Where to Walk on Skye

Progress at the Barn ground almost to a halt last week - the plumber was still active, but one of the joiners was off sick, and the other on holiday, so no timber was cut or screws screwed. At least the plumber now has the central heating system fully installed. He is now waiting on the electrician to connect up some of the wires so the boiler can be commissioned.

So, in the meantime, I have been out walking a couple of times. The moors are very boggy just now, but there are several popular low-level paths starting from Sligachan, and winding between the Cuillin Hills that I have looked at a few times, but never really explored. I knew they were likely to be rocky, and I was hopeful to see some new angles on the mountains that surround the paths.

At this time of year, I didn't expect to see many people on the paths, and I wasn't disappointed there. It is certainly wild country, at its best when lonely - and the glens were completely deserted. I didn't see any deer either, and very few birds.  The going was relatively flat, though there are numerous small burns to cross - mostly fairly easily by skipping over rocks, but there were a few flooded sections of path which meant squelchy detours. However, the views of the cloud-swirled hills do change constantly as you make your way along the paths.

 But I won't be going there again. The low level routes just don't move me - I actually found my walks somewhat tedious. Just maybe it would be more interesting to climb out of the glens and tackle some of the tops - but I have no desire to follow tourist routes or be frightened by the heights and exposure that I know to be the case on the ridges.

I pondered over my lack of emotional involvement in my walks, and have decided that I need to see large bodies of water! I find the coastal walking on Skye to be completely magnificent, and even trekking to seek out remote inland lochs has its rewards. So I'll be leaving the rocky Cuillin paths to the visitors, and pointing my boots coastwards in future - there's plenty of Skye coastline that I have yet to see!

Path through Glen Sligachan. Marsco on left

River Sligachan and the Black Cuillin

River Sligachan in Glen Sligachan

Ramasaig Cliff

Coast of Duirinish, towards MacLeod's Maidens

Un-named lochan close to summit of Arnaval