Animals in the Wild 25th Feb

A trip this morning back down to Camustianavaig was fruitful for a brief meeting with a grey seal in the bay - I’ve named him Sammy. Only iPhone snaps to show but a fantastic experience. Beautiful views!

he Beach House is situated on the rocky shore of Camustianavaig at the foot of the towering cliffs of Ben Tianavaig. This peaceful waterside location has amazing panoramic scenery across Tianavaig Bay to the Isle of Raasay and an abundance of wildlife such as Sea Eagles, Otters, Seals, Dolphins and Whales. It even has it’s own babbling brook - called a burn here in Scotland.

Legend has it hah Camustianavaig was once the home of three witches, who would conjure up a squall on an otherwise peaceful day to test the seamanship of the intrepid sailors that ventured past the towering cliffs of Ben Tianavaig.

In more recent times the Beach House grounds previously served as a home for the Salmon Netters who'd row out into the bay to net their unsuspecting catch and then return to the Salmon Station to process the catch before shipping it to London by the way of steam boat and train.

The Beach House is now a luxury holiday home that sleeps 8 and is up for sale. We were there to meet with Ian Drury, from Skye Property Centre, for another look inside the Beach House and Salmon Station which we thought might make a good Luxury B&B and Studio. Although we loved it, and the lifestyle would have been amazing it was not to be - we decided our family back home in Australia is just too important compared to money from a business opportunity here.

So both disappointed and relieved at the same time, we were off to the Granary in Portree for a bacon and egg burger before heading down to Elgol in the hope of getting some shots of a gorgeous tree at Torrin (that looks like the Tree of Life) I’d seen on two previous visits but never photographed. I also hoped the free roaming Heilan Coos might be there!

After the turn off at Broadford we drove along the road to Torrin and Elgol and stopped off opposite to the Old Church and Graveyard, Cill Chriosd, to have a look and take some photos and directly opposite where some stones with information about

Cill Chroisd (Chris’ Church) is a ruined former Parish church for Strath, and the cleared villages of Boreraig and Susinish, constructed in the 16th Century to replace a medieval stone church on that location. It was used until 1840 when the the parish was relocated to Broadford. The ruins lie at the top of a small mound, surrounded by the graveyard. It is said to have roughly dressed quoins and jambs, and a balustraded brutal enclosure at the East gable in the early 18th Century for the MacKinnons (in 1627 the first Protestant minister was Neil Mackinnon). The church doorway on the south wall has splayed jambs and check and square sconsion. The three winds along this wall have check and inward splay, similar to the window in the East Gable, which is now built up.

Records from 1913 show that there were a pair of unusual gravemarkers in the graveyard - one dedicated to Clan Chief Lachlan Mor with obscure heiroglyphics, and another possibly pre-Christian, but both are no longer there. Most graves are connected to Clan MacKinnon, from the 18th and 19th centuries, I did also see a McLeod (my family name). One memorial, in the inner wall of the burial enclosure, is for "Charles Third", who was apparently born in Corry near Broadford as a MacKinnon but later died in Australia after emigrating. A worn medieval slab carved with an ornate cross in the south corner of the graveyard. The churchyard also has an armorial stone, as well as a possible fragment of the necking and lower arms of a crude cross, bearing two animals carved into a relief on the lower part. The graveyard also contains a slab of slate with a foliated cross like a clover.

It was so interesting and some of the additions were quite recent.

I took a couple of shots of the nearby Hairy Loch but the rain was coming down and my lens kept getting water spots so I didn’t stay long.

We took a detour to explore a different track and on the way we saw some cows, one which had just given birth and the newborn calf was wobbly on its legs and trying to snuggle. We were pretty far away so even with my 400mm I couldn’t get a close up shot. We were very excited to witness this little miracle in the middle of nowhere.

We double backed when the roads reached the shore at a dead end and returned to the road to Elgol. At Torrin we stopped to photograph my tree when I spotted a “Plank” in the Skye - a Sea Eagle - so quickly took some photos with my 400mm which was still on my camera from the cows.

I then photographed my long awaited Tree Of Life.

There was a lady walking her two white Westies around the Loch - they were so cute!

We continued towards Elgol but there were no cows in either of the places we had seen them before but we pushed on a little further - just in case! Our efforts were rewarded with three or four cows along the road. One (whom I’ve named Molly) was just a superstar poser. I rewarded her with some of the cobs that Alan gave me which he gives to his Highlanders - Molly loved them and was following me like a dog to get more! Feeding a Free ranging Higland Cow was the highlight of the day - but I did have to watch out for those enormous horns - especially when she followed me to the hire car - they could easily damage car so I loured her back across the road with more food on the ground and we high tailed it in time to see the other cows coming to join her! Cow Party Time!

Vince took a Vlog if it but unfortunately the battery in my microphone was flat so the sound failed to record.

On the return journey Vince due some droning and I took a few shots of the boats.

We stopped in at the Broadford Co Op for petrol and then headed back to Sligahan stopping briefly to take some shots of the snow on the Cuillin.

We took the West Coast road and stopped at the Uig Hotel for a drink and dinner which was very nice but at £45 for a drink each and the lamb casserole special - not cheap by Australia standards.

Then it was back along the coast to Duntulm and out little Croft house, Willie McLeods.

What a great day for wildlife - seal, newborn calf, sea eagle, highland cow and of course the daily dose of a zillion shaggy sheep!

We spent the night catching up on blogs and downloading and backing up photos as we enjoyed a dram and an early night as we were knackered!

Off to Rubha Hunish in the morning!