🇬🇧 Isle of Skye

On our way to our accommodation at the Isle of Skye we stopped at Eilean Donan Castle to take a photo with the weather changing constantly.

Then we drove over the Skye Bridge, which literally made us feel like we were driving straight into the clouds.

Our cottage was cute and cozy with beautiful scenic mountain views with a few sheep to keep us company.

On our first day out we came across a very photogenic highland coo. It is usually hard to get a good close up photo of these hairy beauties as they spend much of their time head down eating. This adorable hairy coo just wanted to show off his long fringe for us. He even pushed Rob’s hand away when Rob tried to feed him. They are such gorgeous animals, you just want to give them a cuddle.

On our journey we stopped for some more photos at a fantastic waterfall on display close to the road.

The scenic drive showcased many dramatic mountain ridges.

We arrived at the Fairy Pool but first we had to navigate a few waterways by leaping across widely spaced stone boulders to cross. We noted 2 female hikers couldn’t overcome their fears and waited behind. I was lucky to have Rob cheering and helping me across. Then we had to hike up the rocky muddy path. We were rewarded by the sight of numerous cascading falls which flowed downwards into crystal clear pools. These pools would have been even more spectacular if the sun was out.

The backdrop was just as beautiful, we were surrounded by majestic high mountain peaks, gray looming clouds and lite rain. Even in this cold damp weather there was a constant flow of hikers coming to admire the charm of the Fairy Pools.

On our way home we stopped to admire the water views at Skye Broadford near our accommodation. We were looking for otters along the shore line at low tide whilst we sampled the local hot chips, but this was uneventful. We were excited though when we saw a beautiful eagle sitting on a sign post (no photo though).

The next day brought high winds and rain. We headed out and caught sight of a lovely rainbow but the skies didn’t clear.

We explore the town of Portree and spent a wee time in the hospital as I had developed another ear infection!!! Then the wet weather set in so our day exploring had been put on hold.

On our way home we stopped to pat some very wet but still delightful highland coos. One was really friendly and enjoyed a good pat. This coo even enjoyed a neck scratch on the barbed wire fence!! That shows how thick their skin is. We were surprised at the varying degrees of different coloured coos in this herd. We spotted black, greyish, brown and cream babies. We had only seen brown highland coos before.

The next day the clouds had cleared as blue sky and sunshine shone with a spectacular rainbow.

We headed out to visit one of the most photographed landscapes here, The Old Man of Storr! Jagurred black pointy rock formation lay on a mossy green landscape. As we drew closer the clouds came tumbling in.

We then stopped to view a nice waterfall and this is where our frustrations began. Hoards of tourist were swarming around us. Three bus loads and they just take over the paths and have no consideration for others around them or the tranquil environment that they are standing on.

It became a race for us to get to the next viewing point just to get a decent photo. I understand why locals just get over tourists.  We headed on to Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls. This was my favourite view with an epic waterfall that flowed gracefully over a cliffside with Kilt Rock as the background.  We probably got 5 minutes to enjoy these stunning surroundings before the tourist buses arrived and then I had people’s heads, arms and hair in my photo.

That was our signal to move on. We would hate to come here in peak season as there are many single lane roads where you have to stop to let traffic pass and not a lot of parking areas. Tourism has grown faster than the infrastructure.

As the weather once again took a turn for the worst we spotted this clever sheep trying to shelter himself from the wind and rain.

We drove up the mountain range to a great location to view the valley below. The sun once again shone but the wind howled right through us. I brought the beanie and gloves out. It was 7 degrees but the views were great.

On our way back Rob stopped to admire this beauty!!