Skye Trail Day Three

Day 3 Bealach a' Chuirm to Portree

Looking back to Day 2 walk

We a wake to a clear morning.  The hills around are clear, but still damp. Tent is very wet from the rain in the night. Plus the ground is showing puddles.  So stove on and we soon have breakfast. Up on the ridge we have to climb we can see another camper. First thinking it could be the German lads who had second thoughts. But soon looks like one person.

Washing Up

Our Camp

The Path We Found. Just Below. Look for A Figure on Left

So off we go up and around the spur that comes down from the Storr. Would have loved to gone up but we know we have a long day and we need to find this path down. So we head over the crest to the other side of the ridge where we need to turn and follow it along looking out for the path.  This is where it all changes. Just below the ridge is a path that leads towards the Old Man of Storr. It’s a big well-worn path and we can see the other camper on it. Look at the maps and it’s not on any of them even the Harvey map it’s not marked.  There is a path further round on the maps. So we head down a steep slope to join the path, which takes us to Needle Rock and the Old Man.

Old Man

The Storr 719m

Old Man  and The Storr

Looking Back up. Before entering the forest

Weather is still clear with a few swirling clouds. It gives us chance to photograph the Old Man. We met one guy who has been there since 6am waiting for the right shot.  The area is already busy with tourist coming up from the road. None of them kitted out for rough paths or some looking very unfit as the puff pass us.

From The Old man we head down though the forest, but looking around where we could have camped that night. We did not see many places with in the forests we went down. We saw a non-English tent still up and wonder if that was the German guys. 

Rough Going

Rough Ground

Looking Towards Portree

Highest Point of THe DAy

At the road we had a quick break before heading down to a small power station to start the path along the coast cliff edge paths. This is where both routes split. The other route went back up on the Storr and took the high level route, but we wanted to take the cliff route.

What we did not know was how tough this leg would be. There was not much paths on the first half and the going was boggy and lots of heather and tough heavy ground to cross.  The route would take us to Fiurnean 349m and from there it was to get better with shorter grass and easy walking.  We did find shorter grass but the rough boggy ground had zapped the energy out of us.

This was going to be a good ridge walk and I wonder how many people do this ridge, as we did not see a soul.  Our highest point on the ridge was Sitheam Bhealaich Chumhains 392m. This was a steep climb up to it. One of those hills that did not seem that far from the other side but was a killer at the end. From here it headed across some rough and boggy ground again before dropping down to farm fields

Again the weather closed in and we had to watch the cliff edge.  Also a good spot for Sea Eagles but not today.   Once down to the fields we head around them and picked up path signs. The first one since we set off.  It also looked like a new path has been made and this took us on a shorter route into Portree.

Tonight we were going to stay in a B&B and swap cloths over as we left the car in the long stay car park. This is free and we had no problems.  As you walk into Portree there is a few small B&B, which don’t have any rating, but they had rooms. We carried onto the car, as we wanted one where we could leave the car. So we drove out and found one. This was on a Wednesday in September and the 98% had No Vacancies signs up.  Which surprised us as we may had to camp.

B&B

Portree

So nice to have a shower and clean cloths back on. We then headed into the town and ate in the Isles Inn, which you find in the Square. Good food and local beers. Plus the have live music each night.