#4: Bay of Saviskaill, Rousay

Posted on September 18, 2018 by Rhi Bowen

Under glass: a perfect chaos of random brightly coloured objects that, eyes blurred, could be anything. A junk shop, and Aladdin’s Cave of small treasures and tat and trinkets. Red feather boas and precious vases and china plates, jewelled brooches and draped finery like silk scarves. The occasional gold watch, with pearlescent face and little hands intricately ticking away.

Whole pieces at the centre, gradually fading into fragments and sun-bleached oddities at the edges. The bargain bin of rock pools.

On the island of Rousay (often referred to as the Egypt of the North by archaeologists due to the huge amount of important discoveries made there considering its small size) is a bay shielded by the curve of the land. Saviskaill Bay is a popular site for seals (they can often be seen lounging on the rocks further out- there were quite a few while we were there; you can just about spot some in the distance below!)

Rousay is a slightly odd-shaped island- the whole thing leads up to a huge, long hill in the centre, with an almost terraced appearance, as if it’s been sculpted that way. The island is dotted with derelict farmhouses left over from the clearances (Rousay was the only one of the Orkney Islands affected by the clearances, due to the laird of the island). There are tens of cairns (tombs) to be explored, including Midhowe Cairn, a huge tomb now protected from the elements due to its importance. Next to it is Midhowe Broch, the remains of a settlement, which is fascinating to look around (there were also a pair of fulmars nesting there!).

There are rockpools full of otherworldly-looking anemones, gulls swooping low over the ocean, and tonnes of fulmars nesting in the low cliffs behind the beach. The sea surrounding Orkney is so clear it’s easy to see large bodies of seaweed as well as white sand, through the water.

There’s only one road on Rousay, which loops around the central hill of the island, leading from the ferry terminal all the way around, with beautiful views of the other islands. A lot of the cairns are located just off this road; we ended up doing a cairn crawl. Also accessible from Rousay are its tiny satellite islands, Egilsay and Wyre (by ferry) and Eynhallow (by chartered boat).

Saviskaill Bay is a gorgeous beach to explore rock pools, paddle, find lucky groatie buckies (otherwise known as cowrie shells) and spot seals and sometimes even occasionally otters!

Writing this has made me miss Orkney’s beauty and fresh air- I can’t wait to go back!

Rhi xx

#3: Rackwick Beach

Posted on August 3, 2018 by Rhi Bowen

All these rocks- marble pink and black fungus growing, greyish purple streaked with shell pink and moss green and rust and peach all swirled together. Speckled pickled grey-pink like flesh, and great black hunks of moon rock. There are streaks, stripes, scars, speckles. Each rock has its own human level of individuality. Shapes, sizes, cracks, jagged edges and soft, salt-smoothed curves. The water has made gorges and riverbeds in some, craters and tracks in others. Damaged to the point of unique-ness.

One headland is a human face upturned to the sun and moon, another the head of a snake. Another still is a shoe on the end of an outstretched leg. From the corner of your eye, some rocks are so intricately marked that the crevices appear as letters, runes. Written rocks. Some have smashed and been haphazardly superglued back together, some have been smoothed into perfect spheres of one colour or with a consistent ombre. Some have shelves or caves or holes right through- said to be lucky. For the person who picks it up, maybe, but who wants a hole right through them?

Sometimes a beach is full of smooth pastel bonbons; others have all the planets- Jupiter’s red eye and caramel streaks, Neptune’s blue gloom, Saturn’s mystical rings…

Rackwick Beach is probably my favourite place I’ve visited in the Orkney Islands. Situated just round the headland from the Old Man of Hoy, it’s absoutely magical in the sunshine, and still dramatic and striking in a storm (although, having never been there in the winter, I’m sure it can be pretty terrifying in the really bad weather!) The rocks on the beach are huge smooth rounded boulders at the back, eventually turning to a fine pale sand nearer the sea. Streams run from between the rocks (ideal for paddling!) and the beach itself is nestled between two prominent headlands, giving it some shelter from the open ocean. From certain angles on the beach, on a very clear day, the Old Man can even be seen.

It’s not only facing the ocean that the beach has a striking beauty- the scenery behind it is just as jawdropping! The tiny village of Rackwick is spread across the valley between the beach and the hills behind. Isolated from the larger settlements of Lyness and Longhope on the south end of the island by a road which winds through the hills where there have recently been sightings of a pair of white-tailed sea eagles, Rackwick is also a common place to spot birds of prey.

The village is a popular site for backpackers, and has a hostel housed in the old schoolhouse, where a lot of climbers planning to scale the Old Man, or people planning to hike up to St John’s Head further around the headland, tend to stay. All of the houses in Rackwick are low, long stone cottages, set into the hillsides and built with corrugated roofs to protect from the weather. Many of these are holiday lets, nowadays; the already small population of Rackwick has declined much further over the last century. One of these cottages is used as a bothy; it’s just behind the barrier of boulders that has formed at the back of the beach.

It’s pretty impossible to describe the atmosphere of Rackwick; the weather can change in a split second, mist rolling in from the hills or the sea even on a bright, sunny day; a storm approaching fast from any direction. In one direction the sun will be shining, in another the hills will be shrouded in thick swirling mist. It’s a beautiful place, and I’m not really sure any words or photos can truly do it justice.

Rhi xx

A (Very) Brief Introduction to the Orkney Islands… #1: The Ring Of Brodgar

Posted on July 9, 2018July 9, 2018 by Rhi Bowen

Hi again! I’ve just gotten back from holiday in the Orkney Islands above the top of Scotland; so over the next few weeks, I’m going to post about some of my favourite places and walks in these gorgeous islands.

Orkney is home to an incredibly diverse array of flora and fauna, including puffins, the rare primula scotica flower which only exists in specific areas of Scotland, as well as, currently, a pair of white-tailed sea eagles on the island of Hoy (one of the largest breeds of eagle in the world, often likened to a “flying barn door”!). It’s also home to what I reckon is some of the most beautiful coastline scenery in the UK, as well as some of the most important evidence of neolithic life; there are plenty of chambered cairns to explore plus larger archaeological sites like the well-known Skara Brae, a neolithic village; and the Ring of Brodgar, a stone circle, the area beside which is currently being excavated due to more discoveries (which I’ll talk about more in a sec!). I have a lot to say about it as a community, too- but I figure I’ll focus on specific parts, and let these and the photos do the talking!

While I was there I kept an observational diary of my surroundings, so I’ll include a couple of my favourite descriptions from that in my posts too.

#1: The Ring Of Brodgar

“There are a million (and have been a million more) different sunsets. They paint the sky and the landscape a multitude of searingly bright colours that you would previously only have assigned to very specific and man-made things; although, you realise, man must’ve gotten the idea from somewhere. There has been, on the third or fourth night here, a display of day-glo raspberry and peach and tangerine, cobalt blue still lingering high above to begin with until the warm, bright colours begin to soak that up and seep into the blue. Tonight, the last, it’s apricot, and turkish delight- framed by parma violet clouds floating closer and closer to the sun on a fast wind, as moths drawn to a lightbulb. The sun sinks below a low, distant hill, and egg-yolk yellow and white-gold add their own particular hues to the slowly developing mixture. The colours change continuously; imperceptible if you keep looking, but easy to document if, say, you keep darting your eyes away to scribble words on paper. The turkish delight deepens to coral; begins to follow the sun down the plughole.”

One of the most popular sites to visit on the island due to its historical and archaeological value, the Ring of Brodgar is a circle of imposing standing stones, dating from the 3rd millenium BC. The stones cut jagged, dramatic shapes against the low, rolling skyline, set amongst heather and surrounded on three sides by the Loch of Stenness. There’s something very peaceful about the stones- they’ve been there for thousands of years, being slowly worn by the harsh winter weather; changing almost imperceptibly. Here, as well as many other places on the islands, has inspired the designs of a lot of beautiful local art and jewellery.

We visited towards the end of the evening, after the coach loads had departed. It’s a beautiful spot to watch one of Orkney’s famous sunsets from- and just for the record, the second photograph above demonstrates pretty much the darkest it gets in Orkney during the summer months. I walked around the circle and sketched the shape of each of the stones; studying them, it’s as if they each have their own personality, worn in over the centuries.

Eastbridge to Minsmere Nature Reserve, Suffolk

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Rhi Bowen

Hi again! Over the bank holiday I went back to my home county of Suffolk to get some fresh air and enjoy the sun. While I was back, my parents took me on one of their favourite walks on the Suffolk coast (and now it’s one of my favourites too, not least because it starts with a great pub, the Eel’s Foot, in the village of Eastbridge 🙂 ). Coming out of the Eel’s Foot, you walk left, up the road out of the village, until you see a track on the left with a “public footpath” sign. Keep following this track for some perfect examples of Suffolk’s vast, wide-open scenery.

Eventually the track leads out to the sea, but before this you get to appreciate the feeling of immense space around here- Suffolk is very flat but doesn’t feel bleak to me, because everything’s so lush and green!

Further up the track there’s also the opportunity to take a little detour to see the ruins of St Mary’s Chapel, which also acted at one time as a disguise for the WWII pill box concealed inside. In the same field as the Chapel’s ruins, there are also Highland cattle, and, at the time we visited, Konik ponies! This ancient Polish breed has been released into the area around Minsmere as their grazing habits help maintain the wetland environment. They have a pretty large area to roam around, so they can be pretty difficult to spot.

In the distance behind the ruins, you can see the sand dunes that mark the beginning of the beach. A little further down the coast is the village of Dunwich, formerly a large port in the 1500s- now just a small collection of houses, a pub and part of a graveyard which is in the process of falling over the edge of the gradually eroding cliffs. Bones from the graveyard, as well as furniture from houses that have toppled over the edge over the years, have been found washed up on the beach. Erosion happens at an alarmingly fast rate along the coastline here- the area around Dunwich is now falling into the sea at a rate of 1m per year.

Once you’ve reached the beach, you can go back on yourself and go through the gate next to the one the track led up to- this takes you into the Minsmere Nature Reserve, home to hundreds of species of flora and fauna, and one of the best wetland nature reserves in the country. There are bird hides and easily accessible footpaths all around the reserve’s 2500 acres. You can follow these footpaths through the reserve to make this walk a circular. Owned and maintained by the RSPB, it’s great for birdwatchers and wildlife enthusiasts as well as just keen walkers. I’ll be back to talk more about Minsmere, and other great days out in Suffolk, in more detail at some point over the summer!

Rhi xx

A Brief Interlude: Dunwich Forest (Suffolk)

Posted on July 31, 2017July 31, 2017 by Rhi Bowen

Hey again!

As I’ve been at my parents’ house in north Suffolk this week, I thought I’d go off-course and take advantage of some of the beautiful countryside I grew up around, and talk a bit about the history of it. One of my favourite places ever is Dunwich Forest (and Dunwich itself, due to the slightly spooky story behind the place). Me and mum went for a lovely walk through it.

Dunwich used to be (a very very long time ago) one of the biggest port cities in the UK- until it started slipping into the sea. As early as the 11th century, the city started to fall into the sea. By the 17th century it was a quarter of its original size. In the early 1900s, All Saints church went over the cliff, and today the final gravestone from the churchyard is at the edge.

Various objects and relics have washed up on Dunwich’s shore (among them have been a piano, a wardrobe and human skulls from the old graveyard).

The village still has the ruins of Greyfriars Abbey; although they’re getting perilously close to the edge now too.

As I say, my favourite part is the forest. It’s mainly coniferous woodland, and is currently undergoing “rewilding”; trying to re-establish elements of the environment that have declined. This has previously involved bringing konik and exmoor ponies in to keep the undergrowth under control (sadly we didn’t see any this time so no pictures…).

The part of the forest me & mum walked through was also full of dens… (the one below was probably the most impressive!)

I’ve always found Dunwich Forest to be super atmospheric and a bit spooky… at some point I very much want to come and get lost in the forest with a notebook and just write all day!

Later this week I’ll be back exploring Southeast London’s wild areas (although there’ll definitely be more Suffolk stuff to come in future… watch this space! :3 )

Rhi x

Testing Out Rab’s Microlight Alpine Jacket

Posted on October 20, 2016October 25, 2016 by Dee Dee

This season we were stoked to add Rab to our brand list at the Palace. Rab Carrington founded the brand in 1980s Sheffield – which is a place close to our hearts. My partner and Palace co-founder, Ian, was born in Sheffield, we both went to university there, and I’m a Yorkshire lass too.

Rab Carrington originally hailed from Glasgow, but his growing climbing passion eventually inspired a move to the relatively drier climes of Sheffield, where he joined in the healthy mountaineering scene based there at the time. He started off sewing sleeping bags in his attic, and then opened a factory in Sheffield.

Mark Wilson, one of Rab’s first employee’s cutting fabric in 1980s Sheffield.

The Microlight Alpine Jacket is one of Rab’s signature pieces, so naturally we had to have it in our collection. It seemed fitting to take it up to Rab Carrington’s Scottish roots to test it out – on a hillwalking trip to Corrour in the Highlands.

The Microlight is not only a great technical jacket, we think it looks pretty damn sweet too.

We were booked in the seats on the sleeper train (no comfy cabin this time), and the Microlight immediately came into its own – as a handy travel pillow! It packs into its own stuff sack – which makes it the perfect shape on which to rest a weary head.

Once in Corrour, the Microlight formed an essential part of Ian’s Munro bagging kit. Setting off for the summits, it was wet but fairly mild, so he started out just wearing a shell and Rab Merino Baselayer. The Microlight stayed packed in its stuff sack, and took up barely any space in his daypack. However as we neared the peaks and were exposed to the biting Highland wind, out came the Microlight. We like to hang out on the mountain tops – picnicking, taking photos and generally soaking up the mind-blowing views. The Microlight made the perfect insulating mid-layer, and he felt totally snug even when stationary for a while.

Soaking up the mind-blowing views

Rab are famous for their quality down, it’s in their heritage – hence the feathers in their logo. The Microlight is filled with Rab’s special Hydrophobic Goose Down. Hydrophobic down dries faster, absorbs less water and retain its ‘loft’ – the fluffiness which is what makes it warm and cosy!

Rab Carrington and the early Rab logo with iconic feather

The outer fabric is Pertex, which is both breathable and windproof – a feature Ian was certainly glad of on this trip. The Microlight is weather-resistant but not waterproof, so as it was pouring down on our mountain days, he wore it under his waterproof shell.

On the last day we did some lower ground exploring, and it was dryer with just a few light showers. It felt colder without the hilly exertion, and the Microlight over the Merino base layer was a winning combo. He didn’t wear a shell and the Microlight stood up to the occasional light rain. Even the hood is down-filled which really does make it feel like you’re under your duvet, whilst enjoying the great outdoors!

On the bridge behind Corrour Station – made famous in Trainspotting.

Rab Corrour

Walking along the train tracks at Corrour Summit.

Whether you’re braving the wilds of Scotland or Shoreditch this winter, Rab’s Microlight Alpine Jacket is an essential piece of kit!

Ethics

Rab’s Hydrophobic Down is Fluorocarbon free and developed in conjunction with Nikwax. Fluorocarbons are often used to make garments water repellent but they are toxic to humans and the environment. Nikwax and Rab have developed a safe alternative.

All Rab’s down is ethically sourced and traceable under the European Down and Feather Association Code of Conduct, this stipulates that no down harvested in a way that inflicts pain upon animals may be used.

The Night Riviera to Cornwall

Posted on July 30, 2015October 21, 2016 by Robin Hill

The Night Riviera Sleeper Train to Cornwall departs Paddington just before midnight and arrives in Truro at 7am the next morning – ideal for a long weekend of camping and surfing.

Once aboard the train we headed to the Dining Car for our complimentary tea and coffee, before bedding down in our cabin bunks. Our sleeper carriage attendant Jamie woke us with croissants and coffee at 6:30am.

We picked up our rental car and made a beeline for Watergate Bay, where the Watergate Bay Hotel offers coffee and a fantastic view of the crashing surf from their wicker furnished terrace. Watching one lone surfer on the waves, we decided to take some of the action, hiring boards from the friendly team at Extreme Academy right on the beach.

Post surf the tide had dropped significantly and exposed Watergate Bay’s massive sandy expanse, we spent what remained of the morning lounging on rocks and browsing pools for crabs before heading south. In Perranporth we found the Willow Bistro and shared voluminous bowls of salad, and mind altering mackerel.

Alena exploring Watergate Bay wrapped in her Pendleton Jacquard Beach Towel

We set up camp at the fantastically located Beacon Cottage Farm Holidays, where our pitch was just right for the Poler Stuff Two Man Tent, the little car and a Primus-fuelled kitchen set up. Poler’s tents go up quick and easy and before long we were searching for a pub.

robin-poler-tent

Beacon Cottage Farm is hidden from the village of St Agnes by Beacon Hill, a high point of heather and gorse from which a lookout sent warning signals to nearby towns during the Napoleonic wars. Forty minutes of skirting the hill by foot leads to the village centre where the St Agnes Hotel and a myriad of other pubs serve booze and food. On our way back to the campsite we admired the sun as it faded over the Atlantic from Beacon Hill’s peak.

On Friday we woke to the sound of rain on canvas – one of the simple joys of camping in the UK. We made coffee in fog and drizzle, utilising the tent’s porch for shelter.

The shape of the Cornish peninsula produces several odd climatological phenomena and when the north coast is shrouded in clouds and mist, the south is often basking in the sun and vice versa. Bearing this in mind we left St Agnes behind and headed for Falmouth in search of sunshine and pasties.

We found not only the finest pasties in all of Kernow at Oggy Oggy on the High Street, but also, nestled in the woodland below Pendennis Castle, an excellent rope swing. After fish and chips and beer out the front of The Chain Locker, we headed back to our misty north coast encampment.

I’ve never heard of sea trout before but I’m glad the fishmonger recommended it to us. Fried over the the Primus Miner Stove with garlic, red onion and button mushrooms it made a killer topping for tagliatelle, similar to salmon but with added juice and oils.

08950004 Cooking up some Sea Trout Tagliatelle with the Primus Mimer Stove Kit

On Saturday we woke to similarly wet and hazy weather and decided it would provide the perfect atmosphere for exploring the coast path as it flanks Beacon Cottage. In the murk we discovered the remains of old tin mines and the tiny picturesque cove of Chapel Porth.

Twenty minutes drive west along the south coast leads to Godrevy, a National Trust outpost on the far side of St Ives bay, where dunes and heathland back a massive expanse of sandy beach. Adding to our experience of odd Cornish weather events, unlike the St Agnes and Chapel Porth, Godrevy and Gwithian were enjoying a glorious early summer’s day.

The view from Godrevy across Gwithian Beach and St Ives Bay

Small but clean peeling waves broke uniformly on the mid tide, and we hired boards from the excellent Shore Surf School and had a really fun few hours, scoring plenty of fun but short rides. It had been over 15 years since I’d surfed in Cornwall and had completely forgotten the clear crystal water sparkled such intense turquoise in the sun. Post surf we had local ice cream from the Godrevy Beach Café, huddled together in my Pendleton massive beach towel.

That evening, zonked from spending the day in the sun we decided to forgo our camp stove cooking escapades and seek sustenance elsewhere, choosing the window stools of The Cornish Pizza Company, perfectly filling and nutritious after a day surfing and exploring in the sun. After a pint at the rickety wonky little Railway Inn, we wandered back to the tent in the darkness.

Half an hour down the coast from St Agnes lies the bustling little tourist metropole of St Ives, which seemed like the perfect place to spend Sunday. Our main motive for visiting was Tate St Ives and their Images Moving Out Onto Space exhibition, with work from Bridget Riley, Dan Flavin and amongst others my favourites John Divola and Bryan Winter, both of whom had their work installed in the curved gallery where a massive circular window looks out onto the mist clouded Porthmeor Beach, making it an epic but peaceful space.

Looking out over Porthmeor Beach from the window of Tate St Ives‘ curved gallery

We ate some super tasty chowder the Beach Comber Cafe and left St Ives to explore some of the villages and coastal paths further down the peninsula, finding a mystical landscape around Zennor.

Keeping warm and dry with Patagonia Torrentshells in the mists of Zennor’s coastal path

Resigned to the fact our trip was coming to end, we headed to Truro Tandoori for a feast before we climbed back aboard the Night Riviera back to Paddington.

Hiking Sgurr na Stri in Skye

Posted on June 6, 2015August 21, 2018 by Dee Dee

Our last hike in Skye was Sgurr na Stri. Dwarfed by the surrounding Cuillin, Sgurr na Stri is only 494 metres high – a Marilyn rather than a Munro. Despite this, it is widely considered to be one of Britain’s finest viewpoints, and deservedly so.

You can hike in from Sligachan or Elgol, or get a boat from Elgol. We opted for the latter because we had to catch the sleeper train from Fort William that evening. We headed out on the early morning rib with Bella Jane Boat Trips.

Our companions on the rib who jumped off the boat onto slippery rocks at Eilean Ramhair, and were heading up to do the notoriously difficult Cuillin Ridge Traverse.

stepping stones skye
Crossing the stepping stones by Loch Coruisk

Time was tight, so we followed the directions of our boat captain for the fastest route: “Head straight up from the loch, hook a right at the lochan.” We crossed the stepping-stones from Loch Coruisk and straight up to the peak, which is a bit of a scramble at times, and the path disappears pretty quickly once you leave the loch shore.

Sgurr na Stri
Hooking a right at the lochan

This route cuts the corner, but there is a longer, clearer path if you continue up from the lochan and join the path from Sligachan. This is more straightforward, except the final part to the summit which is rocky and requires careful route-finding whichever way you approach it. If you get the boat, whatever route you take, you’ll have to cross the stepping stones and you’re going to get wet feet if the water’s high.

sgurr na stri view
View from Sgurr na Stri, including the Cuillin Ridge, Loch Coruisk and the sea crossing

dee sgurr na sgtri Me, very excited to be at the peak!

seals from the rig
Seals and shags from the rib on the way back to Elgol

Kit List

Fjällräven Greenland Trousers – These trousers were perfect for the boggy, wet conditions because they have a water repellent wax coating and are quick drying. The durable G1000 fabric with double knee reinforcements made them hard wearing enough for scrambling over the rocks. The pockets have room for a map, compass, knife and everything else we needed on the trail. There’s even a pocket for an axe!

Patagonia Torrentshell Jacket – This shell is super waterproof for the changeable Skye weather, but still breathable and has pit-zips for extra ventilation. It cuts out the wind, which we appreciated at the exposed peak. It packs down into its own pocket so it fitted easily into our packs when we didn’t need it. The fabric is ripstop, so again, it was good for scrambling over rocks.

Ha nwag Bergler Hiking Boots – This Alpine mountain boot was great on the rocky terrain on Skye, which is the closest we have to Alpine in the UK, and often used for Alpine training. The flexible Vibram sole makes them comfortable to walk in and the leather lining and tongue prevented rubbing. Our feet stayed dry, even going through the high water on the stepping stones (well mine did, Ian’s would’ve done if he didn’t always have to go for a paddle!)

Ordnance Survey Explorer 411 Skye – Cuillin Hills Map

Sgurr na Stri is a remote mountain, it’s important to have a map and compass and know how to use them.

Silva – Expedition 4 Compass

Getting to, and around Skye

Posted on June 6, 2015June 7, 2015 by Dee Dee

London to Skye

We took the Caledonian Sleeper Train from Euston to Fort William. It’s a great way to maximise time off work, as it leaves both London and Fort William in the evening and arrives the next morning.

It’s also one of the most beautiful railway journeys in the world. Our lovely host (every carriage has a host to look after the passengers) woke us up in the morning with tea and Scottish shortbread, to stunning views over Loch Lomond. We wanted to jump off the train at every stop we passed.

View from Caledonian Sleeper

train window

Caledonian Sleeper
Views out the train window in the morning on the way there

On the return journey we ate dinner in the Lounge Car, and sipped Scottish ale and cider, whilst we watched deer grazing by the tracks and the sun setting across Rannoch Moor, against a backdrop of snow-capped mountains.

Rannoch Moor from the Lounge car window

Fort William to Mallaig

Jamie from Fort William Car Hire met us from the train with our adventure mobile (a VW transporter that he’d converted himself to a camper van). It’s a brilliant service and he’ll meet you before you board the train back to collect your vehicle again, we can’t recommend him enough.

We took the spectacular Road to the Isles, which would be just over an hour’s drive, but there are several stop offs worth making.

First stop was Glenfinnan to see the Glenfinnan Monument and learn about Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobite Risings. You can also see the Glenfinnan Viaduct from here – made famous in the Harry Potter films.

The Glenfinnan Monument

Then the Glenfinnan Station Museum with its restored 1950s Dining and Sleeping cars. You really can dine and sleep there – the Dining Car’s a restaurant and the Sleeping Car’s a bunkhouse.

The Glenfinnan Sleeping Car

We took a detour on the old road to Arisaig. You can bypass it but it’s well worth taking the extra time to go the scenic route.

Alternatively you can take the train from Fort William to Mallaig and then get the ferry. The Jacobite Steam Train runs on this route, which passes over the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

Glenfinnan-Viaduct The Glenfinnan Viaduct

Mallaig to Skye

At Mallaig we boarded the Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry to Skye. On the way back we drove over the bridge that connects Skye to the mainland as we didn’t want to risk any delays with the boat making us miss the sleeper back.

boat
View of Skye from the Caledonian MacBrayne car ferry

Getting around Skye

Driving around Skye was a pleasure, the roads are well maintained, everything is well signposted and there are lots of free car parks. Some of the roads are very narrow which can feel hairy, but there are plenty of passing places. The main problem is keeping your eyes on the road with all the amazing scenery to distract you. If you don’t have a car you can get around by bus.

Road to Sligachan
Driving into the Cuillin Hills

The Brokedown Blog All the News from the Palace Come visit us at our store in Boxpark Shoreditch

Expeditions Further Afield

#4: Bay of Saviskaill, Rousay

#3: Rackwick Beach

A (Very) Brief Introduction to the Orkney Islands… #1: The Ring Of Brodgar

#1: The Ring Of Brodgar

Eastbridge to Minsmere Nature Reserve, Suffolk

A Brief Interlude: Dunwich Forest (Suffolk)

Testing Out Rab’s Microlight Alpine Jacket

Mark Wilson, one of Rab’s first employee’s cutting fabric in 1980s Sheffield.

The Microlight is not only a great technical jacket, we think it looks pretty damn sweet too.

Soaking up the mind-blowing views

Rab Carrington and the early Rab logo with iconic feather

On the bridge behind Corrour Station – made famous in Trainspotting.

Walking along the train tracks at Corrour Summit.

The Night Riviera to Cornwall

Hiking Sgurr na Stri in Skye

Campsites and Pubs on Skye

Getting to, and around Skye

Share this:

Share this:

#1: The Ring Of Brodgar

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Mark Wilson, one of Rab’s first employee’s cutting fabric in 1980s Sheffield.

The Microlight is not only a great technical jacket, we think it looks pretty damn sweet too.

Soaking up the mind-blowing views

Rab Carrington and the early Rab logo with iconic feather

On the bridge behind Corrour Station – made famous in Trainspotting.

Walking along the train tracks at Corrour Summit.

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: