The last remaining turntable ferry in the UK loads for the short crossing
to the Scottish mainland
We woke early after a good night's sleep. The weather was again cool and cloudy as we headed south but unlike yesterday it remained so all day. After a short way along the busy A87 we turned off along a hilly single track road to Kylerhea - this was more like the real Skye, winding along over high forested moorland. We visited the otter sanctuary but don't think we saw any - binoculars were required to distinguish them from seals at that distance.
We picnicked by the ferry ramp, chatted to the boatmen and loaded our bikes, accompanied by two cars, a third of the total capacity. Another motorist arrived but he'd mistaken it for the Armadale-Mallaig ferry and he'd have to pay for missing the prominent sign by the main road by having to return along the long bendy single track road all the way to the A87. Soon we were on the mainland and stopping at Glenelg Candles for coffee and cake to assist us up the relentless climb to the top of the hill. There we admired the Five Sisters panorama and dropped steeply down into Ratagan, shopping at Shiel Bridge before finding the busy hostel and cooking. The hostel is on the shore of Loch Duich which is overlooked by the Five Sisters of Kintail. All but us had driven there along the A87 which links Skye via the bridge and passes within a mile or so of the hostel. In the evening we took a short stroll to feed the midges.