Raasay - 16/10/04

This was the day that all the timetables didn't work my way. Had thought to go to the Quiraing, North East Skye. So, there I was, on the 9.50 bus to Portree, only to discover that I would not be able to come back the same day. A quick rethink was in order, and I asked the driver to let me off at Sconser. The Raasay ferry was in any moment, and it duly materialized around the corner. Fifteen minutes later, we docked at Suisinish Terminal, and I marched off towards Inverarish village. 25 mins later, I went into the post office, which no longer stocked OS maps for the island. A little walks leaflet was all they had. So I took that and went off, in the general direction of Dun Caan, the highest hill at 443m. There are nearly 15 different walks on Raasay, and I followed walk B. First along the Burma Road (history eludes me), then up the hill and along an extremely MUDDY track. When I say muddy, it was just that. Remember that old ditty?

"Mud, mud, glorious mud - nothing quite like it for chilling the blood"

"So follow me, follow, down to the wallow - and there we shall wallow in glorious mud"

Leaving that to one side, the track up was a bit dreary. Until the moment the craggy summit of Dun Caan pops up above the moors. Once the path peters out, you've got to find your own way using the cairns. I took a wrong turning, but still managed to get alongside a loch west of the hill. Quite some altitude above the loch, but due to time constraints I couldn't climb Dun Caan itself. At 1.30 I had to turn back in order not to miss the 3.45 ferry and the connecting bus to Broadford. The return section was still boggy, and I managed to be brought to my knees by it. Once at the bottom, I resumed the Burma Road in the direction of the old iron mine. Several concrete structures remain standing, as does the Miners' Trail out of Inverarish Village. From a certain point, you can go straight as a line to the ferry terminal. Got there at 3.30, nicely on time.The concrete structures pop up every now and again.

Ferry left late because the crew had to clean the slipway with pressure-hoses, and it was bloody low tide. So I duly missed my bus at Sconser, which necessitated a taxi. Directory Enquiries gave me a useless number, it was an office number, which wouldn't be manned till Monday. I walked the 3.5 miles to Sligachan along the A87 main road, a stretch I'd rather forget. On arrival at the hotel, at 5.10, I rang the taxi which would have to come out of Portree. Whilst waiting I went into the packed bar for a drink. I wouldn't like to stay at Sligachan Hotel. Place is a bit ramshackle. A people carrier drew up at 6 pm. Another bloke with a bike also had to go to Broadford, as he had 'cycled' from Elgol to Sligachan. I put quotes round that, as I happen to know that there are several sections where you just cannot cycle. Anyway, got to Broadford and had to pay handsomely for the pleasure.