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Isle of Skye, UK: August 14, 2015
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One night while staying at the Culloden House, my sister expressed that she was worried about the drive in the Isle of Skye, given the even narrower roads and sketchy GPS signals. We researched online and found a tour guide by the name of Skye Island Tours. I quickly sent him an email with the date we wanted to tour and the sites we wanted to see. A man named Gus responded and said that he could take us to all of those sites and a couple from the states would be joining us.
Flash forward to a few days later, and Gus arrived promptly at our hotel at 9:00 am. We were the first in the car and drove to pick up a couple and one last lone traveler that needed a ride to Portree. Our first stop was the Eilean Donan castle, which is a famous Instagram-worthy site for MANY tourists and has even been spotted in the movie Made of Honor. We spent about an hour here, exploring the castle and watching the bagpiper play his tunes for the crowds.
After that, it was off to Dunvegan Castle. We learned from Gus that the clan chief still resides in this castle, although he was not in residence at the time. 
The castle boasted beautiful gardens that were clearly well maintained. We spent another hour here before hitting the road again. Seeing the lands on the drive and hearing the history from Gus as he played Scottish music was definitely an adventure!
Portree was our next destination, where we had a little extra time to explore and grab a bite to eat. Alyssa and I quickly made our way to find a sandwich and then scouted the quaint town for the colorful buildings that Portree is known for. We didn’t have to look far….just follow the crowds! Portree was definitely worth the stop!
Back in the car we go, to explore the Trotternish peninsula portion of Skye. 
The stops included the Old Man of Storr and Kilt rock with it’s beautiful waterfall coming out of the cliffs…but the highlight of the peninsula was a visit to the Quirang. 
On the drive up the treacherous hills (thank GOD we didn’t have to drive!) Gus informed us that several movies had been filmed at the Quirang, including King Arthur and Star Wars. 
After parking and walking around the hills, I don’t think I had ever seen anything quite as beautiful. It only got better from there; a short drive later and we reached the Fairy Glen, which are little hills that resemble a place fairies might reside.
After exploring the Fairy Glen, it was back down the hill and to Portree to drop off one guest at the bus stop. The drive back to our hotel was long, and a nap was definitely necessary as Gus drove. Thankfully, since our hotel doubled as a pub, we were able to grab a quick bite to eat and then crash after a long amazing day in Skye. This adventure was definitely the highlight of the trip!
