Scotland & Isle of Skye – At the edge of the world

In July of 2012 I was living in London; it was my second stint there and going somewhat better than the first. Anyone who has done London on the youth mobility visa understands how tough that city can be at times and how lusciously rewarding it an be at others. Finally I had landed a good well paying job and I was accruing paid leave! It seems like such a minor thing now – a week of paid leave. No cause for celebration; but at the time it was. So where to go? Somewhere quick easy and with a hint of mystique and adventure. Enter Scotland and the Isle of Skye.

I won’t write much about the time in Scotland, it is a destination that is surely covered in depth elsewhere and my taste was rather brief. After flying from London to Edinburgh, a truely remarkable european city which old world charm and history in abundance, I laid over for 2 days before venturing north to the far end of the British Isles and the final destination; The Isle of Skye.

The days in Edinburgh consisted of the usual – eating, drinking and wandering around. Mostly window-shopping the sights and just getting a feel for the lay of the city. Once one the tour, we started out with a feast of castles and wild weather to add to the backdrop of the venture and scenery. I mean who wouldn’t want typical Scottish weather in Scotland?!

I highly recommend this part of scotland to anyone who likes these types of things; castles, history, romance, and wild lands. Its a true sight to behold the highlands shrouded in mist to the spine tingling sound of bagpipes. An experience as real as they come.

After spending the night at Lochness lake we headed further north crossing the border to the Isle of Skye. From the far side here the scenery was dramatic and open – huge cliffs and costal bluffs dropping off into a wild atlantic that stretched either to Ireland or Iceland depending on the angle. It was once the end of the world. A romantic notion I like very much, as it certainly appears like it is. There weren’t many trees around, apparently they logged them all years back and as a result a lot of the apex predators like bears and wolves long since died out. But it leaves the land open and the views big, peet covers the ground and drips with moisture in-between the many waterfalls making their way down from the nearby hills. We pull up to a view point for 30 min and I take off at a run. Theres a high point I want to summit, for the view and because, this is the shit I like to do. Im the only one out of 30 who do it.

Snap a few pictures at the summit and mad dash back down before a windy bus back to Edinburgh and a flight home to rainy London town.