WYSIWYG

What You See Is What You Get. This is a journal blog, an explore-blog, a bit of this and that blog. Sharing where the mood takes me. Perhaps it will take you too.

Menotouring; Showing off The Bonny Land #3

After loading up Little Ren with our stuff from our stay at the Broadford hotel, we took a half hour to walk across the road to where there was a wooden bridge. It afforded us a couple of pleasant views - despite the very grey day it turned out to be.

Skye was high on Kay's list of places to be, so it was important to prove she was really there!!!









The smile says it all. 

















Remember to biggify!































The summit of The Beinn could not be seen, as the sky had dropped. Beinn na Caillich, West of Broadford, is one of the Red Hills, or Red Cuillin. Its name is translated into English as Hill of the Old Woman. ... there's probably a story in that, but we must press on!

Into the Little Ren and off we drove, heading for Lochcarron, in the first instance. This is the place for those in search of tartan. The weaving is done in the Borders town of Selkirk now, though it originated from my own birth town of Galashiels.  A Mr Wood of that toon was sent up to Lochcarron, where wool spinning was of some renown, and there he began to teach weaving to the locals. As these things do, it grew and grew and grew. 

Now, it took some finding, this place, and we were hanging out for a cuppa by the time we got there. On looking at the website previously, we were under the impression there was a little cafe attached. Another group of folk, who had walked the long road in, also thought this. Not to be the case however. (When we got back to the Hutch, I tried to check this but their website was offline... what the??? However, on this day of typing up the post, the site is back in operation and has, I can see, been updated; it is now much more clear that it is the visitor centre only (in Selkirk) which has the tearoom. hey ho...) 

Not daunted, all the goodies were surveyed. Kay asked that I keep an eye on her. Which I did - was beginning to realise this was a serious task! The key thing was to purchase a meaningful piece of MacKenzie tartan (from her mother's lineage) - and this she did with a gorgeous stole. It will serve her long and well. A handful of smaller items for gifts were also gathered. All in all, quite a successful side-trip. Albeit 'drouth'... (dry).

Back into the car and along the sheep track which serves as the main highway thereabouts... we had Ullapool in our sights.


15 comments:

  1. "Dropping sky" on Skye - an all too familiar experience I'm afraid...

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  2. YaYa I remember how much research you did for your trip to the BAR and how thorough you were. Kay was indeed very lucky to have your expertise on this trip. Even though it was Scotland I know you did a ton of research to make sure she was able to get to every place. Bravo to you!!
    Hugs HiC

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  3. There used to be a wool import store in Cleveland (mid sixties!) where I located my father's Lindsey tartan. Both long gone.

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  4. It is so amazing! You are selling me on Scotland 2018!

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  5. Love the scenery and the story. don't have to ask if you were enjoying yourselves.

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  6. Beautiful!! Mum's done a post for you but hasn't finished it yet. Maybe today.

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  7. She does have a warm smile.
    Coffee is on

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  8. Such a beautiful tour...and like K-10, you are selling us on a trip over the pond!!

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  9. I think we should come and see this beautiful land... I hope the mama will bug the dad now efurry day and I will help her ... even when I need a shot from the vet furst... it's wort it 100%

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  10. You are trying to get me back to Scotland aren't you!? I just know you are. It will have to be after 2019 though, since I already have plans for next year and the year after.

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  11. How much fun to know your background and to be able to follow it up! I wish I knew more about my birth mother. She wasn't a nice person!

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  12. Oh, my, YAM. What a splendid trip thus far! I mentioned you to my younger sis and that you might give us a little show about of Scotland. She was ready to leave asap...... LOL. It might happen some day. janice xx

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  13. Oh, super, Yam. Only one mistake, which is easy to do. The MacKenzies are my mother's ancestors. My dad's mother was a Fraser, and I already had plenty of Fraser tartan items from my trip with all the family to Edinburgh in 1996.
    Hardly your fault, however, and I love that you posted about Lochcarron because my semi-working memory had already forgotten that side trip. Thanks so much for a wonderful holiday!

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    1. Hari OM
      duly amended Kay - thank you! I am sure once you held up the stole you would have remembered the Lochcarron visit; maybe you are still unpacking and distilling everything. You certainly covered some territory!!! Yxx

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  14. I've been through all of my photos of Scotland and find I do not have any of Skye, or of Lochcarron, so I may have to borrow (with a photo credit) several of yours.
    I can't believe I didn't do that, so maybe some got lost on Google Photos, which is a new and horrible addition to the too many things I already have to remember.
    Sigh.

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