Day 4 - Fort William, Mallaig and the Isle of Skye

22nd October 2019

Today we woke up to the sound of an owl. Long low hooooooooots. Love it here. Up with the alarm to catch our train. The time in the woods has been all too brief, and we would really like to return one day. But no time now, as we have a booking on the 10:05 Jacobite Steam Train from Fort William. It was only a short drive to Fort William station, and we parked easily and there was the train - already in the station and steaming away. I have to admit to knowing next to nothing about steam trains, so even some Googling of the details of the Jacobite left me scratching my head, so I won’t pretend to know anything about it. But it certainly looked splendid. We boarded coach B to be greeted by a carriage full of French children (guessing aged 13/14). Great.

The train started off, in the pouring rain, which gave the scenery a very different look about it. Still stunning though.

The powerful locomotive pulled us up through the steep gradients of the railway, and very soon we were crossing the 21-arched Glenfinnan viaduct (famous now due to it being used in the Harry Potter films). There were about 60 people below all poised to take a picture of this train crossing the viaduct. Lots of waving from us and them!

We stopped in Glenfinnan station and visited the West Highland Railway Museum located in the restored station building. It cost 50p to get in! It’s a museum in the loosest sense. It’s a tiny shop, a room explaining the history of the railway and a restored stationmasters office. Quite sweet. The next, and final stop was Mallaig. It was founded during the 1840s when the owner of the North Morar Estate encouraged his tenants living around Loch Morar and Loch Nevis to resettle in what became Mallaig and establish a fishing village. Today Mallaig is a busy fishing port and ferry terminal with services to Skye and the Small Isles. It is a rather grim place. It is a busy port, but is also a tourist trap for those people that get off the train and have an hour and half until they get back on and leave again. Ninety minutes to feed them and sell them some tat. We struggled to find somewhere to eat, but eventually fell upon a lovely wooden ‘hut’ with a young man making his own pizzas in a huge wood fired oven. Delicious. The village emptied when the train left and we were left to explore. It was pouring down with rain, which did nothing for this already grey place.

the only nice thing I could find in Mallaig

Our ferry to Skye was due to set sail at 4pm. The sea looked very upset. Choppy. Gulp. I was NOT looking forward to this. A thirty minute crossing from Mallaig to Armadale. Just need to grin and bear it. We boarded and set sail. it was a choppy old crossing, so I decided to not look out of any windows and just listen to some music with my eyes closed. And then we were in Skye, a little green around the gills, but still with my lunch in my tummy.

We met a very nice lady from Skye Car Hire who handed over our little run around for the next day. She told us that the ferry after ours had been cancelled due to the bad weather. So we felt happy to have made it, but a little worried we may not be able to get back on Thursday. The rain had started to clear, and as we drove north through Broadford, and then famous Portree, we were treated to the most amazing views of the coastline. Rugged and clearly beaten by the weather, it was breathtaking. Sheep, sheep and more sheep, chomping their way through the rough grass. We needed to press on north as we are staying in Flodigarry, which is quite far up the island and getting there in the dark might be more of a challenge.

We arrived in Flodigarry after rolling over a cattle-grid on the single track road and passing nothing for five minutes - no other signs of life other than those huge sheep. And then we saw the small sign ‘Flodigarry pods’. Our home for two nights. Two pods on the edge of a hill on a working croft looking across to Flodigarry Island, Gairloch and the Torridon mountains on the mainland. It was just dusk when we arrived, but we can see that the views in the morning will be amazing.

We asked our host to recommend a place to eat, as we had seen nothing en route and he recommended a place called Columba 1400, ten minutes back down the road. Off we went. It was a huge building, a bit like a ski chalet, and the restaurant was a bit like a cafe, but nice enough. The food menu was great too - pies, fish, meat, soups - all good hearty food that you want when it’s cold outside. There is a story behind Columba 1400 - they employ young carers, young people who live or have lived in local authority care, those struggling to engage with school and at risk of not reaching a positive destination (their words). They have rooms that you can stay in too. The programme for the youngsters seems quite intense, but looks as though is has a hugely positive impact.

And then we drove the dark scary road back to our pod. Toasty warm and cosy inside, but it does sound as though the wind may lift us from the ground before morning!