Portree Harbour

Portree was beautiful today, bright sunshine and lots of visitors enjoying the village and the views. I wondered if they thought that the summer weather was always this good in the Hebrides!
In gaelic, Port-an-Righ, King's Port, named after James V who sailed into the harbour in 1540. I learned today that the Royal Hotel in Portree, where the Health Board have lodged me on occasion, was the place where Flora MacDonald saw Bonnie Prince Charlie safely onto a boat for the Outer Hebrides in 1746. It was MacNab's Inn in those days but still does good porage and poached haddock.
If you look on www.bbc.co.uk/highlandsandislands there are some lovely pictures of the island, a bit heavy on the bridge but some spectacular coastline too.

Big Thistle

Scotland is famous for its thistles, here's why!

Showing off

We are pleased with our garden, three years to turn it from a mudheap into an oasis! Karen is weeding, Jasper is relaxing and the Calla lilies are from my late father's garden.

Lonely Steading

Near Lochluichart this afternoon, a ruined steading. It looks as if it was once inhabited, no noisy neighbours!