Evil Twins Head North – 3/8/2006 – 6/8/2006

My evil twin, her boyfriend Chris, Lucas and I headed north for a long weekend. Our objective? Look for Highlanders. Specifically, this one and this one. Either would do, really. We headed for the ancestral home of the Clan MacLeod, the Isle of Skye.

Our first stopover was Glen Coe, where we stayed at the Glencoe Bunkhouse and Hostel. The hostel was full, but we had the Bunkhouse to ourselves.

The next morning, we made a brief pitstop in Fort William before heading to Mallaig to catch the ferry to Skye. Driving to Mallaig requires a stop to see the Glen Finnan Viaduct, aka the Harry Potter Bridge. While we were there, we got to see First Scotrail service to Mallaig imitate the Hogwarts Express.

The ferry dropped us at Armadale, so we drove a good chunk of the island to get to the Croft Bunkhouse in Portnalong, our accommodation for the next two nights. We stopped at the pretty waterfall along the A87 for a prime photo opportunity, and I took advantage of the chance for a wee hike to the top for a better look over the waterfall.

We noted the Talisker whisky distillery on the way to the bunkhouse. It was a little late for touring then but it could be part of the plan for later that weekend. After finding the bunkhouse and nesting, we enjoyed a rainy and soggy walk on a nearby trail. Cows stared at us and snickered when Nikki gave up walking around the puddles and made a big splotch in a too-deep puddle. Have I mentioned it rains occasionally in Skye?

The next morning, we headed for Dunvegan Castle, home of the chieftain of the Clan MacLeod. We toured and saw lots of interesting old things. Many swords. Many tales of clan life. Not one mention of a certain film or television series. Hmmm. Dunvegan Castle is much shinier and newer than the castle used in the movies, Eilean Donan Castle. I suppose it is perhaps a good enough excuse for the official heads of the Clan MacLeod.

After touring the castle, we picnicked in a little nook nearby where the wind was relatively mild. After lunch, we walked more and saw the MacLeods’ pedigree Highland Cows wandering in their pasture. Post-cow, we headed back toward the Talisker Distillery for touring and imbibing. Er, well, imbibing meant a wee nip for nearly everyone before pouring our glasses into Nikki’s. At least one of us likes whisky.

Sunday morning, I had Lucas drop me off 10 miles away for my long run while everyone else slept in. In the course of more or less 2 hours (I don’t own a watch), I got downpour-level rain, midge nips, sprinkles of rain, overcast, bright sun twice and enough wind to ensure I was reasonably dry by the time I got back to the bunkhouse. That’s a typical Scottish day, accelerated because we were on the west coast. Have I mentioned it rains in Skye?

My run took me from the Cuillin Hills up the ridge into the town past the distillery and back up to follow the ridgeline back. We drove back to the base of the Cuillin Hills so Nikki and Chris could see them too. Along the way, we spotted furry cows near the roadside so we stopped for photos. At the bottom of the Glen, we found our way to the beach and enjoyed a brief walk. The afternoon was dedicated to the drive home, with a picnic lunch outside Eilean Donan Castle, a brief excursion along Loch Ness and a nice drive through the Cairngorms. It was a great weekend away. We exhausted Chris’s cow game, finally, by the time we returned to Edinburgh. And we slept well that night.