Tag Archives: travel

Ossaia

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After a lazy afternoon at Il Castagno, we decided to dine in the nearby town of Ossaia. Rather than driving, we walked the easy 2km on a perfect spring evening.

1.road to Ossaia

The countryside was peaceful, scattered with gorgeous rustic farmhouses.

2.chapel3.farmhouse4.farmhouse5.farmhouse

Ossaia literally means boneyard. There are apparently thousands of Roman soldiers who were defeated by Hannibal in 217BC at the Battle of Trasimeno, buried under the town.

The small community was enchanting, with some beautiful homes.

8.town9.town

I’m not sure about this driveway, though.

10.town

La Tufa had been recommended to us and we found it easily.

11.La Tufa

We wandered through

to the inviting restaurant

14.La Tufa

but on this warm night we opted for a table outside.

15.La Tufa

The pizzas were delicious

and we had just enough room for nonna tart and flaming crème brulee.

19.flaming creme brulee

The walk home was a little slower.

Isle of Skye

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We hadn’t planned ahead for our trip through Scotland, preferring to see where each day ended. Late October is not the height of the tourist season, however, arriving on the Isle of Skye we found accommodation scarce. We were very fortunate to find a room at Uig Hotel, a beautiful old coaching inn dating back to 1831.

1.Uig Hotel

We settled in at the bar to enjoy some local beverages. A Red Cuillin ale for Michael, brewed locally since 1995 and a Talisker single malt for me from the only distillery on the Isle of Skye. We absorbed the stunning view of Uig Bay and Loch Snizort.

2.Uig Bay3.Loch Snizort

The tower in our sights was a 19th century folly, known as Fraser’s Folly. The tenants of Kilmuir Estate, owned by Major William Fraser in 1855, would go to the folly to pay their rents. The tower was later turned into a family home and eventually abandoned in the 1950s.

4.Fraser's Folly

We enjoyed a superb meal in The Folly restaurant at the hotel, Michael honouring his Scottish roots with a main course of venison haggis. The next morning, we awoke to severe stormy weather. We had decided to explore the island in an anticlockwise direction and see where the road led, we weren’t going to let the elements stop us. The camera stayed safely tucked away until we came across Sligachan Bridge.

5.Sligachan Bridge

Built in the 1820s, it was taking quite a beating from the waters whipped up by the gale force winds.

6.upstream

Apparently, the views of the Black Cuillin mountains are spectacular on a clear day. Legend has it that if you dip your face in the river water by the bridge for seven seconds, you will stay young and beautiful forever. I certainly wasn’t going to try on this day.

7.downstream

Eagle Bay

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Our journey from Meelup to Cape Naturaliste involved a detour to Eagle Bay Brewing Co. Situated in the northwestern corner of the Margaret River region, this microbrewery has been a family affair since 2010. The sweeping views over verdant farmland made for a glorious backdrop to enjoy a leisurely beverage.

1.view

The handcrafted beers are brewed in small batches, the magic is created with only four ingredients; malted barley, yeast, hops and rainwater fresh from the heavens. Whichever way you look at it, the tasting paddle was the obvious choice.

The mist gathering on the horizon wasn’t only induced by the beer,

I can’t say the same for the smile on Michael’s face as we departed.

5.Eagle Bay Brewing Co

Next time, lunch is definitely on the menu.

https://eaglebaybrewing.com.au

Camucia

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Camucia was the nearest town to our rented villa, Il Castagno, and the ideal place to stock up on groceries and, of course, vino. Nestled at the foot of the hill on which Cortona sits, the town is small with beautiful streetscapes.

1.Camucia2.Camucia

Thursday is market day in Camucia and we spent a gorgeous, sunny morning meandering amid the stalls.

3.market

There was everything imaginable for sale from clothes, shoes, toys and linens

4.market

to flowers and fresh fruit and vegetables.

5.market

I was too busy salivating at the array of fresh produce to take photos of it. Roasted pork was very popular, served from vans on Tuscan bread with the most exquisite crackling.

6.crispy pork by Piero

We returned to the villa for a lazy afternoon, I even had my first siesta.

Eilean Donan castle

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Leaving Ben Nevis behind, we drove north through the Highlands, our destination the Isle of Skye. On the way, we stopped to explore Eilean Donan castle.

1.Eilean Donan Castle

The island of Donan, at the meeting point of Loch Duich, Loch Alsh and Loch Long was settled by Irish Saint, Bishop Donan in 634AD. The first fortified castle was built in the mid 13th century to protect the area from Viking invasion.

2.Eilean Donan Castle

It was partially destroyed in the Jacobite uprising in 1719 and then lay in ruins for nearly 200 years. Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island in 1911, restored the castle over the next twenty years and added the bridge.

3.Eilean Donan Castle

The scenery was breathtaking, even on an overcast day.

4.Loch Long

Entering through the majestic doorway,

5.Entrance

we spent some time wandering through the restored interior, I photographed these Viking sculptures before realizing photography wasn’t permitted.

6.Viking sculptures

The exterior has been lovingly resurrected, I can see why it took twenty years.

7.Eilean Donan Castle8.Eilean Donan Castle

The castle is still owned by the MacRae family. The Clan MacRae War Memorial commemorates the 423 members of the Clan MacRae who died in World War l, including Lieutenant Colonel John McRae who wrote the poem ‘In Flanders Fields’.

9.Clan MacRae War Memorial & Field Guns

In stark contrast to the castle’s history, there was a sense of serenity about the misty waters.

10.Eilean Donan Castle11.Eilean Donan Castle12.Eilean Donan Castle

The bridge across Loch Long, built in 1990, connects the nearby villages of Dornie and Ardelve.

13.Dornie bridge

Scotland’s national flag, The Saltire, stands proudly at the perimeter of the castle. The patron saint of Scotland, St. Andrew, was apparently crucified on an X shaped cross, hence, the white saltire on a background of azure blue sky.

14.Eilean Donan Castle