Bonnie Prince Charlie
Many of our tours include stories of the Jacobites, and how their cause was brought alive in 1745 and 1746 with the arrival of Prince Charles Edward Stuart from France. We often visit the most poignant of all the sites to discover the truth of the tragic Battle of Culloden, just a few miles from Inverness.
We also take guests to Glenfinnan where his standard (Royal Flag) was raised on his arrival to mainland Scotland. On the 19th August 1745 he rowed up Loch Shiel with a small band of his most loyal supporters.
However, only on a tour to the Western Isles (Outer Hebrides) can we see the very spot where he arrived in Scotland. On the 23 July 1745 Bonnie Prince Charlie stepped off a boat onto the silvery sands of the tiny island of Eriskay, not knowing that very soon he would meet a local lass Flora MacDonald.
Flora MacDonald in South Uist
Almsot a year later, in June 1746, barely two months after the fateful Battle of Culloden, they met again and Flora agrees to help Prince Charlie. He had been on the run for two whole months, hiding in caves along the rugged coast, throughout the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. He had a huge bounty on his head, but no one had betrayed him. Flora dressed him in her maid's clothes and together they were rowed across from the Island of Benbecula to the Isle of Skye. One of Scotland's most famous ballads "Over the sea to Skye" described this dangerous and courageous journey.
Today Flora is remembered in a few special places across Scotland, including her burial spot in the north of the Island of Skye. However, far less visited is the place of her childhood on the island of South Uist. Today there is a very poignant memorial which recounts her bravery in helping The Prince. It was wonderful to share this special place with tour guests for the first time.
Our tour of the Hebrides was full of surprises including a much more recent and very practical example of the resourcefulness and ingenuity of the islanders. Whether born on the islands, or someone who has made these islands their home, the remoteness creates a resourcefulness not often found on the mainland. Never have we ssen such a great example of blending new with the old - and with a stunning view across the sands and sea!
Our time exploring these beautiful islands came to an end all too soon. We had been very lucky with the unpredictable Scottish weather, the punctuality of the many ferries, the wonderful experiences where our guests met locals who hand weaved the famous Harris Tweed, who owned a very busy croft with cattle and sheep and who offered amazing boat trips around the lochs and islands of Benbecula.
John and our guests enjoyed amazing wildlife spotting over the seven days on the islands. Otters, sea eagles, Lapwings, many seals basking on the rocks, wild deer munching at the road side and much more. Until the next time when we return to these magical islands.
