Two walk Tuesday!

A glorious day and we've really made the most of our brief stay on Raasay today.
We first headed north and with only one road up the island that should have been easy but we got lost! Never mind but with these roads it did take us ages to get there. Just beyond Brochel Castle, an ancient Macleod seat, you come to the beginning of Calum’s Road. Another good reason for visiting Raasay and it had to be my blip for today.
You may have read the book or heard it on the radio but Calum’s story is truly amazing. The road used to end at Brochel Castle but Calum spent 10 years digging out and creating the next 1 3/4 miles of road to his home in Arnish in the 1960’s, as the council refused to do so. It’s quite a complex story and didn’t end when he finished digging. I would highly recommend reading the book if you haven’t done so. The road is a great memorial to him though there is also a memorial cairn.
We parked at the end of his road at Arnish to walk to Fladda, an island connected by a tidal causeway a little further up the west coast. Not a long walk but quite a strenuous one.
We were pleased to know that the path to Fladda was also built by Calum and his brother in the late ‘40s and early ‘50s when Calum was nearly 40. They did it over 3 winter seasons and were paid £35 for a season. The path is shored up in many places on stone built walls. No doubt this experience helped him with his later road building project.

We sat on a rock to eat our lunch over looking Fladda. (Actually after a big breakfast we just had water and some little packets of raisins I had originally bought for Eda) We had fruit when we got back to the car.
Extra - you can see three white houses on the island which are all second homes. I could count 6/7 old crofts as the island used to have a community of families.
We decided not to risk the causeway and climbed steeply up to the return route. We had great views over Skye’s east coast, in particular Storr, all the way ( you can see it behind Chris’s head)

Returning to our hotel we caught sight of a blackboard advertising snacks, it was a cabin which has apparently only been opened 3 weeks. Doing a great trade and just what’s needed. We just had coffee but most people were having ice cream in the sun. We chatted to two lots of locals who shared our outdoor table and they seemed very pleased with it. Sadly there were two Mountain rescue vehicles amongst the customers. They have been searching for a local, missing pensioner with dementia since March 31st.

With much of the afternoon left and lovely clear weather we decided on an other walk! Thank you PaulaJ for the recommendation, Chris is blaming you! We drove few miles to Fearns and walked along a lovely green path under stunning cliffs towards Hallaig. Views this time were the west coast of the mainland. Lochalsh and the Five Sisters of Kintail, the Torridon with snow still on An Tealach and before long we were opposite Applecross. An easier walk thank fully than the morning’s.
Along the path there is a memorial to the people of the township of Hallaig and all those affected by Highland Clearances. We continued to the sight of the township and there was very little left to see, just one or two mounds of covered stones but in places the crofting strips were still clear.

Very poignant and perhaps the reason why Calum was so keen to build his road to preserve his community. Sadly I think it was probably lost even when he started.

Fairly tired now but we have seen a lot of Raasay, which has its own special character and it was good to be out all day as tomorrow will be spent in the car!

(PS there is an amazing poem about Hallaig by Sorley Maclean - a local 20th century poet.)