Skye

Skye ( skaɪ̯, English and Isle of Skye, Scottish Gaelic An t - Eilean Sgitheanach, even Eilean a ' Cheo, German " island mist" ), is the largest island of the Inner Hebrides. It is located immediately off the west coast of the Scottish mainland in the Atlantic.

• 4.1 Economics
• 4.2 traffic

Geography

Skye has an area of 1,656 km ², a north- south distance of 80 kilometers and a width of 11-40 km. The population of Skye is around 9,200, speak Scottish Gaelic of which around 30 percent.

From the Scottish mainland Skye by the Sound of Sleat, Kyle Rhea and Kyle Akin separately (also Loch Alsh ). The Little Minch borders from Skye to the Outer Hebrides. Upstream of the east coast are the islands of Rona, Raasay, Scalpay and Pabay. In the south, separated by the Soay Sound, the island of Soay. The coastline of the island is strongly notched. So-called hole and other bays grab as far inland that no point on the island is more than five miles from the sea. This will emerged five major peninsulas: Sleat in the south, Minginish the southwest, Duirinish the northwest, Waternish or Vaternish in the north-northwest and Trotternish in the north. The highest elevation in a mountainous terrain is Sgurr Alasdair the ( 993 meters above sea level) in the rugged Black Cuillins, also the highest point of the entire Hebrides.

Administrative divisions

Capital of the island is Portree. Other places include Ardvasar, Armadale, Broadford, Dunvegan, Elgol, Isleornsay, Kyleakin, Skeabost, Staffin and Uig. The Skye and Lochalsh District is one of the eight administrative units of the Highland Council. On the island, seven church parish are reported:

• Bracadale 377 km ²
• Duirinish 324 km ²
• Kilmuir 139 km ²
• Portree 230 km ²
• Sleat 168 km ²
• Snizort 216 km ²
• Strath 282 km ²
• Brigde 234 km ²

In common parlance, the geographical classification on the basis of traditional peninsulas is more common, which coincides with the administrative structure only partially.

Sleat

Sleat ( Scottish Gaelic: Sléibhte or Slèite ) is a peninsula in the south of Skye. It is separated by the Sound of Sleat from the mainland. The original Scottish Gaelic name means as much as " level," which is not what topographical reality. The peninsula is also known as the "Garden of Skye " is dominated by gently undulating, hilly landscapes. Sleat appears relatively flat only in comparison to the northern mountains of the Black Cuillins. Sleat is a stronghold of the Scottish Gaelic language. Approximately 40 percent of the population speak the language. Accordingly, on the peninsula, the Gaelic college Sabhal Mòr Ostaig settled, part of the University of the Highlands and Islands.

On Sleat is the former seat of the Clan MacDonald, the Armadale Castle, which today but for the most part is just a ruin. In the building next to the ruins of the clan history of the Lords of the Isles is shown in the Visitors Centre. This includes a park with old trees, that are usually found in North America. Their growth is favored by a mild climate, which is influenced by the Gulf Stream.

Duirinish

Duirinish in the north- west of the island has Dunvegan with the main town in the western part of the coast. From Dunvegan from various single-lane roads lead further into the coastal landscape around the Loch Dunvegan and down the spine of the peninsula to the north-west coast. The traditionally shaped by crofting area around Dunvegan and Glendale recorded since about 1990, a particularly strong influx of mainland Britain and a concomitant conversion or new construction of cottages. High above Loch Dunvegan Dunvegan Castle is located, for over 800 years the headquarters of the MacLeods. It is the oldest inhabited castle in the United Kingdom is privately owned. Below Dunvegan Castle, it is possible to take a boat tour to some seal rocks. Above the opposite bank of the hole is Borreraig, the ancestral home of the MacCrimmons, the traditional bagpipe player of the MacLeods. Her story is told in the Borreraig Park Museum, in addition, contains numerous exhibits of traditional agrarian and often arduous life. The same issue is dedicated to the Colbost Croft Museum in Colbost where a traditional Black House can be visited. The Three Chimneys restaurant in the same place has won several awards and attracts its customers even more than a day's journey distant cities of the British mainland to. Other museums that are dedicated to more specific topics are the Giant Angus MacAskill Museum in Dunvegan and the Toy Museum in Glendale.

A few kilometers west of Dunvegan Neist the peninsula with Neist Point as the westernmost point of the island. There is a lighthouse that has been in operation. The adjoining bay is dominated by Water Stone Head ( 296 meters ) and partly vertical cliffs, including a small waterfall that falls directly into the sea. Sometimes you can watch whales, dolphins and seals here.

Minginish

To Minginish in the southwest of Skye belong to the Black Cuillin, the highest mountain range on Skye, which shows all the shades of gray to deep black. The highest mountain is 993 meters high Sgurr Alasdair. From the fishing village of Elgol from you can see the mountain range well. From there boat tours are available in the vicinity of the Cuillins. Inside the Black Cuillins is Loch Coruisk, who is considered one of the most remote lakes in Britain. At the end of the village of Carbost is the Talisker Distillery, the only single malt whiskey distillery on Skye. The Talisker whiskey is known for its intense aroma with Torfnote. Here also stored the whiskey Johnnie Walker, now exists only as a trademark.

Waternish

Waternish, also Vaternish, is a small peninsula in the north west of Skye. The most famous place of Waternish is Trumpan.

Trotternish

The peninsula in the north- east is considered the most beautiful of the island. Among the attractions is The Old Man of Storr, a 50-meter- high rock pinnacle. Kilt Rock, a few miles north, is a popular tourist lookout on Trotternish. Quiraing is located on the east side of the northernmost summit of the Trotternish. The landscape was formed by a landslide; the terrain is still unstable. The Skye Museum of Iceland Life in Kilmuir shows how people lived on Skye. These include exhibits about houses - Black Houses - work, religion, poverty and emigration, as well as reconstructions and originals of huts and equipment. In the churchyard of Kilmuir is the grave of Flora MacDonald. Uig is the starting point of the Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to the Outer Hebrides.

History

Skye has been inhabited for a long time. The missionary Columban visited Iona in the 6th century by coming the island twice. The hole Chaluim Chille ( German: Bay Columbanus ) in the north of the island, where there were traces of a monastery is said to have been his landing site.

In the 1090er years the Clan MacLeod, who was of Norwegian origin, was ruler of Skye. The Norwegian king Magnus III. led a campaign against the clan in order to secure its influence. Again it came to this devastation. 1156 hit the half - Gaelic, half - Norwegian Somerled of Argyll, the Norwegians, thus establishing the rule of the MacDonald clan on Skye and other Hebrides Islands. They were called Lords of The Isles. The Norwegian King Håkon IV tried to reconquer Skye and other areas, but failed and died on the way back to Orkney. 1266 were all Norwegian possessions in the Hebrides to Alexander III. transmitted. The Lords of the Isles, but disregarded it until 1493, when they ousted the Scottish king James IV.

Already in 1549 wrote Donald Monro a report on the Hebrides, A Description of the Western Isles of Scotland called hybrid. Skye has been described in detail in this report.

In the 18th century there were several attempts to restore the rule of the Stuart line, including 1715 and 1745. Participants of these uprisings were called Jacobites. The latter attempt ended at the Battle of Culloden, the pretender to the throne of Charles Edward Stuart, known as Bonnie Prince Charlie lost. On the run from the troops of the Duke of Cumberland, he arrived with the help of Flora MacDonald islander in a rowing boat from North Uist to Skye, from where he escaped to France. Even today, the folk song Skye Boat Song, which is based on in English-speaking popular.

By 1830, the harvest of seaweed was a major source of income for the island. Soap, bleach materials and were generated in glass production in the kelp obtained by the combustion of the tangs. After other commodities had replaced the kelp, began a period of economic decline. During this time the sheep gained in importance.

From 1840 to 1883 left some 30,000 inhabitants of the island. 6,940 farms were closed at this time. 1849 were dependent on food aid about 5,000 islanders. 1854 was Suishnish on Skye scene of Highland Clearances. Here have been numerous crofters, so tenants evicted from their lands and forced to move to Canada or other overseas territories. This great bloodletting weakened the Gaelic culture on Skye. Reason for the expulsions was the desire of the Lairds (about: feudal landowners ) to intensify the sheep.

1882 was the Battle of the Braes ( German: Battle of Braes ) instead. Farmers from the Braes district in Portree attacked 50 police officers who had been seconded to maintain order in Glasgow. This was triggered by a dispute over grazing rights. This skirmish is considered so far last battle on British soil. 1886 led the protests of the crofters in the Crofters ' Holdings Act ( German about: Crofter lease Make - law ). At that time, these farmers more rights was awarded in Scotland. The Crofter system, there is still on Skye.

1897, the railway was completed on the Scottish mainland to the ferry terminal Kyle of Lochalsh. This led to an economic boom on Skye.

Prehistoric Objects

On Skye there are several well-preserved Broch ( below as Duns listed ) and the remains of twelve Cairns. A Hill Fort and standing stones, Pictish symbol stones, basement as Kilvaxter, stone circles and stone rows are also among the legacies from the past. Such were also found in caves such as the High Pasture Cave ( Scottish Gaelic: Uamh at Ard Achadh ) at Kilbride, the parallels with Mine Howe has on Orkney. Most of these places are today considered " sacred places ".

• Dun Ardtreck, Broch at Carbost
• Dun Beag Broch at Bracadale
• Dun Fiadhairt, Broch at Dunvegan
• Dun Hallin, Broch at Waternish
• Dun Ringill, Semi- Broch at Kirkbost
• Rubh ' at Dunain, Cairn at Loch Brittle

In 2003, excavations at the High Pasture Cave were begun. Over 300 objects have been recovered. Among them were next to Flint, the typical Neolithic artifact fragments such as finished antler ( antler pins) and bone tools. However, most finds date from the Iron Age and consisted of copper and copper alloys and iron fragments. In 2009 a burial ground near Armadale pier was excavated.

Economy and Transport

Economy

The main sources of income on Skye are tourism, agriculture, fisheries and the production of whiskey.

Traffic

Connection to the mainland is ( not operated in 2007, but resumed operation in 2008 ) over the Skye Bridge Kyleakin to Kyle of Lochalsh and by ferry from Armadale to Mallaig and Kylerhea to Glenelg. Another ferry service will take place from Uig to Tarbert on Harris and Loch Maddy on North Uist and Sconser after Inverarish on Raasay instead. On Skye there are no rail lines, the island can also be reached via the West Coast terminals Kyle of Lochalsh and Mallaig with links to Inverness and Fort William / Glasgow by train. Skye has no airport, although there have always been planning for this and at Broadford a small airstrip exists, but since 1989 has no longer operating license.

On Skye there is a relatively thin public bus service between the capitals of the various peninsulas and Portree. Formerly these routes were operated by the so-called post buses. Now the connections are publicly advertised; Holder of the operating license for the lines on Skye in 2010, the company Stagecoach. The departure times are usually coordinated with the connections of the ferry or train departures and / or school hours. Taxi driving services, tour providers and car rental supplement the local mobility offer.

Personalities

• Flora MacDonald (1722-1790), helped the Scottish throne to flee
• Mary MacPherson (1821-1898), Scottish Gaelic Mairi Mhor nan Oran called, GV "The great Mary of Songs"; Scottish Gaelic patriot, poet and songwriter
• Donnie Munro, folk singer, was born in Uig on Skye
• Mylo, house DJ, was born on Skye
• Danny MacAskill ( born 1985 ), Bike- Trial - Pro, was born on Skye