Tuesday 19th April, W7D5

And my Stay4Night 'camp' behind what I now know is a disused boathouse, was indeed very silent and comfortable. And when I woke finally at 0800 it was still earlier than the first ferry return from the island, so there wasn't even a single car on the road. And, as previously noted on the Stay4Night app, the toilet facilities do indeed stay open, with lights on, all night, with hot water in the taps, so I walked 100 yards and enjoyed my wash and brush up, and returned to the van and had coffee and porridge at the picnic table in the morning sun.

My distillery tour was scheduled for 11am, and I drove up early and sat in the sun, gazing across to the Cuillins, a sight that has not yet tired for me. The tour guide was Steve, a longtime Raasay resident with an inexhaustible knowledge of the island as well as the distillery. The other guests for the tour were a Swiss couple with their infant boy in a back-carrier, and a couple plus friend, residents of Callendar. All had visited before, and clearly love Raasay. The distillery is an independent family run business, and the owners jealously guard their brand. The tour was interesting (even after many such) and the tasting, er, tasty. There was no pressure to buy the top of the range, but I confess I did, because I did enjoy it the.most. (Sherry cask matured, if you want to know. Or even if not, sorry. You are all welcome to sample at Taverners when I'm home  - if there's any left.) 

The rest of my day was a tale of failure to see things. Acting on Steve's suggestion I motored south on the island to the old village jetty, which he said was an excellent place to spot otters and the occasional dolphin. I parked overlooking what I thought was the most likely site, made a ham and cheese roll, and sat at a picnic table by the war memorial to look. The scenery was as beautiful as ever, but the final score was Cuillins 19, Otters and dolphins nil.

So knowing I had limited time for the optimum ferry back  to Skye, I headed for the north of the island to look at Brochel Castle. The road was challenging, as always, and I didn't quite make it as far as the interesting section known as Callum's Road. Callum McLeod (of course) had failed to get the community to build a road connecting his home in Arnish, north of Brochel Castle  with the rest of the island, so he set about building it himself, equipped only with an engineering manual, shovel, pickaxe, and wheelbarrow and the 2 miles he built took 10 years and is  still navigable today. And he was awarded the BEM for his pains. Or so I'm told, as I had to turn round before I got that far. I did get a good view from on high of Holoman Island, which has a walkable causeway at low tide. So this outing ended Callum 1, Benjamin nil. And also Brochel Castle 1, Benj nil. Not my most successful day out. (But the whisky was excellent.) 

Made the 1430 ferry for the pleasant 15 minute crossing, and headed southwards on a road it turns out I have travelled several times now in both directions, as the wind and tide have taken me, heading for the Skye bridge, and my return to Scotland. (Though actually Raasay was in Scotland, having been bought back by the government from the last landlord in 1965. But it just did feel more foreign. Latest census showed only 201 residents. When Princess Ann visited in 2022, she spoke to every child in the one school - all four of them. And she visited the distillery too, though she doesn't drink). 

So where am I now, I hear you ask? (Or do I? Maybe I lost my Faithful Reader weeks ago. But I'll tell you anyway.) I'm at Balmacara,  but the nearest place you might have heard of is Kyle of Lochalsh, back on the Scottish mainland. I crossed the magnificent, elegant arch of the Skye Bridge. Oddly, I think I've only driven across this bridge once before, with Cate, delivering a motor car from the Outer Hebrides to Deal (don't ask), but we have sailed under it three times, both directions, aboard Vega. I still intend to visit nearby Kyleakin and Eilann Ban, but I fear the Bright Water Visitor centre has closed indefinitely. I'll learn more tomorrow. So now I'm in the relative comfort of the Reraig caravan site, with showers and toilets, WiFi and power for the van, and the bonus of this welcome sign at the site fence. 

Night night.