Yesterday’s rain was replaced with gale-force winds as we drove from Glencoe to the Isle of Skye. Our first stop along the way was the Neptune Staircase, the longest staircase lock in Scotland, raising the canal by 62 feet over a quarter of a mile of continuous masonry. Requiring nearly two decades to complete the lock began operation in 1822 and is still in use today. It takes around 90 minutes for a boat to travel up or down the locks. 

Our next stop was the Glenfinnan Viaduct made famous by the Harry Potter movies in which it is traversed by the Hogwart’s Express. The viaduct is built from mass concrete (no rebar; strong in compression, weak in tension) and has 21 semicircular spans of 50 feet. It is the longest concrete railway bridge in Scotland at 416 yards, and crosses the River Finnan at a height of 100 feet.

As we approached the Isle of Skye, where we will be spending the next four nights, we stopped to photograph the Eilean Donan Castle, originally built in the 13th century.

Pictured below is the Old Sligachan Bridge built between 1810 and 1818. Legend has it that eternal beauty may be gained from bathing one’s face in the enchanted water beneath it. Specifically, one must submerge their face in the ice-cold water for 7 seconds and then allow it to air dry. Although Jeanine and I could both benefit from a dose of eternal beauty, neither of us felt compelled to stick our heads in the river and decided on some hot tea at the pictured inn instead.

Our final stop for the day was in Portree, the largest town on the island, where we found a good vantage point from which to enjoy the famous colored houses that can be found here.