On the way to and back from Dornie we passed through Glen Garry (or more accurately above it, as the road was quite a distance above the loch, Loch Garry, which fills it.)

There was a viewpoint beside the road at one location:-

Through the trees you can just see what looks like a footbridge over a bit of the loch:-

Plockton from the jetty:-

Looking Towards Loch Carron:-

The climate is very mild. If you zoom in on the photo you will see palm trees:-

The churchyard cemetery had a Commonwealth War Graves sign. There were two; one from each war, though both casualties died after hostilities ceased

Seaman W J Reid, RNR, SS Cresco, 30/11/1918, age 28:-

Captain R McKay, RAMC, 4/7/1946, age 46:-

Plockton is a lovely village on the shores of Loch Carron, in the Ross and Cromarty area of the Scottish Highlands.

Its appearance may be familiar to some due to it being used in the filming of the TV series of Hamish Macbeth.

Despite its small population and remoteness it is served by a railway. The Inverness-Kyle of Lochalsh line.

Panorama from road access to the seashore:-

The jetty at Plockton:-

The water was incredibly clear:-

The small island of Sgeir Bhuidhe lies just offshore:-

Duncraig Castle is on the far shore. The castle has its own railway station! (I believe the owner would only allow the railway to be built across his land with that as a proviso):-

Reverse panorama:-

On the way back fom Skye we took a detour to go to Plockton on Loch Carron. The road took us through the village of Duirinish.

The locals think nothing of letting their livestock roam the (one, very narrow) street.

Both Highland cattle and sheep made driving through it a little precarious. In the link above is a great photograph of the village with cattle in the burn.

After Plockton and on the way back to our hotel we encountered a family of highland cattle more or less blocking the road. They seemed to be going home for the night. The woman in the other car had stopped for a photo opportunity.

I tried to nudge past them but had to stop sharpish as the female cow didn’t take too kindly to me getting near her offspring.

The joys of rural driving!

On one of the hauls up/down a hillside on Skye there was a parking place. The Highland cattle there attracted an enthusiastic audience.

They are wonderful shaggy beasts. But don’t let the horns get near you!:-

These photos were all taken on the hoof through the car window.

Not by the driver I hasten to add.

Skye’s landscape is pretty bleak with very few trees but has a stark beauty of a kind.

The main mountain range is the Cuillin but the Black Cuillin lie more to the west of the island than these which I believe belong to the Red Cuillin.

Waterfall and continuing stream:-

Different angle:-

Closer view of waterfall:-

Closer still:-

Video. (Click on picture to get to it):-

Looking towards (sea) Loch Ainort from near a bridge over Allt Coire Nam Bruadaram. An older bridge can be seen in the distance nearer the loch. The island of Scalpay lies across the sea water.

The older bridge in close-up:-

Allt Coire Nam Bruadaram from roadside:-

Allt Coire Nam Bruadaram looking towards Loch Ainort:-

Allt Coire Nam Bruadaram looking up the coire (corrie):-

Portree harbour looking out to the island of Raasay and beyond:-

Portree harbour, pierside buildings:-

Great Wars Memorial Portree, overlooking harbour. Upper inscription (gold lettering) is the same Gaelic phrase that appears on Portree’s War Memorial, Mairidh An Cliu Go Bragh:-

The lower inscription reads, “Lest we forget. Donated by Seoid Portree Primary School War Time Memorial Project 2002-2003. Donated to thank the community. In memory of all who sacrificed so much in The Great Wars”:-

Portree is the main town on the Isle of Skye. Not big in the grand scheme of things but it has enough non-chain shops not to be boring.

The War Memorial is in the town square. It takes the form of a lion-surmounted pillar on a hexagonal base, name panels on five of the lower hexagonal planes. The supplementary (upper) panel is for 1939-45.

The stone wreath here is inscribed 1914-1919, the panel under it, “To the glory of God and in grateful memory of the soldiers and sailors from the mainland of Portree Parish and from South Snizort who died for their country in the Great War 1914-1919. Eternal Honour to the true and brave who for their native land their life blood gave. And in Gaelic, “Mairidh An Cliu Go Bragh”:-

The supplementary upper panel below is for 1939-45 (and includes Private Alice Buchanan ATS) plus a soldier of the Korean War, Private Alastair M Annan.

Again the supplementary upper panel is for 1939-45:-