In the slanting evening sunlight, we made a landing on the remote peninsula of Rubh' an Dunain on the south west corner of Skye. Under the shadow of a promontory fort which gives its name to the area (peninsula of the fort), we pulled into a man-made canal linking a hidden loch with the open sea. Archaeologists now realize that this unknown spot may have been the base of a Viking sea-lord up to a thousand years ago, where a fleet of ships could retreat from sight through this 'Viking' canal. To one side were several dry docks or 'noosts' where ships may have been hauled out of the water, or where ships may have been built.

All around the loch were the remains of blackhouse villages from more recent centuries, but amongst them were one or two house foundations which may date back to the Norse period.

Above the loch, a cluster of small cairns could represent field clearance, but tell-tale signs suggest they may be Viking graves.

Some of our party continued further around the loch, and were astonished to come upon an exceptionally well-preserved Neolithic chambered cairn almost 5000 years old, complete with horned forecourt, lintelled passageway and corbelled chamber. Adjacent was an intact and undisturbed Bronze Age burial cairn. The excitement was infectious as we all shared our discoveries in this wonderful untouched landscape where, from horizon to wide horizon, there was not a single trace of modern man.