(#6/6) Rainbows and Whisky

31 August 2017
A week in Scotland was not enough. After meeting my friend Riley, we picked a car up from the airport and headed to Loch Lemond. Rain and fog didn't stop us from hiking and camping, but it started the trip off on a rather soggy note.

With squishy feet we headed Northwest to the isle of Skye through mountains and stunning views. 

 I wanted to see the Fairy Pools, so on narrow, one track roads, we headed out to a Creek that runs down a narrow gorge. The creek drops from pool to pool in a series of waterfalls. The scenery was spectacular and so were the midges-mini mosquitoes that desperately want to suck your blood and leave you with little itchy welts.

We found a place to camp out on an emerald green peninsula surrounded by sheep and in the morning pressed onwards past the iconic Eileen Donan Castle to Glen Affric.

With a surprising morning of sunshine, we set out on a 10 mile hike around the lake. The sunny day quickly Chand to rain, then sun, then rainy wind, then rainy sun, and finally plain old sunshine. The weather only made it all the more beautiful as rainbows and beams of sunlight filtered through the clouds.

 Another day of soaking feet and happy hearts.

We drove north of Inverness to Cromarty for a quick campout in a cow field. W decided the only practical thing to do with our last full day would be to visit as many distilleries as possible. So in a delicious daze of whisky, we wound our way southward following notes of caramel, smoke, and boozy burbon soaked barrels.

Glenn Moray, Glen Grant, Macallans, Cardhu, Glenfarclas, Glenlivet, oh my. We drove into Pitlochry and crashed after a heavenly day. 

Back to Edinburgh, back to reality, and sadly, the end of my time in Scotland... for now.