It is a 30-35 minute drive to Broadford where we find our nearest small Co-op supermarket. The journey starts on a single track twisting road over Lewisian Gneiss and Torridian outcrops before moving on to far newer rock which has not yet been folded and twisted through time. For many the thought of such a journey to get anywhere would fill them with dread but it is rare that I drive the road and do not find something to catch my eye, whether raptors in the sky, red and roe deer on the moorland or otters and herons in the water. This photo blog was taken on a necessary trip on Friday last which allowed me a few moments with a camera around the black lochans, a series of shallow bodies of water found on the moorland. It was only a short excursion and with light snow underfoot I set off with a chill Northerly wind but sun and blue sky overhead. I returned in almost darkness (09:30 in the morning) as a front of dark foreboding cloud came from the North East shortly followed by heavy snowfall.
In the distance to the left is Blaven with her rugged slopes still in sunshine whilst the Red Hills behind Broadford are in shadow as is the moorland in the foreground. Only a light covering of snow at the lower levels as Skye benefits from the North Atlantic drift and gets far less snow than the mainland.
Looking back South towards Aird where I live. The old road is in the foreground when all 20 miles were single track. This view gives a good idea of the open heather clad moorland with its shallow lochans which is regularly scoured by Westerly winds. Beyond the moorland there are fertile rolling hills which gives the Sleat Pennisular its moniker - 'The Garden of Skye'.
Three views of one of the 'Black Lochans'. The small islands they contain are covered with birch trees kept low to the ground by the winds but able to establish themselves away from the deer who, despite being good swimmers, seem to refain from crossing to the islands. The final image shows the impending snow which prompted a swifter than planned return to the car.
And below a final image taken during a heavy snow fall with just the faintest glimpse of the earlier bright sun still in view to the South.
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