Over the sea to Skye

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Portree by night

We arrived in Portree, having expected to be in Mallaig, with no plans. However, we filled our two days there quite easily, exploring the town and its environs as well as visiting a castle and a coral beach.

Portree

We didn’t spend long wandering around the town itself, it was too busy: the few shots I have include a daytime version of the header photo, some murals, a couple of the cafés we ate in, and the hotel cat working a shift on the reception desk.

Portree
Street art
Café Arriba
Hotel receptionist is displeased
Eighteen Twenty Café Bar
Mural in Eighteen Twenty

There were, however, two short walks on either side of the harbour, the Scorrybreac Circuit and Am Meall (also known as The Lump) which were much quieter.

Scorrybreac Circuit

To the north of Portree Harbour is a 3km walk round the headland of Scorrybreac. Just before the start of the trail, there is a pretty waterfall on the small River Chracaig. Scorrybreac is considered to be the homeland of Clan Nicholson, which now owns the headland, and there are various Nicholson memorials along the way.

River Chracaig waterfalls
Clan Nicolson Memorial Viewpoint
Members of Clan Nicolson who contributed to buying the land
Viewpoint dedication
Memorial to Clan Nicolson members who died for their countries
Alastair Nicolson 1925-1997

The views were pretty, though unfortunately it was quite a murky day. When we reached the end of the headland we climbed up to a farmland junction from which we took a woodland path back down to the start.

View from Scorrybreac
View from Scorrybreac
View from Scorrybreac
View from Scorrybreac
Scorrybreac path junction

Am Meall

On the other side of the harbour is a rocky promontory, Am Meall, also known as The Lump, which has been the home of Skye Highland Games since 1877. It also boasts an 1830s folly known as the Apothecary’s Tower, so called because it allegedly served as a sign to passing seafarers that medical supplies and expertise were available in the village. There are fabulous views over Portree, the island of Raasay, and the Scorrybreac headland where we had walked earlier in the day.

Site of Highland Games
Apothecary’s Tower
John at the top of the tower
View over Portree
View over Scorrybreac
View over Raasay

Dunvegan Castle

Dunvegan Castle

Dunvegan Castle is the seat of the chief of the Clan MacLeod. It covers ten different periods from 1200 to the 1850s, comprising five separate buildings within its shell, but today has a unified external appearance thanks to restoration carried out by the 25th Chief between 1840 and 1850. We toured both house and grounds. I only seem to have taken a couple of photos indoors showing what, to me, is always the most interesting part – below stairs.

Servant’s bedroom
“Servant” below stairs

The views from the castle were beautiful.

View from the castle
View from the castle

There was still a lot of colour in the gardens, even in late September.

Dunvegan Castle Gardens
Dunvegan Castle Gardens
Dunvegan Castle Gardens
Dunvegan Castle Gardens
Dunvegan Castle Gardens
Dunvegan Castle Gardens
Dunvegan Castle Gardens

And there was an interesting display of old gardening tools in the potting shed.

Potting Shed
Potting Shed
Potting Shed

Claigan Coral Beach

Approaching Claigan Coral Beach

After visiting Dunvegan we drove 10 minutes north on a very narrow, single-track road to the small carpark at Claigan Coral Beach. We had to wait for a spot – it’s a popular place – but eventually got parked and walked the 3.6km round trip to the beach. It’s mainly farm-track and very easy going.

The beach’s white sand is in fact not sand, nor is it coral despite the name. It’s formed by the deposit of small pieces of hard seaweed called maerl which are crushed by wave action, dried, and sun bleached on the shore. It’s very beautiful. We spent some time exploring, including climbing the small hill to view the beach from above.

Claigan Coral Beach
Close up of “coral”
John
Anabel
Beach from above

We had not chosen to visit Skye, but thanks to the vagaries of CalMac ferries we ended up there. We certainly enjoyed our two days in Portree, and returned home happy with the way our holiday had gone.

Scotland, UK , , , , ,

55 Comments »

  2. We like Cafe Arriba too – and the coffee. If I remember rightly it was the first cafe to open on a Sunday and we liked that it was one of the few places where we could escape the tartan and Scottish dance music!

    Scorrybreac was a favourite walk on a Sunday morning while we dropped my mother in law at church. We’d have a walk along the shore and keep an eye out for dippers in the river.

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  3. Pingback: This week’s small pleasures #419 – Thistles and Kiwis

  5. Hi Anabel – very late … I’m sure you’ll get back to Eigg … but I enjoyed these photos and checking out various parts – the castle, the village, and the beach – fascinating! Cheers and have a very happy festive time – Hilary

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  11. That is making some darn good lemonade.😉 Loved the scenery. The gardens at the castle had an air of tamed wildlands—and I do believe I spied a monkey puzzle tree in your photo mosaic!😊

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  18. Lovely photographs. Those two walks are the best things about Portree. Good night shot as well in the first photo. Bob. BSS.

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  23. You certainly made the most of this unexpected stay 🙂 Dunvegan Castle looks and sounds very interesting – the gardens are lovely and like you I’m always most drawn to the below stairs parts of such places (especially the kitchens!) The ‘coral’ beach looks beautiful too – I’ve never heard of a beach made of dried seaweed!

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