Spent some time in the picturesque seaside village of Plockton today on Scotland’s west coast across from the Isle of Skye.  It is an enchanting village established in the early 19th century on the northern edge of Lochalsh. Though it was not in existence during the reign of the Lords of the Isles, it sprang […]

A bit of culture and jaw dropping beauty were on the menu today but first I had to get out of Plockton!  Leaving this morning for my exploration of more of Wester Ross I was slowed on my drive down the lane from my cottage by a few neighborhood cows. This evening they were brought […]

After settling in my little cottage in Plockton, looking out at Skye, I decided not to let the weather hinder my exploration of this most important area. As reported in the journal of July 2, 2024, in addition to being Lords of the Isles, two chiefs of Clan Donald also held the title of Earl […]

On this day of remembrance of 9/11 I had time for reflection in an incredibly beautiful and peaceful afternoon at St. Columba’s Bay. I headed to a different part of the bay than the other day as I had not actually found the proper Iona stones on my last rock adventure! The wind was still […]

Strong winds and rain throughout the night gave way to a beautiful sunrise behind dark clouds over Mull visible from my room here at the B&B.  After breakfast it was time to walk over to the Iona nunnery and abbey.  Iona is a holy isle described as the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland. Founded by […]

I find myself sitting in the living room of the most wonderful Bed & Breakfast I have ever stayed in while the gale force wind wraps itself around the house and the rain lashes against the window.  It could not be a more perfect setting to begin the journal about the visit to the Isle […]

Being somewhere makes all the difference in understanding a place and finding unexpected pleasures.  While driving around Mull I discovered that I could take a ferry from Fishnish to Lochaline – where lies the Ardtornish Estate, my home in January for two weeks!  I decided it was worth the 20 minute ferry ride to explore […]

The ruins of the enigmatic Aros Castle, constitute a prominent landmark on the west coast of the Sound of Mull, occupying a strategically important position on a flat-topped promontory. Once the stronghold of the Lords of the Isles, Aros Castle today consists of a ruined hall house clogged with fallen masonry on its ground floor […]

Although today’s main objective was to head to Oronsay, I made a quick morning visit to Finlaggan to do some more photographing of this most important site. The Paps of Jura are quite visible from this ancient location so I attempted to create some photos with the Paps and the ruins.  While many things have […]

The sun made its appearance today which made it a perfect time to take the small ferry from Port Askaig to Jura, the long and narrow island known for its soaring mountains, whisky, swirling whirlpools and wild roaming deer which far outnumber the island’s residents.  It was also the home of one of the greatest […]

What does one do on a cloudy, foggy, rainy day on Islay? You take distillery tours of course.  Islay is known as the Whisky Island and is especially known for its peaty whisky. My visit took me to Caol Ila and Lagavulin – both owned by corporate spirits giant, Diageo. Looking out from Lagavulin into […]

The Hebridean island of Islay holds a special place for me and a place where I feel very much at home.  Known as the Whisky Isle or the Queen of the Hebrides, this 600 square kilometer jewel has a population of around 3220. It was the headquarters of the Lords of the Isles for much […]

A gloriously sunny and warm day showed up today in the district of Argyleshire, commonly known as ‘Lorn’ or ‘Lorne’ and I decided to revisit the ruins of the Ardchattan Priory.  The district, in very ancient times, was traditionally possessed by the MacDougals, a family in those days almost as powerful as the MacDonalds, ‘Lords of […]

The week in Barra was filled mostly with clouds and rain though there were moments of sheer beauty that made it all worthwhile.  The forecast was improving as I left the island and perhaps another visit in the future will be on my calendar.  My one landmark photo includes Kisimul Castle, the stronghold of the […]

On this, my last day on Barra it seems only fitting to talk a bit about this island and its ties to the Lords of the Isles.  Barra was a haven for Viking pirates, who launched fierce plundering raids in all directions from these islands.  It is not hard to visualize Viking boats sailing in […]

It was no surprise to wake up yet again to a cloudy, rainy morning. It was a good day to just drive around and explore, do a little hiking, and snap a few photographs.  I made another trip over to Vatersay and had a quick snack at the Vatersay Café, a lovely and popular spot […]

I am in love with the machair and every time I find myself near it I feel the magic of this most spectacular feature in nature. Machair, a Gaelic word meaning fertile, low-lying grassy plain, refers to a unique habitat that is one of the scarcest in Europe. It is only to be found on […]

I kept waiting for a sunrise this morning but it was not to be – though it was not pouring rain! I decided to check out the local golf course and was pleasantly surprised to find a foursome ready to tee off. I asked them how they knew where to go on the course and […]

I was ushered into my afternoon exploration by periods of sunshine and finally, no rain.  After checking the airport website I saw that a plane was due to land in about 20 minutes so headed in that direction – airport is very close to where I am staying. A narrow, single track road winds through […]

As I made my way to my little house I was struck by the sheer beauty of the beaches and rough surf rolling in from the Hebridean Sea.

They say third time is the charm and on my 3rd visit to Dunstaffnage Castle the sun came out and illuminated the castle in perfect light.  This is one of my favorite castles and for this visit I gave it more time than usual.  Sitting on an immense rock overlooking the Firth of Lorn, Dunstaffnage […]

Even an entire day of torrential downpours and gusty winds did not dampen the spirit of the Oban Games.  Thankfully the tempestuous weather of the day before only served to make it more difficult to set up the stadium. Today it was a mostly cloudy day with periods of sun and rain.  The Argyllshire Gathering, […]

It was a day to explore portions of Wester Ross, a large swath of territory outside of Inverness and controlled by the Earl of Ross.  The chiefs of the Clan Donald held the title of Lord of the Isles until 1493, and two of those chiefs also held the title of Earl of Ross until […]

For the last day on Skye we headed on a road trip to take in more of the country and its beauty.  First stop was the village of Dunvegan (we had been to see Dunvegan Castle the other day but had not explored the village) which was charming. Dunvegan Castle is one the greatest Hebridean castles […]

After a morning walk which gifted me with the presence of a magnificent stag, we left Uist and took the ferry from Lochmaddy to Uig on the Isle of Skye. The locals say they have not seen weather like this in many many years and they are as tired of it as we are. The […]

My primary reason for coming to Eriskay was to see the Eriskay ponies, an ancient breed reportedly to have been in existence during the time of the Lords of the Isles. They can be traced unchanged throughout history and are uncrossed descendants of the wild race which roamed Scotland before people lived there. There are […]

Finally a bit of sun today as we made our way from South Uist to the Isle of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides.  The long machair lined beach was truly spectacular stretching a least a mile along the Atlantic Ocean. Machair is a Gaelic word meaning fertile, low-lying grassy plain, ‘machair’ refers to a unique […]

Great day exploring South Uist, including popping in to the local gin distillery.  The gin is quite amazing and as with all the gin we have sampled in the Outer Hebrides quite unique.  Harris gin remains the favorite!  We also came across two unicorns this morning! Yes, the unicorn is the national animal off Scotland […]

It’s a strange land risen out of the sea and laid across it like a woven blanket.  There is a sense of remoteness which surrounds you as you drive on the single track roads across the water carved landscape. It is hard to fathom that the Outer Hebrides were shaped over billions of years by […]

The journey continued to Harris with a stop at the famous Standing Stones at Calanais – I had been before and would still like to go at sunset (when there is sun!!).  From there we headed to Tarbert and drove through some of the most spectacular country you can imagine.  Luskentyre Beach takes your breath […]

Mairi feeding her sheep

The stunning beauty of Eigg draws you in.

The battle of Bannockburn

Finding a treasure by Loch Gruinart

Kilchoman Cross to the beautiful Machair Bay…..

A day of contrasts – medieval church and modern golf course.

More to learn about Finlaggan and time to travel all along the Rinns.

A day spent on the water around Islay exposed up to many marvelous sites with rich histories.

and now for Islay – we visit Finlaggin, the headquarters of the Lords of the Isles.

One of the most beautiful of the ancient sites is Saddell Abbey.

An unexpected delay on the way to a castle…

There is so much to see and feel on Colonsay – isolated though it is rich in natural beauty, history, and people.

Along Kiloran Bay the vista is stunning especially in the morning light.

Wild and remote, a perfect place to just while away the time.

Day 1 on Colonsay

The grounds of Dunstaffnage Castle

Charter boat to the Isle of Eigg

A visit to Dunfermline and the resting place of Robert the Bruce

Last day in Edinburgh for this trip saw us walking down the Royal Mile through cannon gate to the Palace of Holyroodhouse, the official residence of the King when he is in Scotland.  It is situated across from the Scottish Parliament, a very contemporary conglomeration of buildings.  There is a long and storied history of […]

A perfect day for making connections

Beautiful first day in Edinburgh

Medieval times

The streets of Mallaig near the docks.

Embarking on another adventure in the territory of the Lords of the Isles

Searching for descendants of the Lords of the Isles

Ancient stones and castles by Loch Buie

The ruins of Aros Castle are ethereal

Following in ancient footsteps

Walking around Laroch Mor and Knoydart

Ancient castle Dunscaith.

Eilean Finnan is the burial island for Clanranald and has been for centuries.

You wonder what it was like in the time of the Lords of the Isles.

Tobermory to Iona day trip

Lismore Lighthouse guides the way to Mull

After a hearty breakfast it was of to Dunollie castle of the Macdougall Clan.

Met up with my guide, Tom Miers and off we went for day 1 of our journey through the territory of the Lords of the Isles.