Skye's Oronsay
Posted: Fri Oct 18, 2019 3:55 pmKintail & Skye Day 2
This was our first full day in Kintail, after an enjoyable day exploring various places in Glen Coe and the Great Glen on the way up the previous day. We were really here for big hill walks, but the weather forecast wasn't playing ball: mainland thunderstorms forecast again, so we didn't really fancy getting stuck on one of the ridges around here. Instead, we headed as far west (or away from the mainland) as possible - i.e. the west side of Skye, where dry weather was forecast. This was to become a bit of a pattern for the week!
On our previous trip to Skye we'd never been any further west than Talisker, so it was all new territory after the road to the famous distillery and bay turned off. Our first stop was at Dun Beag broch, which looks quite impressive from the approach:
From the top of the broch there were good views over Loch Bracadale, including towards the tidal island of Oronsay, which was our main objective for the morning. The tide was falling and it was now below half tide, so time to explore another island
The path from the road end to the causeway is rather boggy, so we'll skim over that
Here's the causeway, complete with miniature beach and rock pool life:
Once on the island we set about exploring the north coast, which mostly consists of high cliffs:
Looking back:
Shags at the trip of Oronsay:
Wiay:
Tip of Oronsay:
The south side of the island is lower but the scenery is just as interesting, with caves, rocky platforms and places where you can clamber down to sea level.
Back at the causeway, the tide was still way down. Dunvegan Castle in welcome sunshine in the afternoon!
Kintail & Skye 2019
<< Previous day: Brecklet Trail & Ballachulish quarries
>> Next day: Score Horan, Waternish
This was our first full day in Kintail, after an enjoyable day exploring various places in Glen Coe and the Great Glen on the way up the previous day. We were really here for big hill walks, but the weather forecast wasn't playing ball: mainland thunderstorms forecast again, so we didn't really fancy getting stuck on one of the ridges around here. Instead, we headed as far west (or away from the mainland) as possible - i.e. the west side of Skye, where dry weather was forecast. This was to become a bit of a pattern for the week!
On our previous trip to Skye we'd never been any further west than Talisker, so it was all new territory after the road to the famous distillery and bay turned off. Our first stop was at Dun Beag broch, which looks quite impressive from the approach:
From the top of the broch there were good views over Loch Bracadale, including towards the tidal island of Oronsay, which was our main objective for the morning. The tide was falling and it was now below half tide, so time to explore another island
The path from the road end to the causeway is rather boggy, so we'll skim over that
Here's the causeway, complete with miniature beach and rock pool life:
Once on the island we set about exploring the north coast, which mostly consists of high cliffs:
Looking back:
Shags at the trip of Oronsay:
Wiay:
Tip of Oronsay:
The south side of the island is lower but the scenery is just as interesting, with caves, rocky platforms and places where you can clamber down to sea level.
Back at the causeway, the tide was still way down. Dunvegan Castle in welcome sunshine in the afternoon!
Kintail & Skye 2019
<< Previous day: Brecklet Trail & Ballachulish quarries
>> Next day: Score Horan, Waternish