Skye has been an experience, so wild and such changeable weather ! Rather than a guesthouse or hotel, we are staying in a beautiful self-catering house with a view over the Sound of Sweat, and that has been perfect for the rain storms we have had passing over us all day with the odd bit of hail thrown in for good measure. Unfortunately this has meant that the kayaking was cancelled, however it’s meant a very quiet day with a quick trip out for coffee and scones, then a whisky tasting, and peaceful time just reading and weather-watching.
The journey to Skye from inverness was through possibly some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland, through the wild empty spaces and imposing mountains of Wester Ross to Plockton, an impossibly pretty little village on the coast near Skye. We saw hairy Highland Cows !
Yesterday was an active day, of swimming in the coolest water I have come across in a while, followed by Dunvegan Castle, still the ancestral home of the McLeods to this day. Then we survived the windiest walk ever at Neist Point, followed by a shopping trip to Portree before heading back home to hide from the weather and enjoy the lovely house.
Today with the kayaking cancelled it’s been very quiet and a good reminder that sometimes it’s OK to stay home, read, cook and share good food, and just watch the Skye weather rolling past outside those amazing picture windows. The ferry has been cancelled, which totally confirms that being out in a small sea kayak would be rather foolhardy.
The last days, in this well designed, warm house with good ingredients, decent wine and able to watch the weather passing us by, has reminded me of the importance of home and being settled in that home. Home should be a place, simple or fancy, where we can relax and feel time slipping by comfortably without stress. A bowl of potato soup, a glass of wine, a fire lit in the stove, blankets and cushions, a good book; home doesn’t need to be elaborate but it’s a privilege when it’s welcoming.
My Longest Journey 