Thursday 07/10/04

The weather today is very unpleasant, so I go on a shopping trip to Portree. MNy boots need to be replaced, they have been letting in water no end. A mapcase would come in handy too, as would (perhaps) new waterproof trousers. Arrive into Portree at 11 a.m. and start off ina noutdoor shop. No fitting boots here, although I can finally start to use a mapcase rather than a Morrisons shopping bag. Try Jansport, on the other side of Somerled Square, for an honest attempt at boot buying, but still no joy., The library has restricted opening hours. As it's 12.30, I nip into the restaurant opposite the library for lunch. Can't say I'm impressed. Slow, disinterested service, food bland - avoid. At 1 pm, I head off for a tourist trail run around Trotternish. My Skye Rover, £5, allows me free travel all over the island all day, so off I go. Past the Old Man of Storr, after a balancing act along the shores of Loch Fada and Loch Leathan. The Storr is 719m high. Proceed north, right up to Staffin, where the little road across the Quiraing goes west. At Floddigarry, two hostellers alight for the hostel down the road. The remarkable tablelands of Trotternish rear up to the left. Pass the Duntulm Hotel, where I was in mid-August. A radiotransmitter stands on a hill above the road. This continues high above the sea, perched precariously on a cliff. A man joins the bus here, telling all who want to hear that he will be working on the Calmac ferries this weekend. Past Flora MacDonald's monument and south towards Idrigill and Uig. On arrival there, the driver picks up a paper in the piershop. At Portree, half an hour later, I join the Kyleakin bus. Although the weather is dry now, it's looking very dreich on the return to Broadford and Kyleakin.