UK Holiday - Day 5 - Glengarry to Portree

After breakfast, Tony and I walked the grounds at Invergarry Castle.  The original castle was burnt down by the English sometime in the 1600s due to the clan's support of the Jacobite uprising.  (Google it; I am sure I'll get some facts wrong if I try to pass on my weak Scottish historical knowledge here.)  The original castle ruins are on the grounds of the new castle, so we walked down and took a look.  On our way back, it hailed on us.  It didn't even feel cold enough to hail and the hail was very small, but it was a fun experience.

The drive today was much shorter, less harrowing and more adventurous.  I had seen incredible pictures on the internet before we came that were identified as "Faerie Pools" on the Isle of Skye (our home for the next couple of days).  When we tried to find their location, there was no specific address, just loose instructions.  We asked someone at lunch if they knew where the faerie pools were.  At first, I think she thought I said "ferry tours" because she directed us to the marine shop for schedules.  When I explained we were looking for bodies of water, not boats, she came back and asked if we meant "faerie" pools.  (I still don't know the distinction between how she said "ferry" and "faerie."   They both sounded the same.)  The person at the cafe who knew about them gave us directions that were about 30 miles from Tony's directions.  In a fit of abandon, we trusted the internet and followed Tony's directions.
 

Those directions took us down empty one-lane roads (with pull-outs so oncoming cars can pass) surrounded by grazing cattle and sheep.  The sheep didn't even have fences and they just wandered everywhere.  There are hundreds of little lambs all over the countryside these days.  They are exceptionally adorable.  I may have to smuggle one back home.  Do you have to declare livestock? 

We found the seashore and a fantastic waterfall and pool opposite a hostel in the tiniest town at the end of our one-lane road.  The faerie pools were the real treat, though.  It is difficult to find the appropriate words to describe these pools.  Otherworldly really isn't far from the most appropriate definition.  We walked down a steep hill, crossed a creek and hiked up another hill to see them, but when we did, we were awestruck.  The runoff from the snowy mountains creates a rushing brook, that drops off several places along the brook, creating stunning waterfalls.  On top of that, the water is the most beautiful clear blue.  The pools are deep and, apparently, it is a place to swim in the summer.   

We took somewhere near 200 pictures, knowing they wouldn't convey the pristineness of the water or the depth of the pools.  It wasn't until the walk back that we realized how strong the wind was.  I ended up with a little wind burn.  We were both pretty wiped out so when we got to our hotel, the Cuillin Hills Hotel overlooking the adorable coastal city of Portree, we were happy too eat dinner and go back to our room for an early night.  We are planning on another day of exploration tomorrow.  Tony has discovered some fun sites, including, what appears to be more faerie pools.  Fingers crossed.