Kyle of Lochalsh and Isle of Skye, 7/30/2024, Lord of the Glens
Aboard the
Lord of the Glens
Europe
Today was our first day here in beautiful Scotland. We started the day with a hike along the coast and into the forest of Kyle of Lochalsh. We also visited one of Scotland’s most famous castles, Eilean Donan.
During lunch, Lord of the Glens navigated to the Isle of Skye. Here, we arrived at Armadale Castle and Gardens, a world-class botanical garden. We spent the afternoon strolling through the flora and admiring the ruins of Armadale Castle.
The perfect day to start our voyage here in the Highlands of Scotland.
Born and raised in Alabama, Alex's connection to nature took shape as a child living in a state park and then in his formative years spent in Gulf Shores, AL. Where white sandy beaches meet the pine forest of the Southeast.
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There were some hardy individuals on Lord of the Glens this morning, who joined photo instructor Alex for an early morning swim off the beach at Inverie. Once back on board, the ship departed for Tobermory on the Isle of Mull. The sun came out to warm up those on deck, while we used the perfect sea conditions to watch for wildlife. Guests were soon treated to sights of common dolphins, a harbour seal, harbour porpoises, and many Manx shearwaters. As Lord of the Glens passed the isles of Rhum and Eigg, there were brief sightings of two minke whales. With the sun still shining, we came alongside in Tobermory soon after lunch. One group joined our local guide, Seamus, who took them on a walk along the shoreline towards the lighthouse. He gave detailed information about the geology of Mull along the way. The other group enjoyed a guided tour of the Tobermory whisky distillery, which was established in the town in 1798 and is still going strong. The ship departed from the dock at five o’clock and moved southward down the Sound of Mull to Craignure, where she will spend the night. After dinner, the Hebridean Whale and Dolphin Trust gave a presentation, which rounded off an action-packed day.
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.
