HIGHLAND HOLIDAY - DAY FIVE- EILEAN DONAN AND THE ISLE OF SKYE

Today, our plan was to visit Eilean Donan castle and then go on to Skye. As we drove along we encountered the Highland mountains in all their glory. It was impossible not to stop the car every few miles to get out and admire the breathtaking scenery. At every turn in the road we were surrounded  by towering mountains on either side of the road, ahead of us and behind us. Everywhere we looked we saw a new and amazing view. 

Autumn Colour in Glen Shiel

As we tried to continue our journey we came to Glen Shiel, the site of a battle between Jacobites and government troops in 1719. Over 100 Highlanders died and it is hard to believe that such a beautiful spot could have seen such violence and bloodshed. 

We then stopped again at the south end of Loch Duich, a sea loch near Alt a-Chruinn, with yet more mountains reflected in the water.

Loch Duich

There was a pretty abandoned kirk at the side of the Loch. The kirk was open to the elements with graves and headstones inside. We eventually made it Eilean Donan in time for lunch, and then went around the castle. There has been a castle on this site for hundreds of years, though the present castle was sympathetically restored early in the 20^th century. The castle and its location are, quite simply, spectacular, and it is one of the most photographed castles in the world. 

Eilean Donan Castle

After taking our own photographs, we reluctantly left Eilean Donan behind and drove through the Kyle of Lochalsh and onwards towards the Isle of Skye. We drove over the bridge connecting Skye with the mainland, and soon encountered the breathtaking Cuillin Hills. It was late afternoon and we parked up, and walked along a rocky track, surrounded by mountains, rivers and waterfalls.

Cuillin Hills near Sligachan Hotel

Cuillin Hills Sunset over Loch Ainort

We started our drive home as the sun began to set over Loch Ainort, another sea loch. It was almost dark by the time we got back to Eilean Donan and stopped to see the castle floodlit and reflected in the Loch. We drove back through the mountains after darkness had fallen, and stopped once more at Glen Shiel, to experience the place in the dark, and looked up at the clear, starry sky with the sound of a waterfall nearby. Although we had originally only planned to visit Eilean Donan and Skye, the Highlands had other ideas, we couldn’t help but keep stopping to try to take in as much of the scenery and area as we could, and we couldn’t help but feel that our day had been one of the best that we’d had. 

Eilean Donan Castle Floodlit after sunset.

Photos courtesy of Sean D. Hattersley Photography. Please like his page by following the link for more excellent photos of Scotland and other places.