Tags
Cemetery, Flora Macdonald, Golden Eagle, Hiking, Kilmuir, Loch, Scotland, Sea Eagle, Skye, White-tailed Eagle
Luckily there’s been small episodes of tolerant weather abnormally happening here on the Trotternish Penninsula of Skye. I’ve managed to take another hike to a nice, remote loch near the northernmost part of the penninsula. The walk up was quite boggy because of the time of the year but reaching the shores of the loch it was well worth it.
Once there I managed to spot a pair of Sea Eagles (aka white-tailed eagle) which permanently nested on the cliffs of the lake. These massive raptors were a real pleasure to watch as they performed aerial acrobatics above me. Soon to join them was a Golden Eagle. This bird is quite large also but not when comparing it next to a Sea Eagle. I believe the wingspan of the Sea Eagle is about nine feet while the the smaller Golden Eagle reaches to around seven feet…..still longer than any human I know!!!
It was a beautiful sight and being the only human around for miles made it even more special. The cliff walls provided an excellent echo which sounded amazing as it reverberated over the perfectly placid loch. Amazing feeling of oneness came over me then.
Afterwards a short drive over to see Flora Macdonald’s grave in Kilmuir was taken. She is known to the Scots as the heroine who hid Bonnie Prince Charlie from the British when they were searching for him after his defeat at Culloden. Her gravestone is the highest marker in the cemetery which overlooks the Minch, the small space of water between the Inner Hebrides and Outer.
Loch Snoesdal, strange name but beautiful lake
The cliffs from where the eagles flew above
- Flora Macdonald’s final resting place
