Dunvegan Castle and Kilt Rock

Today, we drove to Dunvegan castle, where Flora McDonald and Sir Walter Scott stayed many, many years ago. The oldest parts of the castle date back to the 14th century.

The castle holds the Fairy Flag, a silk banner dating from somewhere between the 4th and 7th century, Bonnie Prince Charlie’s waistcoat, and a lock of his fine hair.

Dunvegan was closed, sadly, but looking at it from the outside was stunning. It is built of dark stone and holds a commanding presence, like something out of a Gothic story or film. We stood on the edge of the water and looked at the castle, sitting on the edge of the water to our left. I could imagine Bonnie Prince Charlie in his tiny boat with Flora McDonald, on that dark night in 1746.

As we drove along the edge of the island, we stopped and took in the sight of the cliffs near Trotternish that look like a giant kilt. These cliffs are straight up and down, and the formation of the rocks makes them look striped. The sun was hidden but we could see them clearly as the clouds began to lift. The weather is ever-changing in Skye. Just another of the island’s enchanting charms.