After completing the West Highland Way last year, which was my introduction to long distance hiking, I fell in love with Skye when we visited it on the last days of our trip.
Immediately I thought of hiking the misty Isle the year after and when I got home I started planning the trip! Only to be very unhappy when I broke my ankle a month later in a bike crash. After 2 surgeries I started my rehabilitation at new year, doing physiotherapy (self guided) 3 times a week and picking up hiking in the weekends.
The last did not go very well, my ankle hurted every walk, and the days after.
As the end of march approached, things started getting better and with some taping, my ankle would hold harder walks in the Ardennes (Belgium). I was still in doubt if I would be able to finish the Skye trail, but decided to try and if the ankle wouldn't hold, we would just make it a road trip.
So here the trail goes:
We left Belgium on Friday April 25th by car, hoping to catch the 17:10 bus to Rubha Hunish. After the ferry from Calais to Dover and a stopover at Scotch Corner (5h sleep) we arrived at Portree at 3pm (1500km) and were pretty tired. We left the car in the long stay car park and were just in time for the bus, as we had to load our backpacks with food and decide what we would and would not take with us.
The first night we stayed in the bothy at Rubha Hunish with a guy called Stuart. He would stay there for a few days, watching whales. We had wonderful weather, hardly any wind and a nice sunset.
Rubha Hunish by roeboe, on Flickr
Sundown Rubha Hunish by roeboe, on FlickrAfter a long bothy morning we enjoyed the very nice sunrise before leaving for Flodigarry, I was the only one who was out of bed early enough to see a sea eagle!
Sea Eagle Rubha Hunish by roeboe, on Flickr
Sunrise Rubha Hunish 2 by roeboe, on Flickr
Rubha Hunish View Duntulm by roeboe, on FlickrThe first part of the trail felt very relaxed, we had a light breeze, blue skies and a good meal at the Flodigary Hotel.
Toward Flodigarry by roeboe, on Flickr
Flodigarry Hotel by roeboe, on FlickrWe then decided to hike further, up quiraing and camp there, since it was only 1PM and we were not feeling fatigued at all.
Up Quiraing by roeboe, on Flickr
Kristien Loch Hasco by roeboe, on Flickr
Quiraing Towards Trotternish View by roeboe, on Flickr
silhouette Quiraing by roeboe, on FlickrBy the time we were up Quiraing, my girlfriend (Kristien) was overheating (not my fault this one time) and our water was running low.
Quirang by roeboe, on FlickrAfter a filter stop near the top (new sawyer mini filter) we put up our tent and went to sleep.
When we woke up the sunrise was fantastic, but soon cloud was rolling in and we decided to stay in the tent for a little while, we were ahead of schedule after all.
Top Quiraing Tent by roeboe, on Flickr
Top Quiraing Sunrise by roeboe, on Flickr
Kristien Sunset Quiraing by roeboe, on Flickr
Quiraing Morning Dew by roeboe, on Flickr
Mist Coming In Quiraing by roeboe, on FlickrWe left at 11AM, as we planned to only walk half the ridge and to wild camp near Bealach na leacaich and(where there would be a nice wall if the wind picked up) were in no hurry.
The first kilometers were in fog, but afterwards it cleared and we were walking in our t-shirts again, we had the best weather imaginable and wondered if we were in the wrong country.
Ruben Quiraing Towards Beinn Edra by roeboe, on Flickr
Sheep Skull Trotternish by roeboe, on FlickrI tried contouring to make the walk easier for Kristien, but that took us a long time to go around Beinn Edra, and because of the tough going terrain, my ankle started hurting caused by the slope angle.
We were soon running out of water which meant I had to do the mans job and go down the bogs to find a water source.
Water seeker by roeboe, on FlickrFinally by 6PM we reached the Bealach and were putting the tent up again, in dense fog!
Few hours later, I saw a couple walking by, with no map. They asked for directions and I advised them to camp nearby, since it was nearly whiteout conditions. I lend them my waterfilter, and boiled them a coffee, they were the first other walkers we met on the trail.
Bealach Leacaich by roeboe, on Flickr
Bealach Leacaich by roeboe, on Flickr
Dark Misty Night Trotternish by roeboe, on FlickrThe next morning, cloud was below the ridge, we were up early and heading for the Storr. We were both tired and suffered from the heat, the were not expecting that was possible in Scotland.
Tan lines & Quaker Oats by roeboe, on Flickr
Misty Morning Towards Storr by roeboe, on Flickr
Unknown Beetle by roeboe, on FlickrUp Flasvein:
Top Flasvein by roeboe, on FlickrAt the bealach before the last climb up the Storr, I started to feel the last 6 months where I was working 12 hours a day, had no time for endurance training and was a little dehydrated. I also think the long drive and overall fatigue got to me and I was struggling up the hill, my heart pounding in my chest. I was happy we got to the top and a little further down the Storr we had a very nice picknick, eventually the sun came trough the low clouds and we walked down and decided to take the bus to portree and complete the last part from the Storr to Portree later.
Portree by roeboe, on Flickr
Old Man Of Storr by roeboe, on Flickr
Portree by roeboe, on FlickrThe next days we spent resting, eating and "rehydrating" at the Old Inn in Carbost, where we took refuge as the weather was turning. Remembering our great time up trotternish!
Loch @ Old Inn Carbost by roeboe, on Flickr
Guinness Old Inn by roeboe, on Flickr
Old Inn by roeboe, on FlickrCappucino with sides in portree:
Cappucino by roeboe, on Flickr
Millionaire Old Granary by roeboe, on Flickr
Yum Yum Old Granary Portree by roeboe, on FlickrDuring our resting days we drove to Neist Point which has nothing to do with the Skye trail, bur for the photography lovers here goes:
Neist Point Lighthouse Cabin by roeboe, on Flickr
Wool by roeboe, on Flickr
Lighthouse Close by roeboe, on Flickr
Neist Point Lighthouse by roeboe, on Flickr
Eagles by roeboe, on FlickrSoon it was time to restart the trail, the next part would take us to Sligaechan, there we would meet a friend who I met last year on the west highland way, he would join us for the remainder of the trail! The weather was very nice AGAIN but since I hate road walking we took the bus to Peinchorran and just continued from there. At the end of the Loch, we saw our first midges!
On the road again:
Portree Rest by roeboe, on Flickr
Portree Docks by roeboe, on Flickr
Sligachan by roeboe, on Flickr
Portree - Sligachan by roeboe, on Flickr
Rob's Perfect Mountain by roeboe, on Flickr
Ruben Loch Sligachan by roeboe, on FlickrAs you see we had nothing but time and took a lot of pictures, blue blue blue....
Loch Sligachan by roeboe, on Flickr
Loch Sligachan 2 by roeboe, on Flickr
Towards Sligaechan by roeboe, on FlickrThe campsite at Sligachan was nice but we did not like the food at the hotel. Nonetheless, we had a lovely evening meeting Rob and planning the days ahead. We were uncertain to take the path to loch coruisk, over the bad step or not.
Sligaechan Campsite by roeboe, on FlickrThe day after, we decided to let Kristien choose the route taken and again the weather was good but cloudy, the going was nice and she decided to tackle the bad step. (2 happy men)
Downhill Rock Slabs Coruisk by roeboe, on Flickr
Loch Coruisk by roeboe, on Flickr
The Bad Step ahead by roeboe, on Flickr
Bad step by roeboe, on FlickrThe path to Camasunary, past the bad step was horrible. The 3 of us were really happy when we arrived at the beach but not so happy to find the bothy occupied by a very large group of mountainbikers, so we camped on the beach.
Camasunary Bothy by roeboe, on Flickr
Camasunary by roeboe, on FlickrThe next morning, after a rainy night all rivers were in spate, we reckoned crossing the river would have been impossible today and a long detour would have been needed!
We left early, up the hill, and decided to go straight to Torrin (as there would be nothing in Elgol on Sunday) and find a camp spot there.
Rob led far ahead, but I found Kristien lagging behind, struggling to keep up and fatigued from the day before. And the pouring rain was not helping her bad mood. I tried unsuccesfully, with all my charm, to get her motivated.
We finally got to the road to Torrin and a camper van stopped and offered us a lift as we rounded the loch. As democracy goes, the vote was 2 to 1, I didn't want to stop and not finish the trail. We were back in Portree. Again, to return to the Old Inn in Carbost (as there were no vacancies nearby). After a nice meal, we dried our clothes, tents, sleeping bags and went to bed after to much Guinness. Not much photo's taken, fog, rain clouds,...
The day after we drove to Torvaig campsite and decided to finish the Storr to Portree section, a nice walk with the wind in our backs and nice dark clouds with little rain over the hills.
Portree Storr by roeboe, on Flickr
Rob Trig Point by roeboe, on Flickr
Towards Portree by roeboe, on FlickrWind was blowing fantastically hard in the back, which was nice and it took little effort going uphill!
Portree Storr by roeboe, on FlickrWaiting for the bus back to Portree:
I Spy with my little eye... by roeboe, on FlickrI still wanted to finish the Skye Trail, and the day after we stayed at Torvaig campsite, we drove to Kilbride where we left the car at Camus malag and finished the trail into Broadford.
I did not know what a nice stage this last one would be, including the cleared villages of Suisnish and Boreraig. When we arrived at Boreraig, the sight of the cleared village gave us an undescribeable feeling which would stay with us for a long time. We could sense what tragedy happened here. It would have been a nice camp spot and we were very sorry we did not have our camping gear with us.
Towards Boreraig by roeboe, on Flickr
Boreraig Cleared Village by roeboe, on Flickr
Rob & Ruben towards Broadford by roeboe, on Flickr
Toward Broadford by roeboe, on FlickrWe also drove to Elgol to enjoy the view over the Cuillins:
Elgol View Towards Black Cuillin by roeboe, on Flickr
Rum from Elgol Harbour by roeboe, on Flickr
Empty by roeboe, on Flickr
Lodge Elgol by roeboe, on Flickr
Elgol by roeboe, on Flickr
Camas Malag by roeboe, on FlickrWe celebrated our last evening together with Rob at Camus Malag and the day after we dropped him at Morvich where he would start his TGO challenge.
The Firemaker by roeboe, on Flickr
Dover - Calais by roeboe, on FlickrNow back home, I'm planning the next adventure!
K&R Ferry Dover by roeboe, on Flickr