OF HEATHER AND STONE
After a day’s walk, everything has twice its usual value. — G. M. Trevelyan
Stats- We hiked 12.3 miles today under outstanding weather conditions. Almost hot at one point as it reached 70 degrees. Scattered clouds in the morning then mostly sunny the rest of the day. Not a drop of rain. We ascended 890’ and descended 990’. We started walking at 9:45 and were in the Broadford Bar by 2:30. The Broadford bar is famous as the original home of of Drambuie. In 2014, over 100 years later, the brand was sold for the equivalent of about $200 million US dollars, along with the original Drambuie recipe. Today it is produced just outside of Glasgow Scotland.
We start our hiking day with a prearranged taxi ride to our starting point. Today’s track is a popular day hike so we expect to see other hikers. Starting out on a seldom used one lane road, we hike up a bit and then begin to descend towards the sea. With no trees, we have 360 degree views. The mountains are spectacular including the famous Cuillin Ridge that soars above the sea.
Then we follow a rocky path well up the slopes above the sea for a few miles until we reach a dirt and mud path, where we continue following the sea above the shoreline.
At one point we pass a large pile of sea trash. Bill thinks quickly, picking up a nearby length of old marine rope and adds it to the pile…..good trash karma for him!
We reach a spot where the only option is to drop down a steep path to the sea. This section along the cliff base is the most difficult of the day. We stop on shore boulders for a midge free lunch thanks the the great sea breezes.
After lunch we leave the sea on this western side of the island and begin a long climb up to the middle of the island, through the heather moors along nice dirt paths. Along the way we pass numerous ruins of some of the “Crofter” home that were burned in the early 1800’s all across Scotland. The crofters were farmers who rented land from the wealthy landowners. A Croft refers to their piece of land on which they farmed. When sheep raising became more profitable, the land owners forced thousands of the crofters off their land by burning their houses. The ruins stand a a a tribute to these dark and turbulent times in Scottish history.
Eventually we reach the high point for the day and begin a long descent towards the northeast coast, at one point we follow the course of an old railway that was used to haul the famous Skye Marble from the quarries down to the harbor at Broadford. Some remains of the old quarry operation are still visible.
Once in Broadford we stop at the Drambuie bar and then the Co-op grocer to stock up on lunch food items for the next 2-3 days. Then another mile plus back to our accommodations.
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