A contemplative walk on the Isle of Skye, Scotland

There’s something about Scotland that conjures the smell of woad paint, images of longships, myth birthing mists, and unrelenting stone. From Masonic rites, the crown, to nukes, everything about the country says bring it on.

In this post, I’m covering my travels on the Isle of Skye. Well, to be more specific I’m covering the Aird of Sleat on the Isle of Skye. The place has a particular hardness to it that provokes the feeling of a beauty born of unrelenting landscapes.

When my mom and I were hiking near the coast I continued to find myself wondering how it was people survived here in an age before modern conveniences. When the wind howled it meant business. Yet even on days when we were in poor conditions, you would find yourself almost ignoring everything and trying to take in the stunning landscapes around you. It was akin to when one's eyes are too big for the stomach... but in this case, it was the place that may have been too big for the soul.

The coastline is dotted by sandy beaches and seaweed covered rocks that almost make you forget you're in Scotland. Because of the location, the sand is almost a colour that you expect to find in the Mediterranean, or perhaps the Caribbean. With little imagination, one could easily envision what it must have been like to see Viking longships on the shore.

I often wonder about the time when men would come to these islands for religious solitude. Did they arrive here with that goal in mind? Or was it the natural beauty of the location that would provoke them to spiritual contemplation? The area certainly has refused to let go of its spirit. It’s one of the only locations in Scotland that has a college that teaches in strictly Gaelic, and most of the population on the island speak Gaelic over English. It’s easy to see that if Scotland is ever threatened with a corruption of its identity that this place holds the potential to remain unchanged. No matter the event.

By the time we left, I found myself profoundly sad to go. I hate returning to the normal world after going away, but this time it was particularly saddening. I love the natural world, so leaving it is always a bit of a head screwing experience. I guess it’s the readapting to normal stuff again. However, I know I will be back, so I guess it’s a small comfort.

Well, that’s it for now. I have found that pictures of my travels are great to share, but the best way to share my journey was to try and articulate what thoughts and feelings the place I was in provoked. The Isle of Skye is one of those places that will do that. I guess that’s part of its magic.

Thanks for reading guys. I will be doing more posts in the future from our next family trip. I’m still getting the hang of the whole travel feed dapp, so any pointers or advice is always welcome. Best of luck with your posts, and looking forward to reading them.

Picture Credits:

All images are my own

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