Skye - 16/08/04

At half past ten, I jump on the train to Fort Wiliam, which takes me east through the familiar points of Beasdale, Loch Eilt, Glenfinnan and Loch Eil, finally to arrive into the Fort at 12 o'clock. It's a bit of a drab day, cloudy and grey. After some shopping for lunch, at Safeways, I jump on the Skye bus at 2 o'clock, buying a ticket to Portree. First 25 miles go up the Great Glen as far as Invergarry, then it's west up the A87 towards Kyle. This offers a nice view over Tomdoun to Loch Quoich, then heads north to join up with the A887 out of Invermoriston and Inverness. A long stretch without any habitation to Cluanie Inn, where the old road comes across the mountains, followed by the run down to Shiel Bridge. A Dutch car nearly had our bus in its boot on the Loch Shiel causeway. At 4 pm we arrive at Kyle to cross the bridge after paying the tolls. At Kyleakin a few people come and go, attributable to the presence of the Youth Hostel. Proceed to Broadford and past Scalpay and Raasay to Sligachan and Portree. At Portree, I didn't have any accommodation booked, so first port of call was the TIC. It was very late in the afternoon, but the man managed to arrange a B&B for me. It was called Hyskeir, and situated on the outskirts of town, near the loop on the Dunvegan Road. The house was used for and by B&B guests only. En-suite facilities a bit pokey, but it'll do for a night. Have a meal in town and afterwards do the laundry under the hostel in Somerled Square.