For the longest time Sabrina has wanted to visit Skye, and now thanks to our B&B hosts in beautiful Badachro, we know how to get there the romantic, old-fashioned way by boat, rather than across the soulless bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh. The original crossing at Glenelg at the narrowest point between island and mainland is where Bonnie Prince Charlie once escaped the clutches of the English by famously taking a row boat disguised as an Irish maidservant. The crossing still runs today, and better yet we can make the trip with the car on the ‘Glenachulish’ turntable ferry, the last of her kind operating anywhere in the world.
The morning is more than vile with dark clouds and drizzle, so we don’t have to wait long for our turn on the diminutive craft. Once again though, the weather and road trip gods both seem to be on our side as the sun peeps through just as we are heading up the boat ramp on the island side and after a brief detour to view the picturesque ruins of Clan Donald’s former seat Armadale Castle, we decide to begin our explorations with the magnificent loop from Ardvasar on the south coast where our B&B is located, through the crofting village of Tarskavaig with its views of the isles of Eigg, Rhum and Canna bayside and inland to the dramatic serrated silhouette of the Cuillin mountain range- both bathed in soft late afternoon light.
We are out early the next morning, (well as early as an enormous breakfast and an extremely talkative host will allow). We’ve been chatting away about his young daughters, who are being taught at the local school exclusively in Gaelic, and I am taken to task for my mispronunciation of the word. “We are not Irish!” he grumps. Ironically, he is an English transplant and I’m the one with some Scottish roots, but there is nothing like the zeal of the converted.
Our goal today is to circumnavigate the island, so heading up the east coast past The Old Man of Storr to the Trotternish Peninsular its most northerly point, we make the clifftop hike to the ruins of Duntulm castle, former seat of the chiefs of Clan MacDonald of Sleat, which stand dramatically on a basalt promontory above a boiling sea. Over coffee at the little port of Uig, where yet more ferries crisscross The Minch to the Isles of Lewis and North Uist, Sabrina and I start to plan a future island hopping adventure, and if the suitcase had been in the car we might have begun it there and then.
Our next stop is simultaneously the oldest continuously inhabited dwelling in the British Isles (the seat of Clan Macleod for the last eight centuries) and the largest pebble dash building I have ever seen. Dunvegan Castle sits imposingly in a gorgeous setting on its own loch and like The Castle of Mey outside Thurso, which we loved so much, is a working family estate that happens to welcome paying visitors.
Heading further south first towards and then around the Cuillin, which contains eleven ‘Munros’ (mountain peaks 3000 feet and higher which are obsessively ticked off by ‘Munro baggers’) and a further 16 summits, giving it a sawtooth-like profile, we find a seafood restaurant worthy of that view for an early supper. Sabrina knew immediately that we had to grab the very last table at The Claymore in Broadford, as it was full of Chinese (a sure sign of superlative seafood). Then just when we thought things couldn’t get any better, we had the sunset to end all sunsets.
Grilled Lobster, langoustines, scallops, oysters and mussels
Preparation:
Before you throw a lobster tail or some shrimp on the grill, here's what to do to get ready. Do everything you can to find the freshest shellfish possible. Before grilling, rinse the shellfish under cold water and pat dry.
When grilling shellfish, a preheated grill is less for grill marks and more for ensuring the raw fish is entering an appropriately hot environment for even cooking. Run your grill on high heat for at least 15 minutes before dialing in the needed cook temperature.
All you need for grilling shellfish are a pair of heavy-duty grill tongs, heat-resistant gloves, a reliable timer, and an instant-read thermometer. You might also consider a perforated grill pan, cast-iron skillet, or skewers.
A grill pan is handy for smaller items, like shrimp and mussels. Just remember when using a grill pan to preheat it with the grill.
Skewers are perfect for shrimp and scallops. Skewering smaller pieces together makes less work for you by having fewer items to touch on the grill.
Lobster tail and langoustines should be grilled over direct medium heat (350º to 450º F), but clams, scallops, and shrimp require cooking over direct high heat (450º to 550º F).
Do not overcook them. While true with most anything, this is especially true with shellfish. Shellfish cook very quickly. The window from delicious to rubbery is short. Attentiveness to cook times and a well-managed fire are keys to success.
Shellfish are always grilled over direct heat. I usually insist on setting up a two-zone fire, but this is one example where it’s not completely necessary. If you do happen to create a flareup, just move the shellfish to another direct spot.
Grilling the shrimp:
Peel and devein the shrimp and put them on skewers. Brush the shrimp with olive oil and season with kosher salt and freshly cracked black pepper.
Grill on direct high heat (450º to 550º F) for 2 to 4 minutes, flipping once. The shrimp are done when their fish turns opaque.
We are leaving the island this morning for the mainland- once again by sea, but this time across the Sound of Sleat to Mallaig. It’s a lovely day for it and as we cross we can see Britain’s last piece of true wilderness, the Knoydart Peninsular to the east and the isles of Rhum & Eigg to the west (future island hopping destinations for that trip we’ve started to plan). There’s a lovely moment just as we are docking, when a wave sets off all the car alarms on board simultaneously and as we disembark I begin to wonder how I might persuade Sabrina to consider the two day wilderness hike into the Knoydart from Kinloughhorn, overnighting in a Bothy. It’s a highly unlikely prospect, but you’ll be the first to know if I succeed!
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This lovely article brought back happy memories of a two-week trip to Skye exactly 30 years ago. Highlight for us was a fabulous meal in the Three Chimneys restaurant, plus Dunvegan Castle. But my goodness it rained. How it rained.
Wow, I should have looked a lot more closely when we drove the length of Skye. Stunning views but I think good food was more difficult to find in the mid eighties when b&b meant nylon sheets, instant coffee and a burnt breakfast. With your prompt I shall venture to Scotland again!