Hello and Good-bye to Skye

July 12, 2024
(Mallaig–)Armadale–Kyle of Localsh
38 km, 500 hm, 22,5 km/h  

To be honest, I‘m a wee bit disappointed today. Didn‘t get as far as I planned – due to raininess on the weather‘s and laziness on my side.

I catch the ferry leaving Mallaig at 9.30 out to Armadale on Skye, which takes about 30 mins. The wind has slowed down, and, thus, I‘m in good hope to ride up to Strathcarron or a bit further to Lochcarron. 

I‘m making good progress on the gently swerving roads, but unfortunately there are thick clouds covering the sun totally, so the landscape looks much more barren than it actually is. (I know how it can look up here, I really do!) I can catch some nice views on one or another small loch on my way, but nothing breathtaking, as they are almost hidden in the fog – so only very few photos taken today.

For a short while I‘m playing around with the thought of riding up north on Skye and take the ferry to Harris. However, I dropped the idea as I might get into a hurry later on my trip. So, approaching the „middle of the island“, I turn right towards the Skye bridge which leads me into Kyle of Lochalsh, a wee town – terminal station of the raliway to Inverness and former ferry port to cross to Skye, as the bridge was only built in the nineties.

I‘m longing for something to eat to be able to continue afterwards. Find a snack bar/restaurant which offers quite nice food. And then it starts raining. Not really pouring down. Rather a light drizzle. But. . . as I am here to enjoy myself . . . Well . . . Let‘s stay here.  

There isn‘t any campsite close-by, and finding other accomodation proves to be difficult. I‘m wandering around the edges of the town to find a spot to put the tent up. Not that easy either.  In the end the lady of the first bunkhouse where I asked for a bed, tells me that they‘ve had a cancellation – so there I am, sleeping in a bed again. Spoiled me! 

Still have to use that tent of mine. And perhaps the Italian coffee maker. But with another coffee than the one I bought. „Finely ground“ it says on the package. And in there: INSTANT COFFEE. Aaarrrrrgh!!!! (It‘s actually quite nice in taste, as I found out this morning. But - yes there is always a but - that‘s not why I took this damn Bialetti through all those stations and over all those hills!)

So, here I am in Kyle of Lochalsh, it looks a bit run down, perhaps because it lost significance after the Skye Bridge had opened. People tend to cross to Skye whatever it takes. In the summer months, tickets could be raffled for hostels, hotels or even passing places in the often narrow streets. As Morag, a friend from Inverness, always says: In summer they should put up a sign there: „Skye Full.“ 

It won‘t really get warmer tomorrow, but according to the weather forecast it should be sunny. Let‘s hope for the best. I won‘t tell you how far I want to get. Because the plans might change again. So stay tuned for news from wherever. 

And to end today‘s blog entry:

I am about to dine in the Lochalsh Hotel, one of those old big hotels – a wee bit run down and old-fashioned – which you are always surprised about, that they are still surviving. Remember the movie „The Grand Budapest Hotel“? I‘m loving it  . . . Even if it is grammatically wrong. 

And in the online version of „The Observer,“ they retell the story of the Swiss right-wing traditionalist parties wanting to stop the ESC to take place in Switzerland. Come on guys, take it easy! It‘ll be fun and it won‘t cost you anything in the end.