I will use this page to keep a 'blog', with pictures, of the rambles for the 2014 season.
Clan Donald Centre, 16th May
by Anthony Stringfellow - 18:37 on 25 May 2013
So, where to begin. I really should have taken a pen and paper to list everyone who came on the Ramble, I am rubbish at remembering peoples names! Sorry in advance if you dont get a mention.
Present on Scooters I can remember - Nicola on the new Breeze 4, Morag on the Breeze 3, Pauline and Ishbel using the Trampers, Lucy on her own scooter and joined by a visitor, Chrissie on her 4 wheeled drive power chair (and partner Ron).
Jenny Grant was leading and paid the entrance fee (we still owe you - remind me), and if anyone else still owes the fee to give it to Jenny.
At the start I had arranged to meet up with 'Ron the holidaymaker', his partner Chrissie and dog. Also he said there were several members of his hillwalking club already in the gardens. The rain was heavy at this point so everyone else popped into the cafe for some shelter while I went home to collect Lucy's scooter. After half an hour or so the rain eased and the time came to gather at the gate.
So as for the route, we started up the main drive to the ruins of Armadale Castle, where there is a great view out across the sound of Sleat from the large lawn. Here we also got some nice pictures of the new scooters in front of the castle. There was no set route to follow so it was suggested that we go up to the old Farm buildings and along the high track from there. This takes us out of the gardens and onto some more rugged terrain, including one section in the mud with a bad camber. The scooters and Chrissie's four wheel drive chair coped very well here.
At times the sun almost broke through and banished the early morning chill. Unfortunately this is not a circular route, but at the top there is a sheltered 'meadow' with a fine outlook onto the hills of knoydart and towards Loch Hourn and beinn Scritheall. This was to be our lunch stop. There was no option but to return the same way back to the Armadale Farm building, passing some of the first bluebells of the year. There were a couple of steep descents, and the problem of the muddy section to come. At the old buildings I suggested going round by a different route, but through a deep pool of water! The scooters were fine though, and Billy Curry who was fencing at the time looked on with a bemused (or amused) look as we all filed past!
Then we seemed to split up a bit and go our own ways a little. Those on the scooters went back into the gardens again, hunting for the fabled 'curry' plant. Nicola, Morag and Pauline were found at the play area!
There is plenty of wildlife to be seen in Clan Donald during the day and at night. If we'd been there at night we may have been lucky to see some bats and very very lucky to spot a pine marten which is a species that has only recently began to make Skye its home.
We had a good look out to sea for some dolphins that had been spotted in the Sound of Sleat in the days leading up to our visit. Alas, we didn't see any but we did see and hear lots of our common garden birds and some African migrants visiting us for the summer; willow warbler, cuckoo and chiff chaff.
For those of us who were peckish on the walk up we tried some hawthorn leaves and wild garlic which can be used to make all sorts of free wild foods (pesto or soup for example). In addition to the fantastic display of cultivated garden plants there were many wild spring flowers on our route. Although late, cuckoo flower (or lady's smock) was in abundance on the verges in addition to violets, sorrel, lesser celandine and wood anemone. Larch trees were bursting with new needles and we had a look at some lung wort lichen growing on the trees. So although a lot of Clan Donald's grounds have non native beautiful plant species, we were able to find some of our own fantastic wildlife close by. - Jenny :)
And to finish some of us had a coffee in the cafe, I hope everyone had a good time and lets hope the next ramble will be just as successful.
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