Scotland: Hike on Skye

It's funny how you don't realize until after the fact that something will be a highlight of the day, or year, or trip. That's how it was with our simple little hike behind our cottage on the Isle of Skye.

We started out one morning just to explore: the sky was gorgeous, the temperature nice, and the scenery incredible!

Here I am, glorying in a dream come true -- seeing masses of heather in the wild, in bloom!!!! This didn't just happen. I know God worked out the timing as a special gift to me after waiting for so many years to see this.

Hiking up one had just to turn around for another stunning view:

The hills were deceptive -- it seemed like a quick hike to the top and yet the "top" kept moving backward and backward as other hills popped up in between

We passed numerous ruins of old crofts.

And the boys were prepared -- do you see that plastic gun Andrew is holding?!!!

Another glance over the shoulder:

It's a purple mountain! The boys did get to the top of this, but Laura and I stayed behind.

Here's my little companion.

Oh, oh, oh, just look at that heather.....

We noticed that the heather seemed to like to grow where old rock ruins stood.

Behind the shoulders again:

In the distance we saw a horse and pony:

A view of the ancient heather up close:

The boys were always far ahead:

 We girls took our time (Rachel stayed below to do schoolwork and then she and Michael and the boys went up for a second hike later on).

Here are the brave boys:

One of my very favorite pictures of the whole trip:

And then the horse and the pony came down to see the boys:

Cute little things that seemed so tame:

Check out the size of the Shetland pony!

But then the little pony got nippy on us and we decided to hastily leave the scene.

By the time we were nearly home the fog was descending in a mad dash over the tops of the cliffs and the rain hit the roof as we got inside.

It was a most delightful journey!

We had high hopes for a second climb all together the next day but the weather took a terrible turn for the worse and there was no way to battle the high winds and pounding rain.

And that was our hike!!! But there is still so much to tell -- about bookstores and castles and Faery Glens on the island....