So in planning  this trip I had it in my mind that come the longest day of the year I would be on the most Northern part of the Island. Me standing on a beach or a rock just looking north. Maybe taking part in a wood fire. Well that didn’t happen. To get there or anywhere near it  would have been an ordeal, I was to leave for the south of the Island the next day so couldn’t overly exert myself. Besides, it was mostly cloudy and rainy.

But I did have a special surprise from the day. There is a great big section in the middle of the maps of Portree called The Lump. But somehow I couldn’t find my way there. – Ans when I finally did ask directions. The folks I asked had no idea what I was talking about.

Well I did find out how to get there – by finding an enchanting path on the harbor side of it. But by the time I walked around The Lump my legs were too gone to go to the top part, given what I had ahead the next day especially. So I will need to come back.

I set out for an after dinner, before going to the pub walk, following a small road behind the hostel. At the end was a stair up the cliff, then this enchanting wooded path jee-ust around the edge of the lump.

The sort of scrubby area that I could see from the hostel. I decided to investigate.

down the hill behind the
hostel

back road

across what one map called the muck

further along

someone’s yard

So I come across these stairs

half way up the stairs this is in front of me.

this is behind me

Sign at the top of the stairs. Good thing as I certainly would have done some of these things had they not mentioned not to.

Please notice how tiny and slanty the path is

To the left

To the right

you can see the area I did not get to. I actually thought of climbing up there but my concern was coming down.

the straight drop down added a bit of punch to this beautiful view.

steadying myself on the trunk

What you can’t see is the silence except for the birdsong , the smell of the pine and the very gentle breeze.

And while I was scaling this the sun peaked out a bit. So I had a quite enchanting moment on the 21st of June, 2013 in Portree Scotland.

Isle of Raasay: It  lies between Skye and the Mainland of Scotland.  Can you see that little bit of sun?

Further along: the left side of the path

The path itself. I’m quite fond of this railing

and to the right another view of the Isle of Raasay.

What was really amazing was that a person of my limited ability, with no transportation in this small town, could find an hour of nature and adventure with the only sign of humans being a few small boats.

Now I see the other side of Portree. I had taken a walk along that hill directly across few days earlier. Sorry I didn’t have my camera then. Especially when i came across the waterfall.

the path ends behind this church. They were having some type of social hour.

Post behind the church with moss on top.