"No darling. I am taking your Mum to Harris"...
Booked a (feels like) lifetime ago, the kids misheard me, and assumed that I was finally taking their Mother on a 'proper' holiday.
My bad.
Not 'Paris' but 'Harris' - as in the Outer Hebrides - as in the end of the fcuking world. In the annual ritual, that requires me to replenish my soul, I needed to once again, head to the Highlands & Islands of Scotland. My long-suffering wife, had agreed to accompany me. We had also decided (mistake) to take two of the pack with us. We left the eldest ESS with family, as she is now quite frail and could not tolerate the journey.
Had I known what lay ahead, I would have stayed behind with her...
Amhuinnsidhe (pronounced "avin-suey") is a small 'village' in North Harris on the Outer Hebrides. The Castle there was built as a 'Hunting Lodge' in the 1860s and it was to there we were headed, for some fishing, shooting and hill stalking.
It is a place. It is a very remote place. If you drive past Amhuinnsidhe there is Hushinish beach (well worth a visit). Beyond that 'hic sunt dracones'.
You are pretty much at the end of the world.
It is one of the most desolate and beautiful parts of the world, it has been my privilege to have seen. You do not get to see it by 'accident', you have to put in the 'hard yards' (actually over 700 miles) to get there.
One of my wife's conditions for traveling was that we were not going to do this trip in the Landrover, and we were most certainly not going to do it in one 'hit'.
As I have grown old, I have not actually grown much wiser, but even I am now old enough to recognise that this made sense. We loaded up Mrs. S62's Volvo and pointed it North...
The plan was simple. Overnight in Carlisle. Overnight on Skye. Land on Harris - job done.
Sounds simple don't it.
Anyone check the weather forecast?
No. Me neither.
We made it to Carlisle without much drama. A decent pub off the M6. Dog friendly and next to a river. I headed to the bar...
Fed, watered and rested, we headed off the following day for Skye. The "Red weather warning" chased us all the way. I have never driven in conditions so bad. The rain was biblical.
It was touch and go, whether or not we got past Glasgow as they closed roads behind us. You were forced to drive in the centre of the carriageway as the standing water on either side, was axel high.
As we got to the junction with the A83, the Police had closed the road off. Why? The A83 was no longer there, it had been, quite literally, washed away.
Stranded drivers were rescued by helicopter.
Somehow we continued to make progress - even managing frequent stop offs to walk the dogs, much to the delight of Mrs. S62...
Only when we crossed the bridge to Skye did I start to feel that we were going to make it. It had been a long, long drive, and we were in much need of rest and refreshment. Do not worry - I had booked us into the smartest hotel on Skye, and Mrs. S62 was going to love it...
"Good evening. Just driven up in the worst weather ever, but I have a room booked for tonight, and we are catching the ferry tomorrow afternoon for Harris. The name is S62, you will see that everything is in order, I booked it myself online you know..."
"Indeed you did S62. - 8th October 2024, and today is of course 8th October 2023, and we are fully booked for tonight"
"Fcuk. Fcuk. Fcukety fcuk!"
So I was a year early for my room. Jesus H. Christ!
The chap behind the jump (John), made a phone call, and got us booked into the Uig Hotel (a stone's throw from the Ferry) and we drove the ten miles to it, in marital silence...
As it turns out, the Uig was absolutely fine, and I have no hesitation in recommending it as a place to stay if ever you find yourself on Skye.
A decent meal and a couple of beers, soon took the edge off my logistical nightmare - surely its all good from here?
The following day found me first in line for the afternoon ferry.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Surely I could relax now.
"Mr. S62. Your ticket is for two adults and four dogs".
"Yes I know. I booked it online. We only have two dogs, so I am not sure how it came out as four, but surely that is not an issue?'
"Not at all sir. The fact that you have not booked your car on the ferry is the issue".
"Fcuk. Fcuk. Fcukety fcuk!"
Mrs. S62 headed off to the ticket office and somehow squared it all away and we are allowed to board...
Memo to self. Don't book anything online ever again. Ever.
The crossing to Harris took about 90/60 and I was, (I always am) giddy with excitement at the thought of heading to a new Isle...
Having landed on Harris, we just about had enough light to drive to our venue.
It was only about twenty miles, but ten of those were "Harris miles" - single track, Highland Cattle, Sheep, sheer drops to the nearside and cliffs to the offside.
With about 30/60 to spare, our destination hove into view...dear God it was beautiful...
Point of fact.
We were not staying in the Castle but in the 'dog friendly' cottage which forms part of the Estate - but we were here.
It has taken two days, in the most atrocious weather I have ever driven in, but we are here.
Surely it's all good from here...surely...
Booked a (feels like) lifetime ago, the kids misheard me, and assumed that I was finally taking their Mother on a 'proper' holiday.
My bad.
Not 'Paris' but 'Harris' - as in the Outer Hebrides - as in the end of the fcuking world. In the annual ritual, that requires me to replenish my soul, I needed to once again, head to the Highlands & Islands of Scotland. My long-suffering wife, had agreed to accompany me. We had also decided (mistake) to take two of the pack with us. We left the eldest ESS with family, as she is now quite frail and could not tolerate the journey.
Had I known what lay ahead, I would have stayed behind with her...
Amhuinnsidhe (pronounced "avin-suey") is a small 'village' in North Harris on the Outer Hebrides. The Castle there was built as a 'Hunting Lodge' in the 1860s and it was to there we were headed, for some fishing, shooting and hill stalking.
It is a place. It is a very remote place. If you drive past Amhuinnsidhe there is Hushinish beach (well worth a visit). Beyond that 'hic sunt dracones'.
You are pretty much at the end of the world.
It is one of the most desolate and beautiful parts of the world, it has been my privilege to have seen. You do not get to see it by 'accident', you have to put in the 'hard yards' (actually over 700 miles) to get there.
One of my wife's conditions for traveling was that we were not going to do this trip in the Landrover, and we were most certainly not going to do it in one 'hit'.
As I have grown old, I have not actually grown much wiser, but even I am now old enough to recognise that this made sense. We loaded up Mrs. S62's Volvo and pointed it North...
The plan was simple. Overnight in Carlisle. Overnight on Skye. Land on Harris - job done.
Sounds simple don't it.
Anyone check the weather forecast?
No. Me neither.
We made it to Carlisle without much drama. A decent pub off the M6. Dog friendly and next to a river. I headed to the bar...
Fed, watered and rested, we headed off the following day for Skye. The "Red weather warning" chased us all the way. I have never driven in conditions so bad. The rain was biblical.
It was touch and go, whether or not we got past Glasgow as they closed roads behind us. You were forced to drive in the centre of the carriageway as the standing water on either side, was axel high.
As we got to the junction with the A83, the Police had closed the road off. Why? The A83 was no longer there, it had been, quite literally, washed away.
Stranded drivers were rescued by helicopter.
Somehow we continued to make progress - even managing frequent stop offs to walk the dogs, much to the delight of Mrs. S62...
Only when we crossed the bridge to Skye did I start to feel that we were going to make it. It had been a long, long drive, and we were in much need of rest and refreshment. Do not worry - I had booked us into the smartest hotel on Skye, and Mrs. S62 was going to love it...
"Good evening. Just driven up in the worst weather ever, but I have a room booked for tonight, and we are catching the ferry tomorrow afternoon for Harris. The name is S62, you will see that everything is in order, I booked it myself online you know..."
"Indeed you did S62. - 8th October 2024, and today is of course 8th October 2023, and we are fully booked for tonight"
"Fcuk. Fcuk. Fcukety fcuk!"
So I was a year early for my room. Jesus H. Christ!
The chap behind the jump (John), made a phone call, and got us booked into the Uig Hotel (a stone's throw from the Ferry) and we drove the ten miles to it, in marital silence...
As it turns out, the Uig was absolutely fine, and I have no hesitation in recommending it as a place to stay if ever you find yourself on Skye.
A decent meal and a couple of beers, soon took the edge off my logistical nightmare - surely its all good from here?
The following day found me first in line for the afternoon ferry.
I breathed a sigh of relief. Surely I could relax now.
"Mr. S62. Your ticket is for two adults and four dogs".
"Yes I know. I booked it online. We only have two dogs, so I am not sure how it came out as four, but surely that is not an issue?'
"Not at all sir. The fact that you have not booked your car on the ferry is the issue".
"Fcuk. Fcuk. Fcukety fcuk!"
Mrs. S62 headed off to the ticket office and somehow squared it all away and we are allowed to board...
Memo to self. Don't book anything online ever again. Ever.
The crossing to Harris took about 90/60 and I was, (I always am) giddy with excitement at the thought of heading to a new Isle...
Having landed on Harris, we just about had enough light to drive to our venue.
It was only about twenty miles, but ten of those were "Harris miles" - single track, Highland Cattle, Sheep, sheer drops to the nearside and cliffs to the offside.
With about 30/60 to spare, our destination hove into view...dear God it was beautiful...
Point of fact.
We were not staying in the Castle but in the 'dog friendly' cottage which forms part of the Estate - but we were here.
It has taken two days, in the most atrocious weather I have ever driven in, but we are here.
Surely it's all good from here...surely...
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My journey too was epic and will live in my memories for a very long time……..
