Stones and Skye

I managed to squeeze in a long weekend on Skye even though it is August and was treated to a couple of days of fantastic weather.  Even when the weather gave up on us a day earlier than forecast, we made the most of it with a visit to the Brochs of Glenelg- over on the mainland  from Kylerhea in a wee ferry that just happens to be community owned.

Arriving on the island on the Thursday night, we made straight for Glenbrittle.  The quiet campsite nestling by the sea at the foot of the Cuillins is just about my favourite place on earth.  We had hoped to get straight in to the mountains but on the first morning big black clouds hung ominously over the corries and there was rain in the air so we headed down the peninsula, where the sun was shining, to explore ruined villages and an ancient Dun (below).

The wildife found around Glenbrittle is very special and it is one of the best places I know to view golden eagles.  On this occasion the eagles were a bit shy, but we watched gannets and porpoises fishing in the Soay Sound, and stumbled over a Jack Snipe- an unusual passing migrant that crops up in the islands from time to time.

Our second day was blessed with better weather and we headed up in to Coir a Ghrunnda, the rockiest of the Black Cuillin Corries, to do some climbing. With the rock seeping moisture from the day before, we chose an easy route- a 240m Moderate called Slab Buttress. The route was a delightful meander up easy slabs, if a bit indistinct in the middle. The rock was really good, and mostly of the roughest purple brown gabbro for which Skye is famous.

The views in to the inner corrie and Sgurr Dubh Mor were magnificent, and we climbed all afternoon in the sunshine.

The third day, unfortunately, I have no photos!  This was because we failed miserably to find anything to climb, having picked a route in Coire Lagan that turned out to be too wet, and then picked another that turned out to be too hard and we retreated.... The day wasn't a failure, we enjoyed lazing around in the sun in Coire Lagan- one of the most beautiful places imaginable, and walked back via the Eas Mor waterfall. I have posted pictures of these already here on a different visit.

We weren't worried about wasting a day, because we had seen the forecast for Monday and it was going to be fine.  Of course Monday dawned wet and horrible so plan B was hastily concocted involving various tourist attractions, the Sea Eagle Exhibition at the Aros Centre, (ace), a boat trip to watch Sea Eagles (eagles ace, but boat trip was not the best customer service experience), 2 hours in a midge infested hide waiting for otters that didn't appear, but watching lots of seals, black guillemots and other wildlife (ace) and finally, the wee ferry to Glenelg to visit the Brochs of Glenelg which were very very special indeed.

The brochs are pictish habitations dating back 2,000 years standing some 25-30 feet high.  Built entirely of stone, with no windows or mortar, they are masterpieces of drystane walling. They were probably high status dwellings. They look amazing, and although are no longer complete- in some ways this is a bonus as it is possible to see the internal staircase that was used to help construct them.
There is lots of info on the web about them, but none of it really does them justice. I should have known that they would be so surprising- Scotland is full of incredible sites like this tucked away and unknown.  If you get a chance to visit them- do!

Encore île de Skye

Apologies for not posting for a while.  There has been a lot of work on recently, and the weather has not been conducive to photos so I have been slacking off with the blogging! However, I have just come back from another fantastic week on Skye and have some photos here that I hope you enjoy. I also have included below a recipe for Scottish Tablet, at the request of my last group, in English and French.

Toutes mes excuses pour ne pas ecrire pendant un certain temps.  J'ai beacoup de travail et la meteo n'a pas ete bonne pour les photos donc j'ai ete paresseux avec mon blog! Cependant, je reviens d'une atyre semaine fantastique sure SKye et quelques photos ici.  J'ai aussi inclus ci-dessus une recette de Scottish Tablet, a la demande de mon dernier group, en englais et en francais.  

Loch Coruisk, Sgurr a Ghreadaidh (left) Sgurr a Mhadaidh (centre) and Bidean Druim ana Ramh. 

Ease Mor Waterfall (again- this time with Coire an Eich and Sgurr na Banachdaich behind!).

Peaks of Coire Lagan: Sgurr Alasdair and Sgurr Sgumain

Scottish Tablet: Recipe from Undiscovered Scotland. 

Ingredients:

500g/18oz granulated sugar.
60g/2oz butter.
3½ tablespoons condensed milk.
170ml/6 floz water.
Method:
1. Grease a tin.
2. Place all the ingredients in a large saucepan and heat until the butter has melted and sugar has dissolved.
3. Bring the mixture to the boil. It is important to stir continuously at this point so the mixture doesn't stick to the bottom of the pan.
4. Bring the mixture down to simmer for approximately 10 minutes. The mixture should be thick and the colour should have turned from white to caramel.
5. Take the pan from the hob and place it on a heat resistant surface for about 5 minutes.
6. After the 5 minutes beat/stir the mixture really hard. At this point it will start to set.
7. Before the mixture sets, use a wooden spoon to transfer it into the prepared tin. You will find it sets almost straight away.
8. Before it has completely set, cut the tablet into  pieces and leave it to cool and set hard for 5 minutes.
9. Take the pieces from the tin and store them in an airtight container.

Ingrédients:

500g/18oz de sucre granulé.
60g/2oz beurre.
55mls/ 3.5 cuillères à soupe de lait condensé.
170ml / 6 floz eau.
Méthode:
1. Beurrez un moule.
2. Placez tous les ingrédients dans une grande casserole et chauffer jusqu'à ce que le beurre est fondu et le sucre soit dissous.
3. Amener le mélange à ébullition. Il est importantde continuer de remuer à ce point si le mélange ne colle pas au fond de la casserole.
4. Amener le mélange jusqu'à laisser mijoter pendant environ 10 minutes. Le mélange doit être épais et la couleur devrait se sont tournés du blanc au caramel.
5. Retirer la casserole du feu et le placer sur une surface résistante à la chaleur pendant environ 5 minutes.
6. Après les 5 minutes battre et brasser le mélange vraiment dur. À ce stade, il va commencer à définir.
7. Avant le mélange jeux, utiliser une cuillère en bois pour le transférer dans le moule préparé. Vous le trouverez ensembles presque aussitôt.
8. Avant qu'il soit complètement, couper le comprimé en morceaux et laissez-la refroidir et dur pendant 5 minutes.
9. Prenez les morceaux de l'étain et de les stocker dans un récipient hermétique.

Isle de Skye

I often describe Skye as my "happy place" and I was delighted to spend last week working there with a group from France for Macs Adventure and Montagne Evasion. We had mixed weather, but on the whole it was dry, although there were a couple of days of heavy mist.... Photos below! Enjoy!
Je décris souvent Skye comme mon "endroit heureux" et j'ai été ravi de passer la semaine dernière en travaillant là avec un groupe francais pour Macs Adventure et Montagne Evasion. Nous avions les temps variables, mais dans l'ensemble c'était sec, bien qu'il y ait deux ou trois jours de lourd brouillard.... Photos ci-dessous! Appréciez!

View from the start of a circular walk to see the geology of the Quairaing. La vue du début d'une promenade circulaire pour voir la géologie du Quairaing.

The scramble up to The Needle a detatched pillar of crumbling basalt.

Le chemin jusqu'à l'Aiguille, une colonne de basalte s'émiettant.

The Bay of Staffin, with the mountains of Torridon behind.

La Baie de Staffin, avec les montagnes de Torridon a derrière.

At the quayside at Elgol.  Au quai à Elgol.

Oblong leaved sundew (Drosera intermedia), Loch Coruisk.

Loch Coruisk, accessible by boat from Elgol. Loch Coruisk, accessible en bateau d'Elgol.

Northern eggar moth caterpillar (Lasiocampa quercus callunae), Loch Coruisk.  

La chenille du papillon de nuit de "eggar du Nord" (Lasiocampa quercus callunae), Loch Coruisk.

 Misty view of Orbost, Waternish peninsula.

La vue brumeuse d'Orbost, la péninsule de Waternish

The Team!  

L'Équipe!

The scottish thistle.

Le chardon écossais.

It was damp! C'était l'humidité!

Eas Mor waterfall, Glenbrittle. La cascade Eas Mor, Glenbrittle.

In the mist at Coire Lagan. Dans le brouillard à Coire Laggan.

This is a photo of Coire Lagan that I took a few years ago without the mist!

C'est une photo de Coire Lagan que j'ai pris il y a quelques années sans le brouillard!

 Northern eggar moth (Lasiocampa quercus callunae), Coire Lagan.  

Le papillon de nuit de "eggar du Nord"  (Lasiocampa quercus callunae), Coire Laggan.

A quick stop at the Falls of Falloch on the way back to Glasgow. 

Un arrêt rapide aux Cascades de Falloch sur la voie à Glasgow.

West Coast Holiday Snaps

I recently returned from a great 10 days on the West Coast climbing, scrambling and sea kayaking with my husband Wally. Below are a selection of snaps from the trip.

Wally on D Gully Buttress, Buchaille Etive Mor.

On Castle Ridge, Ben Nevis


The Forcan Ridge, Glen Shiel


Paddling out of Glenbrittle with the Cuillins behind. Had great views of Golden Eagles on this journey.


We stayed at Camasunary Bothy.



Sea Stack, off Soay in the Soay Sound.


The Cuillin Ridge Looking South from Bruach Na Frithe, Skye



Fairy Pools, Skye