The Clan Donald Center, the ancestral home of Clan Donald, was the focus of our morning in Armadale. The small but informative museum provided a historical overview of the Lord of the Isles, a line of nobility from a mixed Viking-Gaelic ancestry that ruled over the west coast and islands of Scotland until the 15th century. The ruins of the Armadale Castle are not far from the museum. Constructed in 1815, the castle was burnt down in the 1850s. The center also has fine gardens and nature trails, providing us with a peaceful place to stroll throughout the morning.
During lunchtime, we sailed from Armadale to our final destination at the Kyle of Lochalsh. Many then set off with David for the Eilean Donan Castle, probably the most photographed castle in all of Scotland. Much of the castle’s structure dates back only to the 20th century, as it was renovated by Colonel Macrae who restored it for Clan Macrae. After touring the castle, the group headed off to Plockton, a small fishing village built during the Highland Clearances to provide a community for the people removed from their inland homes.
A second group ventured into the Cuillin mountains on Skye for the afternoon, walking up the scenic Sligachan Valley, with the Black Cuillins rising steeply on one side and the Red Cuillins on the other. Most of Skye was formed from volcanic activity over 60 million years ago, and the Black Cuillins are volcanic gabbro while the Red Cuillins are volcanic granite. The landscape has been subsequently shaped by erosion and carved by ice during the Ice Age, creating dramatic scenery. We walked through sun and a slight drizzle, the mist wrapped around the high peaks, noting the moorland plants that surrounded us: heather, bog asphodel, sundew, milkwort, tormentil, and lousewort. Our outing also included a visit to the Sligachan hotel pub, known for its vast offering of over 400 whiskies.
Our last evening was a festive affair, with the group slide show running during cocktail hour and the grand piping in of the haggis during dinner, complete with Brian’s skillfully presented “Ode to the Haggis,” Robert Burns poem. And so ended a wonderful week in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland.
“Haste ye back!” as they say here in this beautiful country.
