The Isle Of Skye

Skye

Known as Eilean a’Cheo, (“the Isle of Mist”), the Skye group consists of 9 main islands: Skye (the largest of the Inner Hebridean islands), with Rona, Raasay, and Scalpay to the north and east, and Canna, Rum, Eigg, Muck (“the Small Isles”), and Soay, to the west and south. 
There are 3 parishes on Skye:
Waternish (to the north — encompassing the peninsulas of Duirinish, Waternish, and Trotternish, and the isles of Rona and Raasay), Minginish (in the center — including Canna, Rum, Eigg and Muck), and Sleat (in the south, and including Scalpay). Skye and its dependent islets have a population of around one thousand in 1220.
Being somewhat more sheltered from the Atlantic gales than The Lews, Skye is slightly more hospitable, and does have a few trees growing on it. Wood is still an expensive commodity, however, and firewood is still not generally used (though fires madeentirely of rowan wood are burnt at Beltane, to ward against malicious faeries).

Magic of Skye

In mythic times, the Irish hero CuChulainn came to Skye to be trained in the arts of war. It is said that he reached the hills of Skye from Ireland in only three strides, and on his arrival, he challenged and defeated all opponents in combat. In honor of his victories, the hills in Minginish Parish where he fought were named The Cuillin Hills.
It is said that Cailleach Bhur once angered Lugh Lamfada (Tuatha de Danaan god of the sun), such that Lugh flung his fiery spear at the Cailleach. Unfortunately, he missed and his errant spear threw up the earth to create the Cuillin hills; the heat from his spear is why, even in the snowiest of winters, the Cuillins are bare and black against the sky.
Fearsome kelpies, who will attempt to beguile and drown all passers-by, inhabit every single freshwater loch on Skye, and locals will not consider walking past one of these at night.
The red lichen found on the rocks of Skye is called Crotal, and it can be used to make a valuable bright red dye. This dye, however, retains some of the qualities of the rocks it is obtained from, and if someone wearing clothes dyed red with crotal falls into the sea, he will “sink like a stone”.

Waternish Parish

Waternish parish is the northernmost on Skye; it includes the peninsulas of Duirinish (west), Waternish (central), and Trotternish (east). Duirinish and Waternish are separated by Loch Dunvegan, and Waternish and Trotternish are separated by the large Loch Snizort. Waternish Parish also encompasses the isles of Rona and Raasay. The bol of Waternish, and capital of Skye, is Dunvegan Castle. In addition to Dunvegan castle, there is also Duntulm castle (home of the MacShuibhe family, relatives of the MacNeills of Lewis), overlooking the natural harbor of Tulm bay at the northernmost tip of the Trotternish peninsula. Duntulm, also known as Dundavid, after David MacShuibhe, head of the family, is a recently-constructed four-storey tower, with a wooden palisade wall.
The main towns in Waternish are Uig and Portree. Uig, off Loch Snizort on the west side of the Trotternish peninsula, is the main port-of-call for travelers from Ireland and the Outer Hebrides. Portree (from Port Righ, “Port of the King”) on the east coast of Trotternish, overlooks a natural bay on the Sound of Raasay, and is the main port for travelers from Scotland. Portree is also home of the Skye branch of the MacNeacail family, who own the nearby lands of Scorrybreac.

DUNTULM CASTLE (NICKNAMED DAVID'S FORT):

On the northernmost point of the Trotternish peninsula is a newly constructed four-story tower with a wooden palisade wall. Surrounding the wall is a defensive ditch and the only entry is a narrow cleft along the sea cliff. The armed garrison and surrounding crofting villages are the home to the MacShuibhe Clan, who are said to be excellent fishermen. Jarl David MacShuicbhe and his wife Lady Eloise le Cornu rule over this domain.

STAFFIN

A small crofting community located in the eastern valley, beneath the Quiraing. It is home to Harold Fair-hair.

The Quiraing

At the northern end of the Trotternish peninsula is a craggy region known as The Quiraing, containing such pinnacles as The Needle, The Prison and The Old Man of Storr (reputed to be a petrified giant). This area is mazelike and unearthly, and very easy to get lost in.
AN CUIDREACH This elevated plateau in The Quiraing, known as “the place of power”, is the former site of a Díedne covenant. This whole plateau has a magical aura of 5, and a level 5, single-tiered regio (within which the covenant is to be found).

THE FAIRY GLEN:

A valley full of conical sithean (faerie mounds small round-topped grassy hills with lochans (ponds) gives the area an otherworldly feel. This glen is well-known as a dwelling-place of the Aitheach Tuatha, and is avoided by the locals.

CARN LIATH

It is a four metre high chambered cairn covered in odd white lichen. There is no obvious entrance to it.

UIG

Uig, off Lock Snizort on the West Side of the Peninsula, is the main port-of-call for travellers from Ireland and the Outer Hebrides. It consists of a wharf, local housing, and shanties and tents. 

SNIZNORT CIRCLE

Five standing stones on the arc of a circle are immediately obvious, and a sixth can be seen from close quarters, barely peeking out of boggy ground within the circle. An 11 x 10 ft stone circle.

THE EYRE STONES

These two stones were erected by the Fianna (bodyguards of Fionn Mac Cuil) to support their cooking-pot while they cooked venison, and the stains on the rocks are from when an inferior seafood stew was poured away.

SKEABOST CHAPEL

At the head of Loch Snizort is the church of St. Columba’s at Skeabost (meaning “sheltered house”) — also known as “Kilmore” (keeill mór or “the big church”). St. Columba preached from the adjacent “St. Columba’s Rock” when he visited Skye. This church is the home of the bishop of the Isles when he is visiting Skye.

PORTREE

From a distance, Portree appears as a town nestled on a hilled peninsula, overlooking the sound of Raasay. Houses fill the shoreside, where fishermen work. Above the steep cliffs behind them is a walled townfort, composing of the Norse Longhouse, a church with mixed Irish and Norse influences. To the far end, sticking out of the treeline is a small watchtower.
Portree is far more wealthy than the rest of Skye. The houses are noted by their colorful facades, and the people seem to be well-fed. Unlike the rest of the isles, there is the presence of the timber trade here- with logs and planks being collected from wagons and loaded on to ships bound for the Isle of Man.
MCNAB'S INN: A traveller's inn on the road south from Staffin. Owned by a former soldier, Nair McNab.
"THE GREEN COCKEREL" APOTHECARY GUILD: The dyers and chemists, from London, known for their strange remedies ran by Guildmaster Faranell.

DUNVEGAN CASTLE

Dunvegan Castle is a large castle on a rocky promontory overlooking Loch Dunvegan, on the west coast of the Waternish peninsula. The castle and its inhabitants are said to be under the protection of the faeries of Dun Fiadhairt (a faerie mound around a mile north of the castle). The castle is the home of Paul MacBhaic, the hersir of Waternish, and the sheriff of Skye. Currently, Leod Olafsson, son of Olaf the Black (and foster- son of Paul MacBhaic), is the acting sheriff — as Paul MacBhaic has fled to Ross with Olaf, to escape the wrath of Queen Katla and Prince Godred Dunn. Also living there currently is Catriona MacRailt (daughter of Armuinn MacRailt, hersir of Harris), who recently wed Leod.
THE FAIRY BRIDGE A strange bridge on the road from Uig towards Dunvegan Castle. To reach the castle, you must cross the Fairy Bridge. It's rumoured that no animals can cross the bridge without becoming mad with fear.

The Isles of Rona and Raasay

Rona is a small island off the northern point of Raasay, and is the site of the grave of St. Ronan (who died here, after traveling from Lewis on the back of a whale) — marked by a three-holed stone. The entire island has a divine (Scottish) aura of 3.

Minginish Parish

Minginish parish, also known as Strath, is central on the Isle of Skye, but it also includes the island group of Canna, Rum, Eigg and Muck (“the Small Isles”), and the Isle of Soay. Minginish also contains the Cuillin Hills. The bol of Minginish, and seat of the hersir, Kieran MacAsgaill is the town of Drynoch, a fishing village at the head of Loch Harport on the west coast of Skye.

THE ROCKING STONE

An unusual recumbent megalith on the western coast of Skye. It is an enor- mous granite slab, delicately balanced on a support- ing limestone table — such that the slightest push with a finger causes it to rock back and forth. The Strath also contains Aant Sithe, a mound and stone circle with radiating causeways where, on clear moonlight nights, the fay can be seen dancing and playing their unearthly music.  

SPAR CAVE (THE CAVE OF THE WAIMIE)

On the north shore of Loch Eishort and Loch Slapin, is the isolated Spar Cave.

Sleat Parish

Sleat is the southernmost parish on the island, and it includes the small island of Scalpay. The bol is the town of Baile Camus, built near to Castle Camus, the seat of Colin MacDhomhnuill, hersir of Sleat.

Geography

The second-largest island in Scotland after Lewis and Harris. The coastline of Skye is a series of peninsulas and bays radiating out from a centre dominated by the Cuillin hills. 
The group is separated from mainland Scotland (Ross) by the Sound of Sleat, though the separation is narrow between Kyleakin (on Skye) and the Kyle of Lochalsh (on the mainland). Skye is separated from The Lews by the Little Minch, or Sound of Shi- ant. Being the closest of the Out Isles to mainland Scotland, Skye is fairly heavily-fortified with several castles and forts.

Fauna & Flora

There are plentiful deer on Skye, even the impressive Highland Red Deer, as well as a population of majestic Golden Eagles.
The red lichen found on the rocks of Skye is called Crotal, and it can be used to make a valuable bright red dye. This dye, however, retains some of the qualities of the rocks it is obtained from, and if someone wearing clothes dyed red with crotal falls into the sea, he will “sink like a stone”.

Natural Resources

Timber, fish

Location under

Life on the Hebrides

Included Locations

• An Cuidreach - Overview
• Portree [Skye]
• Skeabost Chapel [Skye]
• The Church of St Ronan [Rona]

Included Organizations

• The Church - Bishopric of Sodor and Man

Related Ethnicities

• Staffin Peasants

Characters in Location

• Harold Fairhair
• Molly the Barmaid