Scottish Tour Guide's Blog

Common Seal, Dunvegan, Scotland

This morning we depaerted our Tarbert, Harris lodgings early tro connect with the 7.30am ferry to Uig Skye. On arrival at Uig we proceeded as follows:

• To Dunvegan Castle on Skye. Here we visited the excellent garden and joined a short boat ride to view a colony of basking common seals. Latter was a great expereince allowing close-up access to the animals.
• To Portree, capoital of Skye. Here we explored the town and colourful harbour and then availed of lunnch at a harbour restaurant.
• To Broadford, south Skye via some stunning snow-capped mountainous scenery.
• At Broadford we viisted art and craft outlets and an interesting second hand bookshop.
• Next, acroos the Skye Bridge to Kyle of Lochalsh and then north up to Ullapool vioa Loch Carron via superb West Highlands scenery. Arrived Ullapool at 5.30pm.

Overall,weather was dry and reasonably sunny permitting some good photo opportunities. Tonight we are in Ullapool before commencing the tour’s penultimate day. Superb sunset over Loch Broom this evening-see final pic below.

Common Seal, Dunvegan, Scotland

Dunvegan Castle, Skye, Scotland

Portree Harbour, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Cuillin Mountains, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Loch Carron, Highlands, Scotland

Ullapool, Highlands, Scotland

Sunset over Loch Broom, Scotland

Commonwealth Games 2014, Glasgow

• Seventeen sports comprising: Athletics, Aquatics, Boxing, Badminton, Weight Lifting, Lawn Bowls, Hockey, Rugby 7s, Squash, Netball, Cycling, Shooting, Wrestling, Gymnastics, Judo, Table Tennis and Triathlon.
• The Games will be staged in three clusters: East End, South Side and West End.
• Cost estimated at GBP500m (about USD800m). 
• 6500 athletes.
• The biggest multi-cultural sports event hosted in Scotland.
• Legacy will be important.

Clearly, the Games will result in a surge of visitor numbers. Already Glasgow attracts some 3.0m visitors per annum.  

Glasgow can offer a wide range of attractions and sites including Roman Era, Picts, Medieval, Industrial history, Art, Architecture and Design. See this blog post for an overview. 

Broadford Bay, Skye, Scotland

• Castles
• Gardens
• Mountainous landscapes.
• Seascapes
• A whisky distillery ( Talisker).
• Wildlife including raptors and seals.
• Prehistoric standing stones.
• An iron age ( 2000 year old) dwelling called a broch.
• Traditional peat cutting.
• Waterfalls.
• Artists and craft people. Combination of ever changing light conditions and landscapes offers superb raw material for photographers.
• Colourful harbourside at Portree, the island’s capital.
• Fascinating geological history.

A basic tour of Skye can be undertaken in one full day but some visitors may wish to linger and explore this multi-faceted island.,

Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland

 

 

Popular Mealt Falls in the north of Skye.

Mealt Falls, Skye, Scotland

 

Kilt Rock, adjacent to Mealt Falls. So named due to similarity with a pleated kilt.

 

Kilt Rock, Skye, Scotland

 

 

Rugged scenery featuring the Old Man of Storr (perpendicular rock in right of image).

Old Man of Storr, Skye, Scotland

 

The Quiraing, rugged scenery due to a massive landslip.

 

Quiraing, Skye, Scotland

 

Here is the ferry port of Uig. Connections to the Hebrides available from here. Good stop for lunch in course of a one day island tour.

 

Uig Bay, Skye, Scotland

 

Fairy Glen near Uig. Name inspired by the strange conical hills.

 

Fairy Glen, Skye, Scotland

 

Here are the remains of an Iron-Age Broch. Just the foundation remains. When complete the structure was probably a high status dwelling and about as tall as a lighthouse.

 

Dun Beag Broch, Skye, Scotland

 

Here is Dunvegan Castle, home to the Chief of Clan MacLeod for hundreds of years and open to the public.

 

Dunvegan Castle, Skye, Scotland

 

Interesting view from Elgol at end of a long and winding road from Broadford.

 

Elgol, Skye, Scotland

 

 

 

View of Cuillin Montains

 

Cuillin Mountains, Skye, Scotland

 

 

Sky ablaze at dawn.

Sunrise, Isle of Skye, Scotland

 

 

View from Isleornsay

Isleornsay, Skye, Scotland

 

Invariably, Skye features in my round Scotland tours.