Skye Scotland is a country of rugged, rugged landscape that inspires and calms. Photographer Adam Marsden took Emma and traveled the entire length and width of Skye. This is what he said about his journey.
Pick up Emma
We both took Friday off work, so we could start our journey early, because we had a lot of kilometers to bridge. Emma is kept in a garage in Kendal, about an hour's drive from our house. Meandering through the valleys to pick her up, it started to change again! There was a strong downpour over our heads and it seemed that it would stay that way. Mike (Emma & # 39; s owner) was probably the most horizontal garage owner I had ever met, nothing was a problem! We have taken all our stuff over the next 4 days and are on an adventure in the north.
The journey to Mallaig
Prior to our trip, we loosely planned some stop-offs for photo's and well-needed breaks, but we did not care at all. We plow all the way to Glasgow to try to beat the rush hour traffic, because our timing would mean that we would sneak a little before 17:00 … oh oh we were wrong! When we reached the outskirts of Glasgow, we saw a sea of traffic lights from stationary traffic, so we referred to the good ol-app of Google Maps! Fortunately, it led us to the center of Glasgow, where we could keep moving.
Emma was again on the M8 driving to the beautiful route of the A82, this is where the journey becomes an eye-opener. We enter the national park Loch Lomond & Trossachs, where the terrain seems to rise massively next to us, creating a valley that gives you a super small feeling (even in a camper). The light began to drop and the weather looked turbulent as we crossed the rugged terrain to Glencoe, this was our first official leg training!
When the Trossachs were ready, I sighed with relief that the roads broadened and Emma had a little more room to breathe. We drove through Glencoe and decided to stop in Fort William for fuel and fuel for us … fish and chips!
08:33
Both we and the camper were full but at the moment we were a little more tired than Emma and with 46 miles to go to Mallaig we left with the intention to find a parking place for the night until the morning. As you probably already know, we are not that good at plans. That is why I decided to continue until we came to a parking lot at the edge of the port of Mallaig.
Mallaig to Skye
6:45 a.m.
I was glad I did the trip the night before, because at 7:20 am we were on the first ferry from the harbor, good work, we were only next door in the parking garage. We woke up as late as possible so that we could keep a valuable eye because we both felt the long time the day before. Waking up to the sound of the gentle waves that swept the coastline was absolutely quiet, I could certainly get used to it!
07:36
"EVERYONE ON BOARD"
We were all on board now and were floating along the North Sea to Skye, where the weather looked like a complete contrast when we walked over the water. At one point you could literally see the dividing lines of the two opposite weather forecasts from the window, Skye was dark and ominous, while Mallaig looked slightly more inviting. While I was staring out the window, I saw a very lonely sailboat that probably could carry only two people, I remember that everyone on that boat is either super brave or has a screw loose! As we floated closer to Skye, the terrain began to rise again and we now looked at rugged mountains and jurassic landscapes. Perfect!
Back on dry land
08:15
Emma's wheels were standing firmly on the dry land again and we were now winding through the narrow roads of the ferry port of Skye. We drove about 15 minutes inland so that we could find a parking spot somewhere and grab some breakfast, because we were both hungry! We stopped at a small parking spot that was on the slope of sea level, back to the mainland of Skye. Check gas on ….! ……. Stove is on … .. please check! … .. Boil kettle … .. Look! Bacon asses and brews around!
Our first meal was a treat in the new stay, "even if it was just a piece of bacon!" Everything filled with tea and excitement. We knew that we had not even scratched the surface of the amazing landscape and landscape that heaven has to offer, so we shot Emma back again and went down the sloping road.
To the sights
By doing a little earlier research, we had already planned our trip based on the sights we wanted to see every day, which meant that we could use our time spent in the sky a lot better. Our first stop was straight to the old bridge of Sligachan on the east side of Skye, a hotspot for photographers. I had seen this place thousands of times before, but I honestly underestimated how spectacular this place really looked until we were hanging on it, whether it was due to the amazing sunlight with a cloud cover combination acts as a huge soft box that I do not know I do not know! All I know was that it looked great! We were impressed by this 18th-century bridge nestled in the rugged landscape of Skye … sounds pretty simple right? Well, look!
00:28
Immediately after these photo 's were taken, it took another turnaround and took advantage of a heavy Scottish downpour, which means it's time to go inside … Talisker distillery seems a wise choice. We stepped back into Emma and walked downstairs, which seemed to be the ever-narrower backroads that spun in all directions through the rugged landscape of Skye Scotland. Just as we descend to Carbost where Talisker is located, and we were greeted with a scene of Loch Harport surrounded by hills.
"Too much of everything is bad, but too much good whiskey is hardly enough." – Mark Twain
Unfortunately we did not have time to make the official tour of the distillery, but we did take the time to look around in the gift shop that taught Talisker enough without taking the tour! We walked around the Loch for a while but it was completely free of people, apart from a woman with a dog, that was it …. nobody! I thought it was strange how a place with such an attraction could be so bare of life, maybe everyone was at work, I do not know? But as always, I and the good lady wanted to see the world in one day, so we sacked Emma and went to the Neist Point Lighthouse!
Now I must say, this place took my breath away.
From Talisker it took about 40 minutes to get to Neist Point, just because the roads went even further around Emma, now as said, we were already on narrow roads to my taste. The road came to a point where it was pretty much patchwork over this barren land, there were pot holes as big as a cow and blind tops over what I can imagine is the rugged formation of the hills we walked through.
Neist Point
This place is nothing short of spectacular! Even after I was in Iceland, this place still impressed me with its beautiful landscape.
We arrived at what I could only describe as the edge of the earth, the shear force of the land that plunged into the ocean gives you a quick indication that the road did not go any further on Skye. We parked Emma and walked on foot the uncertain footpath that I can only imagine, is weathered by the weather on the coast in the years 100. The descent to the lighthouse was mega steep, even though you had the stairs and a & # 39; sort & # 39; handrail, it was a huge killer on the knees. Neist point had so much to offer in terms of great views, it did not matter which way you turned, you are greeted with a great scene, whether it is by sea or by land. After we walked up and down the lighthouse, the curiosity prevailed and we had to investigate why the rooms still looked like they were inhabited. I mean, some of them were literally like the person who had just left. We learned that the lighthouse was lit for the first time on November 1, 1909, but the rooms surrounding the lighthouse are now privately owned and used to be let as holiday rentals, but they did not see much use, so people simply kept them as refuges, that's why they lived in it. Nevertheless, it had a certain creepy atmosphere.
Times beating, we went to the fairytale lens, but that was interrupted by the always turbulent weather of Skye, which we already know too well.
Time hop.
20:30 pm
Because we drove all day, we forgot to buy food to fill us. Back to Portree we went looking for a nice little restaurant for some fast food, because we were both beyond the feeling of waiting for something to cook. It is a nice place for food so that was a good brainteaser!
All full we have previously seen a lay-up that looked pretty quiet for a good night chicken, so that's where we went. I knew that I wanted to make a recording of Emma that was completely in the nightlife, but I have greatly underestimated how incredibly spectacular the sky is at night without any light pollution. I mean, there are stars that we normally see, but then this …
Well that was a treat, a super nice evening with a whole lot of stars was more than I expected!
This is therefore a short one.
As you can see from the last photo it was again a piece from the blue sky and the golden sun, but the weather decreased in the night and it seemed that it was ready for the day. We planned to go to Storr's old man today, so we got up early and braved what looked like rain. As we pitched to the parking lot at the foot of the Storr, we realized that we would almost get wet, very wet! Mother Nature now began to show her true strength with the strongest gusts I have ever experienced, it was at the point that the rain was pressed against your skin, that it felt like you were shot by 100 BB bullets at once. & # 39; We are here, let's do it & # 39 ;, we said to each other as we walked up the walking path.
3/4 of the way up there was nothing dry. All our clothes, apart from the raincoats, are now soaked, even the socks!
I quickly grabbed a quick click and I was out of there! (Because if you do not have a picture of it, it did not happen, right?)
Today is a write-off!
Given the fact that the ferry back to Mallaig was canceled due to inclement weather, the trip back home had returned as much as 35 miles because we had to take the Skye bridge. Excellent! 60mph side winds in a camper and now I'm talking about a bridge that has no walls and is suspended over seriously choppy water … .. delicious! The day was as good as depreciating, so we slowly walked back and took extra care of the roads that now became rivers. We had so much more that we wanted to see Skye, but it seemed that something told us to look back at the state of the road conditions. There was no water drainage and they were quickly full! Without descending on other roads than main roads, we decided that we would make highland cow hunting for the cowshot & # 39; I went to Skye & # 39; been. Please
House time
So that's it, we had a nice exciting trip back to a car park just outside Luss for the last night. Our adventure was over and the weather was too. On Monday morning we woke up, a fresh wind ready to bring Emma back to her owner for the rush hour through Glasgow. We drove back to Kendal and had plenty of time left for Mike to clean her up and check her before she went on an adventure again. This trip has probably been one of the best to date and we will both be back to take Emma to another adventure … probably the next time in the summer!
I would like to thank Quirky Campers for sorting this trip and I want to thank Mike for such a fast and hassle-free transfer when we picked up the van and dropped it! Brilliant service.
The entry Emma Emma around Skye appeared for the first time at Quirky Campers.