IRELAND and SCOTLAND - Day 16 - October 16, 2023

STRANGE LANDSCAPES, LONG DRIVE, WHISKEY LAND - Day 16 - October 16, 2023

Today was our longest drive - over 200 miles on a combination of single track farm roads, narrow two lane secondary roads, and a few stretches of 4 lane motorway.

The sun was out in the sleepy village of Uig this morning. This part of Skye has place names influenced by its Norse past, and Uig (meaning ‘bay’) is one of them.

From our starting point in Uig, we drove east up and over the Trotternish Ridge of mountains. The road was a single track farm route that climbed quickly up to open sheep range. It’s amazing how well the sheep keep the thick grass trimmed. Rocks and shrubs stick up, but the green grass around them looks like it’s been carefully manicured by professional landscapers.

Coming out to the eastern edge of the mountains, we saw the other-worldly landscape of the Quiraing (another Norse derived name, meaning ‘round fold’). The ancient landslides that created the formation have left a wonderland for hikers and outdoor enthusiasts. Filmmakers have also been attracted to the area.

Not too far south from there is Mealt Falls, also known as Kilt Rock Falls. Water from Mealt Loch flows right over a cliff into the sea below. With nearby Kilt Rock as a backdrop, it’s quite a sight.

Further south is the trailhead for climbing up to Storr, another craggy outcrop in the Trotternish hills. We happened by just as a gentle rain was clearing.

We backtracked our route from yesterday until we left the Isle of Skye via the bridge. Then, we went east up, over and through the mountainous Northwest Highlands. The hardwood trees were beginning to get into fall colors, and the Scots Pines and Sitka Spruce trees made it feel like we were up in alpine forests.

Dropping down into Inverness, we crossed over the Moray Firth into this busy city. We caught a glimpse of the North Sea as we drove along the four lane motorway.

Heading due east, we were now in flat farmland. The road straightened out until we got to the old village of Elgin and turned south into the Speyside area. 

Speyside is where they make whiskey, and lots of it. Over half of the whiskey made in Scotland is made here. More than 50 distilleries can be found here, where they say the many rivers and the abundance of good quality water is the main draw for distillers.

By the time we rolled into the Craigellachie Hotel, at the confluence of the River Spey and the River Fiddich for the night, it was time for a taste of the local product.

NEXT: Exploring the nearby villages.