Kilchrist, or ‘Cill Chriosd,’ - Christ’s Church outside Broadford on the Torrin/Elgol road. This beautiful old church dates back to Medieval times and was once the parish church of Strathaird. Old records show that you used to contain two unusual gravemarkers (one dating to pre Christian times), the other dedicated to Lachlan Mor and etched with mysterious hierogylphics. They are no longer there but this church is also woven into MacKinnon history, not all of it glorious:
“On 19 June 1627, Neil Mackinnon became the first Protestant minister of the church, however he “is remembered primarily for his meanness and his greed”. During his appointment ceremony he ‘gave his grite and solemn oath that he all treulie according to his knowledge, give up the Clerk of Councell the names of all the Papists he knew within the Isles’. It is recorded that he only allowed his workmen one meal on Sundays (rather than two, as for other days) as they were resting. However, one Sunday two hungry workmen waited until after MacKinnon had finished preaching and had left the church before setting to work with their foot plough. Following this, the preacher allowed them two meals every day.”
(Additional material sourced from Wikipedia)
Our photographer gets around, this time it looks to be one of the brochs at Glenelg, awesome things to see. They are iron age settlements, or so it’s thought. Often with two skins, or layers of stone, both animals and people could reside within. Defensive, almost certainly. They lie in the most unspoiled valley that will enchant you should you ever visit.
Precarious, Duntulm Castle, Isle of Skye.
A little vintage Skye for your enjoyment - Flodigarry Hotel nestling into the hill.
Skye - where even the footprints in the sand are extraordinary.
Eilean Flodaigearraidh from Brogaig beach, Isle of Skye.
Staffin is home to a couple of beaches. There are some good spots on the main bay if you are prepared to seek them out, but there is easier access to a small area of sand just before the end of the road to Staffin Community Slipway. As well as the sea and sand, you can find some quite astonishing dinosaur footprints here too.
Eilean Donan in the evening, cast in glorious light.
The beautiful Telford bridge at Sligachan and mountains, just mountains.
Photo credit: Sir William Abney, 1843-1920
“I have (speak) English but Gaelic is the language of my heart.”
Cutting peat (old postcard).
Peat is decayed vegetation found in boggy ground. It’s cut into blocks and dried and can be used as a source of fuel. ’Peaty’ whisky gets its distinctive smoky flavour from the use of peat fires to dry the malted barley, although modern methods may vary, the effect is the same. ’Lagavulin’ from Islay and ‘Talisker’ whisky from Skye are two such examples.
A road, rugged mountains, some heather and serene light; Scotland - recipe for a masterpiece.
(The eastern end of Glencoe)
