Monday, April 28, 2014

Isle of Skye by Foot

Over Easter weekend we went to Isle of Skye and had a wonderful time. Wow is this little island in Scotland beautiful. We hit the weather jackpot. Nothing but clear blue, sunny skies. While we drove around Isle of Skype we picked out a couple hikes. I printed information from this website to use as a guide and it worked out very well.

First up was the Fairy Pools at the foot of the Black Cuillins near Glenbrittle. This hike took us about an hour there and back. Pretty easy hike with breathtaking views!









Towards the end of the day we made our way to Neist Point. Neist Point has one of the most famous lighthouses in Scotland and is on the most westerly tip of Isle of Skype near Glendale. Driving to the lighthouse is not for the faint of heart. Thankfully I was the passenger! Getting to the lighthouse was a one track road and Adam had to reverse down hills multiple times to get out of the way of oncoming traffic. It was an adventure! The hike/walk itself is pretty short. Some people chose to hike up this cliff but we opted against it. This would be a beautiful spot to watch the sunset.
  



The following day we hiked through the Quiraing area. This was by far my favorite hike and the most challenging. This area is part of the Trotternish ridge and has been formed by massive landslips  which have created high cliffs, hidden plateaus and pinnacles of rock.  The terrain was a little challenging and probably should have had hiking boots...next time :)







We also stopped at Old Man of Storr for a hike but went the wrong way. After soaking our shoes in mud we took in the view and headed back to the car... The area at the beginning of the hike has been turned into a commercial tree farm and everything has recently been cut down. So it is extremely muddy. This hike is properly the most famous walk on the island. 'Old Man" is a large pinnacle of rock that stands high and can be seen from miles around. Lucky for us, you can see the view from the start of the hike!

Hiking in Isle of Skye was something I will never forget. If you every get the change, please go! Overall my favorite hikes were the Fairy Pools and Quiraing. All of the hikes have a car park but make sure to get there early, especially in the summer.

Wednesday, April 16, 2014

A afternoon at Hampton Court Palace

So, I am miserably failing at updating this blog...

This past Saturday, Adam and I ventured to Hampton Court Palace and had a lovely afternoon. It's about an hour southwest of central London by train.


Spring has been so beautiful in London. I can't get enough of all the tulips!








Made it through the maze!


The palace is right along the Thames.