Читать книгу The Isle of Skye. Graded walks and scrambles throughout Skye, including the Cuillin онлайн

42 страница из 69

The history of Sleat is essentially the history of the MacDonalds, in spite of legendary claims that it was the 2nd-century Irish folk hero Cuchullin who came to Dunscaith to learn the art of war from Queen Sqathaich, and the fact that there was a time when all of Skye, including Sleat, was MacLeod territory. By 1498, Dunscaith was in MacDonald possession, and continued to be lived in until the early part of the 17th century. For the walker there is in Sleat none of the rugged grandeur found further north on the Island; indeed much of the interior of Sleat will find greater favour with those more interested in natural and social history than walking. But if the walker comes in search of solitude or peaceful havens in which to reflect for a time, there can be no better place on Skye. Most walks, however, need little description, and little more effort than to park the car and wander about the moorland expanse, or seek out a sheltered nook along the coastline.

The main road, the A851, runs south as far as Armadale, beyond which a minor road makes a valiant, if vain, attempt to probe fully to the Point of Sleat. Many visitors come to Skye, as I did, via the ferry from Mallaig to Armadale, and so gain completely the wrong first impression of Skye. But if you come onto the Island (ideally) from Glenelg to Kylerhea, or Kyleakin via the new bridge, your first taste of Skye will be much more in keeping with the overall ambience of the Island.