Thursday, September 8 we left Oban after breakfast to make our way to our next home away from home, Portree on the Isle of Skye. We stopped on the way to see Fort William and a nearby shipwreck, called Old Boat of Caol. It is on a loch (lake) on the Caledonian Canal that intersects Scotland. In this section of canal there a 5 locks, but we didn’t see them in action.

We arrived in Portree and after we got to our Airbnb and settling in we walked into town for dinner. Not an easy task because at most places you need a reservation. This is a town of 2,500 people and they have the same staffing issues here that we do at home. It’s also the largest town on the Isle of Skye. We lucked out by finding a place that doesn’t take reservations, but we were first in line when they opened for dinner. By that time the line was down the block. While we were waiting I went across the street to another place and made a reservation for Saturday night.

After we walked back from dinner we learned that Queen Elizabeth had just passed away at Balmoral Castle, which is also in the Highlands and about 200 miles from here. This was the sunset we saw shortly afterwards. I like to think it was the Highlands way to send her off.