Tuesday August 6
Today we’re on our way to the Isle of Skye. It’s going to be a long drive.
First stop out of Glasgow is Loch Lomond. A few songs have been written about it over the years.
We stop to take a wee turn on a boat, before getting back on the bus again.
Apparently this is the most dangerous road on the British Isles. It certainly is narrow, particularly when two busses are trying to pass. Sarah says this lake reminds her of Lake Wakatipu, back home in Queenstown. I agree. A lot of the terrain around here looks like a drive through Otago.
As we wind up through the mountain passes, and across the moors, we make the occasional obligatory photo stops.
We are now in the wee village called Fort William. I’m amused by the bathroom doors. So sue me!
As an aside, there is a walking/hiking/jogging/vomiting track that runs from Glasgow to Fort William, down the other side of Loch Lomond. It was one of the tracks used by the locals over the generations to move sheep and other livestock. Now it’s quite famous for the exercise nut bars to come and flagellate themselves.
We have now finished the day. Another long drive, and we cross the bridge onto the Isle of Skye.
For centuries, the only way across was by boat.
Assorted ferry companies grew, and with them the population. So it continued till about 50 years ago. An Amrikan bank decided to build a bridge and it was wildly popular. It had a toll, but it was affordable. By now, many lived on the island and worked on the mainland. This was good for everyone, except the ferry companies. With everything and everyone going over the bridge so much quicker, there was no further use for the ferries. They all closed down.
Once there were no ferries, the Amrikan bank ramped up the tolls. In a time when the average wage was £3/h, the bank charged residents £7 each way.
So many people could no longer afford to live there. So the population fell away.
After a while, the government decided to make a compulsory purchase, and purchased the bridge from the Amrikan bank. Crossing the bridge is now free.
So we did a tiki tour around the island. It’s much bigger than I thought.
We can’t see this hill well due to the low cloud, but I think it’s pretty obvious that it’s a steep one.
There is an annual race to get to the top and back down again.
Apparently this all began back when a couple of snooty English officers were there on holiday from their time in India. Sitting in the pub at the base of the hill, one twit bet the other twit that their batman, a Nepalese guy called Thappa, couldn’t run all the way to the top in less than an hour. Well the batman did it in 55 minutes, and he was bare feet.
So far, the best time with running shoes has been about 45 minutes.
And then back to the hotel. Mmm well then.
Let’s just say it’s better than the hotel for our last night in Shanghai.
As our tour guide had warned us (to be honest I think the warning was for the Amrikans in the group), not to expect the Ritz. This is the Isle of Skye.
Fair enough.
Here’s a fun rental parked beside our hotel
Today we’re on our way to the Isle of Skye. It’s going to be a long drive.
First stop out of Glasgow is Loch Lomond. A few songs have been written about it over the years.
We stop to take a wee turn on a boat, before getting back on the bus again.
Apparently this is the most dangerous road on the British Isles. It certainly is narrow, particularly when two busses are trying to pass. Sarah says this lake reminds her of Lake Wakatipu, back home in Queenstown. I agree. A lot of the terrain around here looks like a drive through Otago.
As we wind up through the mountain passes, and across the moors, we make the occasional obligatory photo stops.
We are now in the wee village called Fort William. I’m amused by the bathroom doors. So sue me!
 |
| I don’t get why Nathan gets his own loo here🤷♂️ |
As an aside, there is a walking/hiking/jogging/vomiting track that runs from Glasgow to Fort William, down the other side of Loch Lomond. It was one of the tracks used by the locals over the generations to move sheep and other livestock. Now it’s quite famous for the exercise nut bars to come and flagellate themselves.
We have now finished the day. Another long drive, and we cross the bridge onto the Isle of Skye.
For centuries, the only way across was by boat.
Assorted ferry companies grew, and with them the population. So it continued till about 50 years ago. An Amrikan bank decided to build a bridge and it was wildly popular. It had a toll, but it was affordable. By now, many lived on the island and worked on the mainland. This was good for everyone, except the ferry companies. With everything and everyone going over the bridge so much quicker, there was no further use for the ferries. They all closed down.
Once there were no ferries, the Amrikan bank ramped up the tolls. In a time when the average wage was £3/h, the bank charged residents £7 each way.
So many people could no longer afford to live there. So the population fell away.
After a while, the government decided to make a compulsory purchase, and purchased the bridge from the Amrikan bank. Crossing the bridge is now free.
So we did a tiki tour around the island. It’s much bigger than I thought.
 |
| This is a street in the main village of Portree |
There is an annual race to get to the top and back down again.
Apparently this all began back when a couple of snooty English officers were there on holiday from their time in India. Sitting in the pub at the base of the hill, one twit bet the other twit that their batman, a Nepalese guy called Thappa, couldn’t run all the way to the top in less than an hour. Well the batman did it in 55 minutes, and he was bare feet.
So far, the best time with running shoes has been about 45 minutes.
And then back to the hotel. Mmm well then.
Let’s just say it’s better than the hotel for our last night in Shanghai.
As our tour guide had warned us (to be honest I think the warning was for the Amrikans in the group), not to expect the Ritz. This is the Isle of Skye.
Fair enough.
Here’s a fun rental parked beside our hotel
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