On
Skye's western reaches, history and myth entwine.
Dunvegan Castle, seat of
Clan MacLeod for eight centuries, rises above the waters of
Loch Dunvegan, its walls echoing with tales of chiefs, battles, and the legendary Fairy Flag. Just to the south, the landscape softens into glens where the
Fairy Pools shimmer - crystal-clear cascades and blue-green basins said to be touched by otherworldly magic. Together, castle and pools reveal Skye's dual soul: one rooted in history, the other steeped in legend.
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| View to our campsite and harbour and pier. |
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| Affer the walk, Bronco went to bed again. |
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| Our Meri duo enjoyed driving on A850. |
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| In 1773, the British government passed the General Highways Act, which made left-side travel official in London. Later, in 1835, the Highway Act extended this rule to the rest of Britain. The act provided that horse riders, farmers, coachmen and lawless highwaymen must remain on the left side of the road. |
If it rains, you can have a breakfast in the car.
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| Our first attraction, that we saw today was Dunvegan Castle. Since Bronco wasn't allow to go in, we made separate visits to the castle. |
Dunvegan Castle is one the greatest Hebridean castles and the only Highland fortress to have been continuously occupied by the same family for 800 years.  |
| Castle is the seat of the MacLeod of MacLeod, chief of the Clan MacLeod. Probably a fortified site from the earliest times, the castle was first built in the 13th century and developed piecemeal over the centuries. In the 19th century the whole castle was remodelled in a mock-medieval style. The castle is built on an elevated rock overlooking an inlet on the eastern shore of Loch Dunvegan, a sea loch. |
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| Inside Dunvegan, clan history whispers from every wall - the Fairy Flag glows with legend, portraits of chiefs gaze on, and Sir Rory Mor's great horn waits, a silvered challenge from another age. Horn isn't just a proud clan tradition - it has led to a few embarrassing moments over the centuries. Not every new chief (or guest) has been able to drain the 1.5 litres of wine in one go. There are stories of chiefs turning red, coughing, or spilling half of it down their tunics, to the amusement of onlookers. Apparently, one Victorian visitor tried it and ended up under the table before dessert! |
Trip of the interior ended, so we continued exploring the area outside the castle.
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| The loch below the castle is home to a colony of harbour and grey seals, which can often be spotted basking on the rocks. The MacLeods call them their "water clan." |
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| The castle we see today looks quite romantic, but that’s partly because in the 1800s, the MacLeods remodeled it with turrets and mock-battlements to fit the Victorian idea of a fairytale Highland castle. |
Exploring the gardens, that were extensively redesigned in the 19th century, blending formal Victorian layouts with the natural rugged beauty of Skye. Tools in the shed.
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| MacLeods had long-standing rivalries with Clan MacDonald, another powerful Skye and Hebridean clan. Skirmishes, raids, and revenge feuds were common over centuries. |
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| Nada, Bronco and Tuši. |
We checked the Woodland walk trail nearby.
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| After a while we finally parked our car and then we started our circular walk. Fairly Pools were just below us. |
Ascending towards the Bealach a' Mhaim, a mountain pass.
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| Exposed to the wind. |
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| We turned our compasses towards the South. |
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| Crossing the Cuillin mountains below the Bruach na Frìthe, 958 m. |
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| Sailing Nada. |
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| View to the valley. |
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| Bronco's friends. |
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| Posers Bronco and Tuši. |
They are part of the Allt Coir’ a’ Mhadaidh (the stream running down from the mountains) and consist of a series of small waterfalls and crystal-clear pools.
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| The stunning colors come from the purity of the water, the mineral content, and the light reflecting off the dark rocks and white sand beneath. |
It is said that the pools have a magical quality, and many visitors believe swimming in them brings good luck or mystical inspiration.
The pools are called "Fairy Pools" because of local folklore that fairies once lived in them.
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| Locals joke that the fairies still live there - hence, if your camera falls or your foot slips on a rock, it’s probably the fairies having a laugh. |
There was still a traffic jam on the road, so we had a beer and we wrote a few postcards.
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| Back on the "main" land. |
Before we settled in our well known "camp" near Balmacara, we picked up a geocache near the Murchison Memorial. It stands as a tribute to Colonel Donald Murchison, a Jacobite figure who played a significant role in the early 18th century.
Geocaches found (all received a visit by trackable item "Second Angel of peace",
TBA8B55):
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