The day began with calm grey skies. Lord of the Glens made the short crossing to Armadale while the guests enjoyed breakfast looking out at the majestic scenery. We walked the half mile from the dock up to Armadale Castle and Gardens. The castle itself has fallen into disrepair, but the gardens are still maintained. The position is sheltered from the west winds, and the relative warm waters of the gulf stream help provide benign conditions for the garden’s many exotic flowers.
Once back on the ship, we continued our way northward, along the Sound of Sleat towards our destination, the Kyle of Lochalsh. Along the way, a small pod of common dolphins followed along and gave us quite a show during lunch.
Once ashore, the guests boarded a coach for a short ride along the shoreline to Eilean Donan Castle. The castle sits on a small island connected to the shore by a bridge. It is a renowned photogenic site and is considered an archetypal Scottish castle. Historically, it has been a strategic site for defence since the 4th century. After falling into disrepair, it was renovated by the MaCrae family in the early 20th Century.
