losing it sometime in the 17th century. In August of 1745, Prince Charles Edward Stewart, known to all as Bonnie Prince Charlie, landed at Glenfinnan with but seven men and a secret weapon, Drambuie. Bonnie Prince Charlie was the son of James (the number escapes me but in had to be around the VIIth). Loyal followers of James were known as Jacobites from the Latin version of James, Jacobus. On landing, Charlie raised the standard of his father and called for all good Jacobites to rise and follow him. Now, you must know that there had been many Jacobite risings in the previous half-century, all of which fell in defeat. So this call to arms was not met with immediate response. However, he was able to muster 5000 Highlanders and, with his loyal army, was able to advance to within 100 miles of London besting the English at such storied places as Stirling Castle and Prestonpans.

However, for reasons not well documented, he was counseled that he could not defeat the English and so turned back north to Scotland. (Some say that he had run out of Drambuie!) (It is known that the English king was preparing to leave London and high tail it back to Amsterdam.) Closely trailed by the English, Charlie and his army engaged them one last time just to the east of Inverness on the Moors of Culloden. Greatly outnumbered, outgunned and weary from an overnight march, the Highlanders were slaughtered. From "The Skye Boat Song" are the lines "...well the Claymore (swords) could wield. When the night came, silently lay, dead on Culloden's field".

With a few loyal men, Charlie fled the field. The English put a £25,000 bounty on his head (approximately $30,000,000 in today's exchange). He was able to elude the English for several weeks coming close to capture at one point. However, Flora McDonald dressed the Prince as her handmaiden and, with the help of a boatman from Clan McKinnon, they rowed him "...over the sea to Skye". Flora received his eternal thanks while the McKinnon was given the secret recipe for Drambuie. Charlie escaped back to France, never to set foot on Scottish soil again. The final lines of the Skye Boat Song go "...yet ere the sword cools in the sheath, Charlie will come again". Flora, for her help, was imprisoned in London for a year. On her release, she immigrated to what is today North Carolina. In the Revolutionary War, she stood, surprisingly, on the side of the English and eventually returned to her dear Scotland and is today buried in the Islands. Master McKinnon took the secret of Drambuie and the clan went on to become one of the richest in the Islands.

In 1746, England outlawed the wearing of kilts (a man could have his legs hacked off at the knees if caught in one), the wearing of the tartan and the playing of the mountain pipes. Fortunately, the pipes were allowed to the highland regiments and, thus, did not die out. The clan chiefs that supported Bonnie Prince Charlie were stripped of their power and they were forced to collect taxes from their landsmen. The landsmen, having no money, were evicted from their lands, and their lands confiscated by the English. This is the beginning of the Clearances in which many Scots migrated to Canada and the US and throughout the world. While the uprising of 1745, often spoken of as the Bold 45, is remembered by many as romantic, others see it as an act of futility that resulted in the loss of much Scottish heritage.

The Misty Isle

As I stated, our eventual destination for this day was the Isle of Skye known both as the Misty Isle and the Romantic Isle. However, we had not completed our adventures for the day. Leaving Culloden Moore, we journeyed to Ross shire and drove along fabled Loch Ness. I strained anxiously to spot Nessie herself, but, as some weather had set in, was not rewarded. However, just the opportunity is a cherished experience.

We stopped briefly for an opportunity to record the likes of Urquhart Castle. If you have seen any documentaries on Nessie, you have surely seen the ruined castle sitting high on the back of the Loch. This castle is the sight of "...Urquhart's fairy glen" of song. As we get closer to Skye, the talk of Fairy becomes more common.

Finally we started on our last leg to Skye. As we passed through Dundreggan and along Loch Ciuanie we entered Glen Shiel. I've heard sung of the lochs and glens of Scotland, but here it was in its full majesty. I cannot express the beauty of this stark land. I can only hope that my photographs can do it justice.

A last stop is at Eilean Donan Castle. This castle is the one seen in the opening scenes of "Highlander" with the clansmen marching across the bridge. Because of its fame, it is the most photographed castle in Scotland. I upped the ante by a considerable mark myself.

Passing along Lock Duich and through the Kyle of Lochalsh, we crossed over one of the most expensive bridges in the world to Skye and proceeded to our next two nights lodging at the Duisdale Country House Hotel.

Here we were met by the Lady of the Manor, one Marie Campbell (also a cousin by marriage to Alec) along with a piper in full dress and her dogs, Shirley and Whitney, beautiful animals certainly akin to my dear Dusty, but of a breed unfamiliar to me. After a few quick pictures of our piper, Ian by name, Shirley insisted that I play a game of fetch with her. She was the happier the further I was able to toss the ball.

Marie ushered us all into the hotel where several of us made directly for the bar to quaff a few pints before dinner. At dinner, Ian piped us into the dining room two by two. Dinner consisted of a most excellent pan fried fillet server over tatties (mashed potatoes). After dinner, Alec entertained us with some music. He did not furnish the Glen Isla as the bottle had been emptied in Banchory. However, the bar was quite adequately stocked and we were not left wanting. After Alec's performance, his bother Neil played us several merry tunes upon the pipes. He is a piper of some distinction and played several very intricate arrangements. With the drone of the pipes in our heads, we repaired for the night. I vaguely remember the bleating of sheep as I gave myself up to sleep.

After a hearty breakfast, we set off to explore the Isle of Skye. While Alec was born and raised in Glasgow, his Granny and Grampa lived on Skye near the town of Portree and he spent many a bonnie day there and, so, is very knowledgeable of the area. Though the weather was rather "unco and grey", we were lucky. Just prior to our arrival, they had experienced gale-force winds and driving rain. We were satisfied with the steady drizzle that we experienced. However, our view of the Cuillin Mountians was obscured. Our stops that day included a look at Kilt Rock that looks out over the Sound of Reasay and a stop at the Black Houses where a crofter village has been recreated. However, I opted to trek up the hill to a small graveyard where the remains of Flora McDonald lay. Though she sided with the English against America, still she is thought well of in North Carolina and, of course, in Scotland.

We proceeded on to Portree, a small fishing village with a picturesque harbor. A lunch of fish and chips and a fine pint of Tennets, and we were back on the road. A final stop at the Museum of the Isles at Armadale Castle revealed the history of the MacDonalds which is, for the most part, the history of the Islands.

We returned to the Duisdale where, after a pint in the bar, we were once again piped to a dinner that included Haggis. If you are not familiar with haggis, just let me say that the recipe starts "...tak the stumick of a shepe" and ncludes organs and parts that we generally discard. However, at the hands of our award winning innkeeper, Marie, it became something that requires additional review. I look forward to the chance to partake again.

After dinner, Alec had a special treat for all. It started with a couple of tunes by himself. He then brought in our piper, Ian, along with a lovely Highland dancer. She performed for us the Fling and a Lilt, accompanied by Ian playing "Battle of the Somme" much to our delight. Next, a local fiddler was introduced. When bow touched string, it was certainly touched by Fairy as he played jigs, reels and strathspeys. Our dancer returned for final dance, a hornpipe.

Our final entertainer of the night was a young lady that played the Celtic harp and sang in the Gaelic tongue. When she combined the two it was as an angel come to earth to harp and sing.

Ian completed the night with a bonnie tune and finally marched out to the strains of "Scotland the Brave" to the delight of all. Surely I have not experienced as fine a night in all my travels.

Gordie