What do you do when it rains?
The Two Churches walk around our neighbouring village
of Dunvegan, though short, was delightful in spite of persistent precipitation.
The walk was described as, an easy walk
through woodlands and open moor with good views on the later section. A
better description would be a stroll through a well-protected, enchanted dark
forest followed by an open section exposed to the wind, rain and mist. The walk
starts at the local Duirinish parish Church of Scotland in Dunvegan and passes the
remarkably intact ruins of the 17th century St Marys Church. The
site is believed to have been home to an earlier church associated with St Columba,
the Irish monk who brought Christianity to this part of the world in the 6th
century. Our ten-year-old Gore-Tex jackets and new-to-service waterproof overpants
pass their first test. 
A more challenging walk in the rain leads us up a
rocky path beside a beautiful stream at Glenn Brittle in the shadow of the
famous Cuillin Mountains to one of Skye’s premier tourist attractions, The
Fairy Pools. The scenery is pretty special but like most hyped-up tourist spots
does not really meet expectations. We are not the only people silly enough to
be on the tourist trail in mid-winter and the clothing choices of some of our
fellow walkers is quite diverse. 
To begin the walk we negotiate a fast flowing stream
which challenges our well designed hiking boots as the water reaches our ankles.
Behind us is a party which includes a glamorous young woman wearing very
porous sheep skin Ugg boots. A local told us about another tourist who had recently
attempted to cross the same stream wearing stilettos and a mini skirt.
They say there is no such thing as bad weather
just inappropriate clothing. So far ours have passed the test. The American
poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow’s words are certainly true of Skye; ‘Into each
life some rain must fall’.
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