13) Wander the Highland Hills

Wandering the Highland hills, it must be said, is more desolate than I thought. Although I come from a very quiet little town in the South and have travelled around a great deal, I don’t think I’ve ever actually been in the middle of nowhere. I suppose I keep using that phrase “middle of nowhere” because it’s true. Uig is a sea port but, really, there’s not much here besides a ferry dock and cottages dotting the shoreline.

Today I had every intention to roam the village and stumble upon amazing experiences, but went about it the wrong way. First, I tried to fill my time with activities: posting mail, looking up ferry times to Harris, seeing if I could paint pottery or rent a bike - I desperately sought distractions. My long morning ended with me nestled in my cozy room, listening to one of my pastor’s sermons, and looking out over the bay. It took half-a-day to get to this place of quietness. I never realized how restless I really am. Maybe I’m not an introvert after all; maybe I do need people to recharge my batteries.

Without getting too lost in post-modern mumbo-jumbo, let’s get back to the point of my time in Uig: to not only see more of Scotland but also use this time as a spiritual retreat. Pulling myself together, I realized that the landscape wouldn’t come to me, but rather I had to seek it out. About an hour, and one soup-of-the-day, later I found my way back to Fairy Glen; this time, on foot.

Climbing into the hills, I could sense civilization disappearing behind me. Then, something magical happened. I forgot about what seemed reasonable, sensible, or normal for me and simply went onwards. Before I knew it Fairy Glen, paved by gorgeous scenery, appeared before my eyes. Dutifully, I pulled out my collection of poems about the Scottish Highland and Islands, wrote in my journal, photographed, and prayed. Thick clouds began to settle across the valley and I took the sudden change as a cue to begin my descent. Scotland is so changeable, sunny one minute and rainy the next but, with all the stunning beauty, you can’t hold the bad weather against the Old Country for long.

This evening, I was pleasantly surprised by my fantastic B&B hostess. I’ve finally warmed to the idea of a true family Bed and Breakfast and really do appreciate all the care and time she devotes to her borders. After dinner, my hostess asked if I’d like to go with her on a wee car trip. “We’ll be back for 7.” She told me. Thankfully, our jaunt lasted almost three hours! We literally made a circle around the tip of the Isle of Skye, from Uig to Staffin to The Old Man of Storr to Portree and back again. No visit to Skye is complete without taking this route. The Quiraing is just breathtaking and Kilt Falls is utterly stunning. God must be an artist.

Any of my previous doubts about over-familiarity are lost in the mist. What a genuine display of Scottish hospitality. We even stopped by the house of a friend and were invited for tea at her sisters’ cottage. Just lovely! These islanders are so warm and welcoming to perfect strangers but, then again, they would be happy to tell you that you’re not a stranger anymore.