Pulling into port in Kyle of Locharsch is too sweet to have any bitterness that might be felt upon realizing that this is the end of such an exciting voyage. It has started to feel like home here aboard Lord of the Glens, where luxuries such as coming back to a crisply cleaned cabin, mandatory after dinner chocolates, or the melodious morning wake up calls of expedition leader David Barnes have become routine. Excursions to castles that would be the location of interest for an entire region back home are weighed against the benefit of exploring the local village for last minute post cards. Packing, as a concept, is entirely repressed for the time being and all aboard set forth to explore the surrounding countryside. In the morning we head to perhaps the most iconic Scottish castle of Eilean Donan. First fortified in the 13th Century it is built on an island where three lochs converge giving it strong defensive and strategic value.
The afternoon offers the opportunity of a leg-stretching hike in the foothills of the Black and Red Cuillins on the Isle of Skye. The Red Cuillins are mostly granite while the Black are comprised of the very rough igneous basalt. Practically devoid of trees this landscape has a desolate beauty to it. Looking upon the glacially carved contours and valleys one gets to see the terrain’s raw form, like muscles under taught skin. There is an almost primal sense of peace that permeates the expanse, instilling a sense of appreciation in the unrefined grace of the mountains. Taking time to sit quietly and absorb the moment, along with a little bit of rain, reflecting upon all we’ve seen, it sinks in that the time to say farewell has come. We have definitely sampled a wide selection of what Scotland has had to offer, savoring every moment, up to and including tonight’s haggis.
