Lone footprints lead to abandoned village
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It’s not often it snows, and stays, to sea level in Skye. I was lucky enough to be in Sleat when the most recent winter storms cleared and I enjoyed an exhilarating run, the fresh powder snow underfoot and views across the sound to the mainland creating a magical atmosphere.
The run I chose was in Kinloch forest, following Forestry Commission waymarked trails out to Leitir Fura, an abandoned farming township on the coast. The trail starts from Kinloch forest car park, just north of Isleornsay (Eilean Iarmain), but, due to the snowfall, I could only park part of the way down the road; no chore since the snow cover had turned the forest road into an inviting, smooth, white path.
There are information boards about the human and natural history of the area at various stages along the trail, but it is really the scenery that is the star here. Follow the signs out of the car park and onto the forest road, which undulates gently up and down along the side of the loch.
After a couple of kilometres you’ll see a large sign pointing left off the main forest track for the Drovers Road and an information sign just past it. It is the line of this old droving path that you’ll be following to Leitir Fura, and the path starts to steadily climb, contouring around the base of Beinn Bhreac above.
The snow suddenly turned to ankle-deep powder snow and running through it was a pleasure. There was only one set of footprints ahead of me which regularly broke stride, much as I did, to admire the remarkable view right over the Sound of Sleat, from Isleornsay across to Loch Hourn.
After another kilometre of gentle climbing, passing several handsomely placed benches, there is a signpost indicating a shortcut which takes you back down to the forest road to give a loop of around 5km.
It’s far better to carry on. The footprints of the pioneer ahead of me took this shortcut so the old drovers’ path was now a ribbon of clean snow ahead of me. The odd rabbit or deer track crossed it, but otherwise it was untouched. Heavy snow showers kept threatening from the west but the route was protected, with only short flurries making it this far.
The path starts to descend with some sharp corners and, bursting with wintry zeal, I took these at full tilt to arrive suddenly at the ruins of Leitir Fura. Unlike many townships on Skye, this settlement wasn’t forcibly cleared, but became abandoned as the inhabitants moved away for easier lives away from the harsh subsistence living endured in this rocky, exposed spot. This fact doesn’t make the ruined remains any less interesting, and they were particularly dramatic in the deep snow.
The drovers’ path that Leitir Fura sits on continues around the coast to Kylerhea, much rougher and unmarked, but it looked like it would be worth further exploration.
Continue down the path and turn right to rejoin the main forest road. Below you on the shoreline are the remains of several slips from which the inhabitants launched boats to fish and, so tales tell, to intercept boats in the sound carrying rum and whisky.
The track contours round the hill, back towards the car park, and towards the sheltered bay of Isleornsay. The grounds and buildings of Kinloch Lodge are mainly hidden below but you can catch glimpses between the trees of whitewashed houses and the manicured gardens of the hotel below.
All too soon I was back at the car, the sky suddenly bright blue and startling sunshine reflecting off the snow. Heading down to a nearby stream to wash my face in water so cold it tasted metallic, it seemed a shame to hurry away, and I sat in bright sunlight until my increasingly numb hands finally reminded me it was the Highlands of Scotland in the middle of a cold snap.
