Scotland #3

Monday, June 3 We had an early morning today. After breakfast Scott showed up and we headed out.  We had a reservation for a cruise on Loch Ness.  Hope we find Nessie!  It was a private tour.  We were not sure exactly what to expect but we were a bit concerned when we pulled up to the dock.  The boat was an older one and the skipper even older.  Scott assured us he was a safe skipper and really knew the lake.  I was unable to get into the boat where it was moored because of my arm.  There was nothing for me to grab onto.  They moved the boat back to another spot so I could use the stairs that were there.  The water was smooth when we started out but once out of the cove it got a bit choppy.  I worried about Aimee but she did really well.  The skippers name was Gordon, he gave us a lot of information about the loch.  Did you know that Loch Ness has more water in it than all the lakes in England and Wales combined?  It also is fed by the River Ness which flows to the North Sea.  That is one reason Nessie has not been found.  She can hide in the river and the sea.  Gordon had Rory and Aimee steer the boat.  Aimee even docked us at the end in one try.  We spent a little time floating around Urquhart Castle.  It is ruin but once was a stronghold.  It was destroyed in 1692 and was never rebuilt.  

After Aimee’s perfect job of docking we loaded back in the van to head toward the Isle of Skye.  We stopped first at Eileen Donan Castle.  It is a fully restored castle that allows tours.  We had a nice lunch here before heading out.  We have discovered that all of the tourist places we have stopped at have had really nice cafes.  The food has been really good and fresh.  Aimee and I have both been having a lot of soup and salads. 

After visiting the castle for a bit we headed off to Skye.  It was a bit of a drive.  Scott came prepared with Scottish music for us to listen to and he gave us lots of info on the island.  The Skye Boat song was written about when Bonny Prince Charles escaped to Skye after the defeat in Culloden. They used the music in the song and wrote new words for the theme to Outlander.  

We are staying at Cuillin Hills Hotel for the next two nights.  It is a very nice hotel.  My biggest problem was the lock on my door.  I could get in easily but getting out was a problem.  You have to turn the lock and pull on the door to exit.  Not a problem with two hands but a bit difficult with only one.  I had to turn the lock and pull on it with my fingers then put my foot in the little crack of the door then move my hand to the knob to open it.  I got it done anyway.  

Our dinner tonight was in the hotel.  Aimee and I both had soup for our starter.  It was celeriac soup, made with celery root.  It was really, really good.  We are both going to try and make it one day.  Rory usually looks at both the adult and kids menus and picks dishes from both.  

This was the view from my room.  Notice the open window, there was no air conditioning in the room but it was nice and cool outside.  

June 4, Tuesday 

Today we are driving around the isle.  Unfortunately, the weather didn’t cooperate very much.  It was cool, rainy and windy.  Over the course of the day we had rain, hail, heavy winds and sun.  It did stop us from visiting a couple of sites that were originally on our itinerary such as the fairy pools and fairy glen.  Neither Aimee nor I wanted to do those walks in the rain.  Also, Scot told us I would probably have a problem with the hike to fairy pools as it was a mile downhill on a rocky trail and then the mile back up.  We did stop at the Quiraing, the Old Man of Stor and Kilt rock.  Both Aimee and I had to hold our hats to keep them from blowing away.  

We also stopped at the Staffin Dinosaur Museum.  In the 1990’s dinosaur bones were discovered on Skye for the first time.  This is a private museum owned and operated by the man who found the bones.  Nobody is allowed to hunt for bones on the island except for him.  Even researchers need his permission.  

Since we had to skip a couple of our destinations we made it back to the hotel early enough for lunch.  Rory had a burger but it was a venison burger.  We didn’t tell him what venison was until he finished his meal but he said it was good anyway.  Resting was our next item of business.  Scott picked us up to take us to dinner later in the evening at Antlers Bar and Grill.  It was fine, nothing exciting.  I did have the fish and chips and once again got a huge piece of fish.  Rory had the kids fish and chips  and it was a much more reasonable size.  

There was a small farmers market across the street that we visited while waiting for our cab back to the hotel.