I sit here at my small desk at the Sligachan Inn on the Isle of Skye at the end of the second day of our return.  It nears 10pm here, but the light outside my window appears as if it were about 7pm back home.  I would guess there is at least an hour’s daylight left.  I will try to recount the day’s events prior to retiring for the evening.

We left Glasgow in a dreary, chilly rain...a very typical day for June in Scotland.  As we motored up the Great Western Road, I gazed from the window of our luxury coach recounting previous visits to this land.  I had traveled in rain, shine, heat and cold and all I could really recall was how wonderful each trip had been.  And here I was embarking on my fourth such adventure.  It takes such moments of epiphany for us to each realize that our lives, with all their trials and tribulations, our loses and our pain, are truly blessed with those good times that far outweigh the bad...but I digress.

Leaving Glasgow, Alex pointed out his boyhood home, a two room “walk up” on the west side of Glasgow.  It was here at the age of about 13 that his older brother, David, introduced him to the guitar.  This singular act would start a chain of events that would lead to this moment and this adventure...but again I digress.

As we rolled up the Great Western Road, we passed Loch Lomond, the first of several notable sights, which flowed past us to the east.  (Unfortunately, the gloom of the day made photography near impossible.)  Known to many of us by the song of the same name, it is generally remembered as a story of two lovers standing on the side of Ben Lomond (one of the major mountains in Scotland for which the loch is named).  However, the original version of this ballad recalls the fate of two brothers who, fighting side by side in the Jacobite rebellion against the English rule, were captured and imprisoned in Carlisle Castle.  When given the choice to remain loyal to James, the Scottish Pretender to the thrown, or to declare allegiance to the English Crown, one chose to remain loyal whilst the other turned away.  For his reward, the traitor was given his freedom while the true Scotsman was put to the the gallows tree.  The freed man returned to Scotland along the mortal “high road” while the loyal Jacobite was escorted by the fey folk back along the “low road” of death, never to see his loved one along the “bonnie, bonnie banks of Loch Lomond” again.  Truly there is much to be learned from this tale regarding loyalty, love and faith.

As we left Loch Lomond behind, we approached what has come to be almost a mandatory stop whilst in Scotland - the “Green Welly”.  Now, a welly is the Scottish name for a rubber boot such as you wore to school as a child, but green rather than yellow.  How this came to be the name of a gift shop and restaurant, I do not know. However, such it is and inside the “Green Welly” you will find a delicacy fit for royalty - cullen skink!

Now I know this sounds like something made from a lizard carcass, but in truth it is a most delicious fish chowder.  However, it’s base is smoked haddoch, rather than cod. My dear Amy would not pass this way without a bowl of this nectar.

Leaving the “Green Welly” behind, we proceeded westward and northward climbing one thousand feet to the reaches of bleak Rannoch Moor, a dreary land of peat bogs and rock outcroppings.  Though bleak it is, it contains a stark beauty that must be seen to be appreciate.

Rannoch Moor eventually gave way to the valley of the River Leven which drains into Loch Leven.  Following the south margin of the river, we crossed it at the Balliculish Bridge and proceeded along Loch Linnhe.  Loch Linnhe, along with Loch Lochy, Loch Oich and Loch Ness form the Calledonian Canal.  This canal system provides a shortcut for commercial traffic traveling around the west coast of Scotland to the southern Scottish ports.  The Lochs are connected by a series of locks that raise the boat traffic up and down as needed as they transverse from one loch to the next.. These lochs also make up what is known as the Great Glenn, a glenn being a river valley.

As we travel nothward, we round a bend and below is Loch Garry.  Seen from this vantage point, it resembles an exact depiction of the Scotland as displayed on a map.  Our coachman, Barry, relates that he was traveling this very road recently near sundown and Loch Garry presented a sight seen by few.

At the north end of Loch Lochie, we come upon the most photographed castle in all of Scotland - Eilean Donan.  You may remember seeing this beautiful tower castle with it sweeping bridge in the opening scenes of the movie “Highlander”.  They march the main character, Christopher Lampert, along the bridge and expell him from the clan.  It is easy to see why this castle so enthralls its many visitors.

Upon leaving Eilean Donan behind, it was but a short journey across the bridge at the Kyle of Lachalsh on to the Isle of Skye to our hostel for the next two nights, the aforementioned Slicaghan Inn.  The Slicaghan is one of those establishments that was first built in the 19th century and then added to over the years.  With the advent of such luxuries as electricity and hot water, these amenities were shoe horned into each room as best as possible.  Thus, in one room to turn on the shower, one must pull a cord hanging from the ceiling whilst in the next, the controls may consist of quite modern knobs of flow and temperature.  My bath is actually larger than my room.

My dinner this night consisted of pickled herring for the appetizer, a lamb tangine for the main course and a selection of ice cream for desert.  Amy had the mushrooms on toast which she proclaimed to be the best fungi she had eaten (and to which I concur), wild Scottish salmon in a butter sauce and sticky toffee pudding for desert.

With our appetites satiated, we retired for the night.