Look out for Nessie!
Loch Ness Monster
Reports of a monster inhabiting Loch Ness date back to ancient times. Notably, local stone carvings by the Pict depict a mysterious beast with flippers. The first written account appears in a biography of St. Columba from 565 AD. According to that work, the monster bit a swimmer and was prepared to attack another man when Columba intervened, ordering the beast to “go back.” It obeyed, and over the centuries only occasional sightings were reported. Many of these alleged encounters seemed inspired by Scottish folklore, which abounds with mythical water creatures.
Today’s Itinerary
Breakfast
Breakfast will be in the kitchen or a cafe on the road.
Today we travel by car
We will head west to Inverness and then south along Loch Ness to Fort Augustus. From there we turn west and head to Kyle of Lochalsh. Here we cross over to the Isle of Skye and on to our house in Swordale.
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Loch Ness
Loch Ness is a large freshwater loch in the Scottish Highlands extending for approximately 37 kilometres southwest of Inverness. It takes its name from the River Ness, which flows from the northern end.
Urquhart Castle
Urquhart Castle, a ruin, sits beside Loch Ness in the Highlands of Scotland. The castle is on the A82 road, 21 kilometres south-west of Inverness and 2 kilometres east of the village of Drumnadrochit.
Loch Ness Monster Museum
The exhibition was opened by explorer Sir Ranulph Fiennes. It takes visitors through seven themed areas exploring Loch Ness from its beginings to the third millenium.
Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan is a small tidal island situated at the confluence of three sea lochs in the western Highlands of Scotland, about 1 kilometre from the village of Dornie.
Lunch
Lunch will be on the way to Skye.
Manuela’s Wee Bakery
A fairytale wonderland filled with your favorite food and drink offerings. There are some baked goods there, as well as pizza and some delicious locally-distilled gin from the Scottish Highlands. A87, Ardelve/Kyle IV40 8DY, United Kingdom
Isle of Skye
The Isle of Skye, connected to Scotland’s northwest coast by bridge, is known for its rugged landscapes, picturesque fishing villages and medieval castles. The largest island in the Inner Hebrides archipelago, it has an indented coastline of peninsulas and narrow lochs, radiating out from a mountainous interior. The town of Portree, a base for exploring the island, features harbourside pubs and boutiques.
Portree
Portree is the largest town on, and capital of, the Isle of Skye in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland. It is the location for the only secondary school on the island, Portree High School. Public transport services are limited to buses. Portree has a harbour, fringed by cliffs, with a pier designed by Thomas Telford.
Dinner
Caberfiedh Bar & Restaurant
Pizza and Cocktails! The food is delicious, and they have good vegan options, and great cocktails. It feels upmarket inside and the staff were really friendly.
