In the current climate, when one can't travel, the only way to visit the places we love is through our memories of them. And it seems like it will take a while for things to go back to normal. However, these memories keep us sane and help us stay positive by giving us hope of a more exciting and adventurous future. One of the places that give me the most hope is the Isle of Skye, a island in the Scottish Highlands, that I visited in September 2011. And therefore, the Isle of Skye deserves a Time-Turner post of its own.
The Time-Turner series is my opportunity to pen down the lingering memories and impressions of a place I have visited. It helps me relive the experience a bit and also reflect upon the aspects of the place that stood out the most to me. For more Time-Turner posts, follow this link: The Time-Turner Series.
When I look back at the time I spent in the Isle of Skye, the most important memory is that I lost my phone just as my bus crossed the bridge that connected the Scottish Mainland to the Isle of Skye. The phone slipped out of my pocket and got wedged in a narrow metallic space in the coach that I was travelling in. Henceforth, I would be without a phone. However, the phone did find its way back to me. It followed me from Scotland to India on its own. The journey is a story in itself and is documented here at Ghumakkar.
However, this incident, which ended on a positive note, was the only inconvenience that I had to go through during this trip to the Isle of Skye. Apart from that, everything else was picture perfect.
Be it the highland geology, that has made the Isle of Skye so scenic, or the weather that some people may find oppressive, but I find quite intriguing. Much of Isle of Skye is bog because of the frequent and heavy rainfall. Therefore, you also find hills after hills covered with purple heather. Apart from that there are some really dramatic land formations such as the Old Man of Storr, the Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls.
Even though Isle of Skye is relatively small mass of land, you can see hills, cliffs, waterfalls, rivers, beaches, lakes and other geological features here. Much of the island can be explored on foot (over multiple days) on good days, but you need to remember to wear good boots because of damp. You should also carry an umbrella and/or a raincoat because weather can change at the blink of an eye.
One of the most enduring images from the Isle of Skye is that of a red bench overlooking the steep cliffs and sharp drop of the Kilt Rock. On clear days one can see far into the horizon and lose oneself in the grand beauty of the world. And if you walk towards the cliff and look down, you will see the beautiful Mealt fall dropping into the sea below.
And when you are feeling up to it, go on towards the Museum of Island life, set in the middle of nowhere, where you can see the stone cottages and get a glimpse into the lifestyle of Highlanders in the bygone era.
Right next to the museum is the Kilmuir Graveyard where you can spend time reading the gravestones. You will also find the grave of Knight Angus Martin here, along with that of Flora MacDonald. The graveyard can get creepy quite often considering the solitude and the inclement weather.
Another aspect that I can probably never forget is the cozy B&B I stayed in. It was clean, cute, and pretty, quite like a dollhouse. I still remember the pretty flowers in the garden outside and the fact that none of the doors had keys. Apparently, no one locks their cars and homes in Skye because there is no crime. Sounds quite amazing, doesn't it.
Anyway, if there is a place I would gladly move to, it is this Isle of Skye. It seems like the ideal place for a poet or any other romantic soul, who is dying to lose herself to nature.
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