Highlands and Islands

Delicacies from home. The Bavarian smoked ham, the Leberkäse (translates into livercheese – but there is no liver and no cheese in it, a kind of meat loaf), cheese-sausages and Pretzels from Bavaria are a real rarity here at Dunnet Head, the most northerly point of Scotland mainland and a treat for us. The first care package from home have arrived after we had to “suffer” 8 weeks without this “very important Bavarian groceries”. From Dunnet Head we have a terrific view over to the Isles of Orkney, which the sun turns them into golden light.

..Dunnet Head, in the background the Isle of Orkneys

We drive to Thurso, where we get some more groceries and petrol for about a week. In front of us are now the North-West Highlands. The next bigger town is Ullapool and this is about 160 miles away and lies in the West of Scotland. Between Thurso and Ullapool the surrounding is mostly deserted countryside. The small villages are never more then a dozen of houses. After the “Clearance” beginning of the 19 century, the population never came back. It was in the winter 1819 in the near of the mountain Ben Hope, where following tragedy took place: The landowner decided, to expel over hundred young tenants. They were brought against their will onto ships leaving to Ontario/ Canada. After the ship have left, it sank in a storm and it is said that nobody on the ship survived. Meanwhile the houses of the tenants got destroyed by the landowner, to take the stones and rocks as building material for streets. Even today, nearly nobody is leaving in this stretch between Thurso and Ullapool. Our journey through the North-West Highlands is as well a journey through our own past. We take the same route, as we did 10 years ago, the first time visiting Scotland. On some places we even can remember the exact place, where our tent stood.

...Box Stop in the Highlands …changing of the break pads

Here in the North-West of Scotland you find one of the last nature paradise in Europe. The streets follow along Lochs (Loch is the word, which in Scotland means lake or sea arm) and through peaceful mountain ranges. The Scot’s are very nature loving people and do have some exceptional hobbies, at least from the view of a mainland European. For example the “Munro-bagging” or the “rain-watching”.
Munro-bagging: “Munro” is the magic word witch let the hearts beat quicker of every Scotsman. The name derives from the Scotsman, Sir Hugh T Munro, who in 1896 have listed all mountains in Scotland which are higher then 3000 feet and from this there are more then 277 Munro-mountains. In the year 1890, people still believed that there are no more then 30 mountains of this height. Munro-bagging is the official word for this obsession, is a part of every mountain climbers live. Children, pensioners, whole families together with their dogs did do the whole round of Munro-bagging. Then there are more then hundred thousands of bird-watchers and last but not least the so called rain-watcher, which just wait till the next depression comes. Then there are out in nature and they list all the different kind of rainfalls they see, with time, place and so on. There are rainfalls which they just have seen twice in the last 40 years. There are already Clubs of rain watchers.
We are happy, when we can not see one or the other rain admirer, since we know then, that we will have good weather. We are in the spell of hiking the Munros. In the near of the village Achiltibuie, which houses by the way the biggest back piper school in Scotland, we meet an old friend of us, named Stac Pollaidh. This is a mountain with a extraordinary jagged summit, which we have hiked already ten years ago. From the peak you have a breathtaking view over the old mountains of Caledonien.

...Michaela at the peak of Stac Pollaidh

After one week through the Highlands, we reach Ullapool and first of all we are longing for a hot shower. Our ongoing travel leads us to the remoted world of Islands of the Inner Hebrides.
Scotland is surrounded by 790 islands, from which just 130 are inhabitat. To the Islands here in the West you come with the ferries of the company Caledonien Mac Brayne. Most of the islands you ca reach throughout the year, just the smaller and most remoted islands only during the summer month. On the islands as well then on the west coast of Scotland Gaelic is spoken. Like the Welsh Gaelic the Scottish Gaelic is part of the very old Celtic language.
Scotland’s islands have fascinated us, only the dispose of the refuse and sewage of the islands have shocked us. From broken cars over fridge and freezers you can find everything on some of the nicest places and viewpoints.
Our next story leads us to the Isle of Mull.
Sheep, lambs, sheep, lambs. It is incredible how many white spots you recognise on the surrounding hills, the fields and even on the streets. Most of the sheep have a life like in paradise. When they are in their “childhood” they let them go with their Mummies. Means, they are not tied to fields surrounded by fences. The territory of them goes from one Cattle-grid to the next. Such a territory is very often as long as a valley (glen), from approximately 15 miles. A quiet funny encounter with sheep we had on the Isle of Mull. We found a terrific place to stay at the Loch na Keal, directly at the seaside. The weather is sunny and warm. Apart from us just sheep. That is exactly the right place and weather to do a “General cleaning” and let some air in the bus. As we are in process of our “General cleaning”, we hear a van which sounds the horn continuously. We wonder what that is. Suddenly all the sheep from miles away, start to run direction the van. Määäh Maäääh, The van stops, a farmer steps out and pick up a blue plastic bag. In this bag, you guessed already, is additional food for the sheep, to which –it seems like this – they are kind of addicted to it. This is now the prior story to it. Next day – we decided to stay here for a few days – about the same time there is again movement in the sheep. Ah, that must be the farmer coming again, we think. But we can not hear the horn. Well, maybe the sheep have a better hearing for it. Well, here the white van comes – oh no it is a white camper. All the sheep are running direction the camper, määäh, it seems that somebody is behind them. A look into the face of the driver tells us, he don´t know how to deal with that. Wasn’t it like this that sheep are peaceful and shy. But this is not looking like all like this. He starts to hunk the horn. Well he better would have stayed away from this. Now they are even closer around the camper and the driver is already sweating. He stops the camper and waits. Somehow the leader sheep got the point, that this is not the farmer they were waiting for and he start to bleat one short sharp time and up they go away and the camper is free! Raimund and I are looking at each other and certainly start laughing. Well this was to early to laugh about! I make myself ready to brush my teeth but just outside of the bus I realize that it is a bit brisk. So I put on my blue anorak. Well, you guessed it already. Blue colour – sounds a bit like plastic. „There is our farmer with our additional food and all the time we have not realized him standing there” A short and sharp Määäh from the leading sheep, attention, and all are running towards myself. In the first moment I start to think, what have I done wrong, sheep are peaceful, then I realize and I start laughing. But this doesn’t stop them at all. Meanwhile there are about 50 sheep around me and bleat like hell. What shall I do know? Well I have to inform them somehow, that I am not the farmer, they are waiting for. I start, in German certainly, till Raimund shouts through the closed door of the bus, laughing wildly“ They can not understand you, they are English speaking“ Ok I try it in English and suddenly the leader sheep moves his head like he would think: Does our farmer now pull my leg or is it really not him. Then the well known short and sharp bleat, he turns around and all the others as well. I am still standing in front of the bus with my toothbrush while Raimund can´t stop laughing, while sitting in the bus.
If the sheep did just understood me as I spoke in English to him, I don´t know, but I would really like to know what kind of additional food the farmer gives to his sheep!!

...Evening mood at Loch Na Keal on Isle of Mull

We are already on the Isle of Skye, the biggest island of the Inner Hebrides. The first thing we do, is to listen to a CD of Runrig. Skye is the home of the Scottish rock group Runrig. The musicians understand it excellent to mix folklore music with good rock. All their music and lyrics are written by themselves and a big part of the songs they sing in Gaelic. The fans are not just to be found in Great Britain, they are all over Europe .Most of their concerts are sold out already month before it take place. Last year we came especially over to Scotland to a concert of them in the near of Aberdeen (East coat of Scotland). Last month they had a concert in Regensburg, where we used to live. Great, now because we are gone!
Back to the Isle of Skye. It is a fantastic territory for hikers and climbers. The Trotternish-Range in the North-East of the Island invites to come here for climbing and hiking.

...Quiraing, a hike in the Trotternish-Range on Skye

It is hard to describe with words the fascination of the nature here on Isle of Skye. As well the mountains in the south called “The Cuillins” are as awesome as in the North. We already are in the second week of May and we had good luck with the weather. Skye is known to more rainy and brisk days. During the day, the weather was quiet warm, just on our last day on the Isle of Skye we needed again our stationary heating. Next morning we couldn’t believe our eyes. There was snow on all the mountains on Skye and even on the peeks of the peninsula of Applecross.

...Quiraing, Isle of Skye

Well this was it for know. We have to leave Skye, since a new care package is waiting for us at the post-office in Onich.
Bye Bye
Michaela and Raimund