Scottish Highlands & Isle of Skye

Morar, Highlands

The Morar peninsula in the Highlands of Scotland is part of the Rough Bounds, an area renowned for its wild, remote and rugged landscapes. Morar is divided by Loch Morar, one of Europe’s deepest fresh water lochs, reaching a depth of over 1,000 feet/300 metres. Loch Morar is said to be home to Morag, a monster akin to the more famous Nessie. Morag has a sinister reputation, based on the belief that whenever she is sighted it heralds the death of a member of the local branch of the MacDonald clan.

Morar has a sublime seascape formed by a series of rock-framed white beaches and stunning views across a turquoise sea towards Eigg, Rum and further north to Skye.

Isle of Skye

Skye, the Misty Isle, is famous for its spectacular scenery and landscapes. It is a beautiful island with ruined castles, sea lochs, high mountains and remote moors.

The island is 50 miles long and it is the largest island of the Inner Hebrides. Skye can be seen as a series of peninsulas that radiate from the mountainous centre of the Cuillin hills. There are 350 miles of coastline to explore and in its heart the dramatic Black Cuillin range rise to over 3,000 feet. They were formed by volcanic activity some fifty million years ago.

Occupied since the Mesolithic era, there are currently about 10,000 people living on the island.

Skye is voted the 4th best island in the world by National Geographic magazine.

Wildlife

Loch Morar and the surrounding hills are good place to look for red deer, roe deer, white-tailed eagle and golden eagle, great northern divers, otters and pine marten. During our boat trips on Loch Nevis and Loch Scavaig we should see seals, many seabirds and, if we are lucky, even dolphins. Eagles also live on Skye as do many other birds. Wild flowers will be abundant wherever we go.

Day-by-Day programme

• Saturday: Glasgow – Beasdale by train
• Sunday: Loch an Nostarie and the Silver Sands of Morar
• Monday: Tarbet, Loch Nevis to Loch Morar
• Tuesday: Journey to Skye, Loch Coruisk
• Wednesday: Isle of Skye, Talisker Distillery, Dun Beag, Oronsay
• Thursday: Isle of Skye, Trotternish Peninsula
• Friday: Isle of Raasay
• Saturday: Isle of Skye – Glasgow