Skye
by Keith Davies
Keith
and Jane Davies made a brave decision in 1999. They
moved from a small village in Surrey called Dormansland,
to the Isle of Skye. If nothing else, I can vouch
that this is always a conversation piece. Dormansland
is sometimes known as ‘Gin and Jag country’,
although they deny they ever did partake of a jag.
Now,
their nearest shop is 5 miles in distance in Dunvegan,
nearest supermarket is in Portree about 15 miles away.
The nearest large shopping centre is Inverness, the
fastest growing city in Europe, 120 miles away. It
takes about 2 1/2 hours each way, no dual carriageways
but then no traffic either. As Keith says, ‘I
have done the journey without stopping, perhaps overtaking
2 cars on the way. It really is that deserted on the
roads, spoilt only by the tourists in the summer driving
so slowly sight-seeing, or towing b****y caravans!’
If
you decide to visit the Highlands, the west coast
is the dramatic drive, via Fort William. It is not
generally known that the mountains actually begin
just a few miles from Glasgow, you can see the snow-peaked
tops from the city, and although not technically called
the Highland District, it is munros and glens all
the way to Skye and beyond. The roads are good, and
quiet.
Alternatively
you can travel the central route along the A9, which
allows completely different vistas, greener, flatter
scenery, more hotels and plenty of distilleries to
scrutinize. Best of course, is to return by a different
route, and the journeys will ensure the holiday is
even better. If you are towing a caravan, be sure
to give Keith a wave. He will give a sort of a wave
back.
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JUST
A FEW OF THE PLACES TO VISIT IN SKYE
OR
IF
YOU THOUGHT A GANNET WAS A BIG BIRD
Here
we are in the north of the island. We have had three
Otter sightings in the past fortnight in the loch
and on the beach below our garden (Loch Caroy). We
live right by the slipway where we have also seen
dolphins.
WATER
FEATURE AT BOTTOM OF GARDEN THIS IS NOT DORMANSLAND
(Can’t guarantee this weather every day of the
year)
Buzzards
abound here together with Hooded Crows, and we have
had a Golden Eagle and A White-tailed Eagle fly over
our garden. We have watched White-tailed Eagles soaring
over Loch Bharcasaig and saw one try to catch a Gannet,
which only escaped the grip of the talons by diving
under the water.
There
are deer on the island, but sightings are not as common
as on the mainland. We have seen them in the woods
around Dunvegan Castle and these woods are open to
anybody. Last week I was by Loch Suardal just north
of the castle, and I saw 2 Whooper Swans, Grebes and
a Goldeneye. We have a small R.S.P.B. volunteer group
here and we have been to 2 locations, Linicro/Monkstadt
and Uig, to provide "early cover" for corncrakes
when they return
from Africa. This provides an un-mown sanctuary for
them at the end of the breeding season.
So
leave your caravan at home and come to the land of
mountains and moorland, woods and peatland, meadows,
wetlands, and big skies in Skye.
Keith Davies
www.scotland-inverness.co.uk/skye.htm
www.skye-birds.com/wheretogo.php
www.skye.co.uk/wildlife.html
www.skye-birds.com
Image
produced from the Ordnance Survey Get-a-map service.
Image reproduced with kind permission of Ordnance
Survey and Ordnance Survey of Northern Ireland.
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