Saturday was our last full day on Raasay, but there was
still so much to do! Drew took the ferry and car up to Portree to run some
errands for the wedding couple and get a better vacation haircut than he got in
either Vietnam or Costa Rica, while I did a solo hike.
Dun Caan hike
I intended to peak bag Dun Caan, the highest point on Isle
of Raasay, but I also wanted to be back by 2 pm for an activity, so I did the
abbreviated route to the base of Dun Caan. Dun Cann means hill of the bucket in
Gaelic.
Friday’s big storm and continuing showers turned the trail
into either a small stream,
or a bottomless mud pit. I had finding purchase for my feet, nevermind the bike tracks
on this extreme example of a mountain bike trail.
For most of the hike, I couldn’t see the tippy top, due not
to forest, but to topography. Near the top, I understood why. There is a ridge
before you get to the base of the mountain top. At the bottom of the ridge lies
a valley and a large lake. At the top of the ridge lies a small lake. I
repeat: the top of the ridge holds a small lake! What kind of crazy
combination of climate and geology has occurred to make a lake on the top of
the ridge?
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| Dun Caan is the flat-topped high point right of center. The large lake down in the valley left of center is Loch na Meilich. The small lake left of that is the one I am perplexed by. I'm standing at the high point south of the lake and you can see the small hill on the opposite side of the lake. That's the entire drainage basin for this ridgetop lake. |
My guess is that the granite
is nearly impermeable and there is so much rain that a shallow depression that
would probably collect soil in other regions holds a small lake here. In my rough estimate, the
drainage basin for this lake is only about 4 times the surface area of the lake. It is the most bonkers hydrology I’ve ever seen.
 |
| Topo map of the lakes and peak of Dun Caan. The small lake on top of the ridge is outlined in blue. The maximum drainage basin is outlined in red. Really crazy. |
Down below, the large and clear Loch na Meilich holds the water supply source for the community of Inverarish where we are staying. I'm not sure if Dun Caan gets its name from the shape of the peak or because the nearby lake is a "bucket" of water.
The landscape was truly stunning and I took my time trying
to capture a little bit of the atmospheric feeling.
Eventually, I had to hoof it down beside another sizable
lake and a raging creek that quickly turned into a full blown river. This river
is the size of a Utah River with hundreds of square miles of drainage basin and here it has
maybe one square mile.
My timing was just perfect to have Drew pick me up as I got
to the paved road on his way back from Portree, where he had found doughnuts.
Or at least what looked like doughnuts. They tasted a bit
more like cake, but at least now we have checked off Scotland on our "Married With
Doughnuts" list.
Van Tour
One of the owners of Raasay House schlepped us around the
island in a 9 passenger van. He pointed out natural features and told us interesting
stories about Raasay Isle history. Most of the facts can be gleaned from the
Wikipedia entry
But the addition of individuals, back stories, and the
consequences of history were fascinating.
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| The ruins of Brochel Castle on the east side of the island and a seldom occupied holiday house tucked into the cliff. |
David told us that Brochel Castle was probably not occupied as a residence but
rather as a pirate stronghold. Pirates held control of the bay and extracted tithing
from boats that sought safe harbor.
I didn't get any pictures, but we saw a red deer (they are big!) and several sea eagles.
Callums road was built by one man to connect the community
on the north side of the island with the south but by that time the population
has mostly left. The land is stony and rugged and I can’t imagine trying to live
off this land.
We saw several areas where peat had been harvested. It isn't done much anymore.
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| Peat |
Low grade iron ore was mined for the World War I war effort. The kilns and mine building ruins remain.
The workforce housing is still in use as housing for island residents and the general store.
Down time between the van tour and dinner was spent chilling and coloring in the library.
Bollywood night
For our last supper with the group, the chef prepared yummy
curry dishes. With the colonial influence of the British Empire, there are
loads of people of Indian descent in the UK and they brought with them their
cuisine.
To go with that theme, Jerda and Jeremy hosted us in full Indian
garb and provided Bollywood dancers who performed and lead us in trying our hips
and fingertips at Bollywood style dancing.
The dancing performance was great.
These two have made sure we got the whole Scottish experience and then some!
