0:00:05 > 0:00:09Islands are places that have always fired the human imagination
0:00:09 > 0:00:13with tales of mighty heroes and their epic deeds.
0:00:14 > 0:00:16Sailing in the Hebrides,
0:00:16 > 0:00:17you can see with your own eyes
0:00:17 > 0:00:21how these islands inspired the myths and legends of old,
0:00:21 > 0:00:24helping to shape the culture of the nation.
0:00:24 > 0:00:26This isn't just beautiful scenery,
0:00:26 > 0:00:29it's food for the imagination,
0:00:29 > 0:00:31a storyteller's dream.
0:00:39 > 0:00:42Kylerhea is the narrow stretch of water
0:00:42 > 0:00:46that separates the mainland on the right from the Isle of Skye.
0:00:46 > 0:00:50To cross the kyle, I'm taking the ferry.
0:00:50 > 0:00:52But not just any old ferry.
0:00:52 > 0:00:54This one is unique!
0:00:59 > 0:01:03The good ship Glenachulish, for that is her name,
0:01:03 > 0:01:07is the only turntable ferry still operating in Britain.
0:01:07 > 0:01:11She's been plying these waters for over half a century.
0:01:13 > 0:01:17There were once many similar little ships in Scotland.
0:01:17 > 0:01:20Their swinging decks enabled traffic
0:01:20 > 0:01:24to drive aboard from simple jetties, which larger vessels couldn't access.
0:01:25 > 0:01:28On board, I'm shown the ropes
0:01:28 > 0:01:31by skipper and Glenelg man Donnie MacDonald
0:01:31 > 0:01:34and his dogs, Mac and Kim.
0:01:38 > 0:01:40Good. Lovely.
0:01:40 > 0:01:42But skippering a turntable ferry
0:01:42 > 0:01:45is a bit more complicated than you might think.
0:01:45 > 0:01:49I'm going to go to the other wheel now.
0:01:49 > 0:01:51Right. See you on the other side.
0:01:51 > 0:01:53I'm right behind you.
0:01:55 > 0:01:58So you're swapping sides. You've got two wheels on the boat?
0:01:58 > 0:02:01Yes. The ramps are up in front of you, so you can't see anything.
0:02:01 > 0:02:03Right. You can't see a thing, can you? Can't see anything, no.
0:02:03 > 0:02:05I've two got yachts coming down, as well,
0:02:05 > 0:02:07so I'll need to go back to the other side.
0:02:07 > 0:02:10Busy stretch of water, this, isn't it, the kyle? It is, it is.
0:02:10 > 0:02:13In the summertime, it's very busy with yachts. Look, no hands!
0:02:19 > 0:02:22Donnie leads me on a merry dance,
0:02:22 > 0:02:23as I try to catch up with him.
0:02:26 > 0:02:29Do you ever forget which side you're on?
0:02:30 > 0:02:33Yeah, gets confusing a little bit after a while.
0:02:34 > 0:02:36How many crossings do you do a day, Donnie?
0:02:36 > 0:02:39Sometimes up to 40. Really? Maybe more than that, yeah. Right.
0:02:39 > 0:02:42So you're just constantly shuttling back and forth. Yeah.
0:02:44 > 0:02:46So do you enjoy this,
0:02:46 > 0:02:49if you go backwards and forwards up to 50 times a day? Yeah.
0:02:49 > 0:02:51Is it not slightly monotonous? No, I don't think so.
0:02:51 > 0:02:54Every crossing's different, with the tides and the wind.
0:02:56 > 0:02:59Of course, crossing the kyle would be much trickier
0:02:59 > 0:03:02without the help of able seadogs Mac and Kim.
0:03:04 > 0:03:06They keep the seals off the boat.
0:03:06 > 0:03:08To keep the seals off the boat? Yeah.
0:03:08 > 0:03:10Is there any danger of that?
0:03:10 > 0:03:13Well, that's what Mac... He barks at the seals all the time, so...
0:03:13 > 0:03:15So he's done a good job so far,
0:03:15 > 0:03:17because there's never been a seal come on the boat.
0:03:17 > 0:03:20I'll have to go to the other wheel now. Righty-ho.
0:03:20 > 0:03:22So you also have a young lady on board. We have, yes.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Does she put her back into it? Oh, she certainly does, yeah.
0:03:25 > 0:03:27Does she? Yes.
0:03:27 > 0:03:28She's very good, Izzie.
0:03:28 > 0:03:31She's looking to be the new skipper.
0:03:31 > 0:03:33Is she really? Oh, yeah. Right.
0:03:33 > 0:03:35How do you feel about that?
0:03:35 > 0:03:37Och, I'm OK with that, yeah.
0:03:37 > 0:03:39I'll be retired soon, anyway.
0:03:43 > 0:03:46Izzie is definitely a woman with ambition.
0:03:46 > 0:03:50She started working on the Glenachulish as a volunteer.
0:03:50 > 0:03:54I would love to be skipper one day of this very ferry.
0:03:54 > 0:03:55Erm, but...
0:03:55 > 0:03:57Really? Yeah.
0:03:57 > 0:04:00The first female ferry skipper of this ferry.
0:04:00 > 0:04:02Really? Yeah. That would be amazing.
0:04:02 > 0:04:04And how would you get to do that?
0:04:04 > 0:04:07Well, I have to be 18 to take my skipper's ticket licence.
0:04:07 > 0:04:09Right. So you're restricted to one area? Yeah.
0:04:09 > 0:04:12Confined to the kyles, you'd be? Just these narrows, yeah.
0:04:12 > 0:04:14Would that be a big enough ocean for you?
0:04:14 > 0:04:17Yeah, I'm sure it would be, to start off with.
0:04:17 > 0:04:19And then maybe go higher and higher.
0:04:19 > 0:04:21But, yeah, to start off with, this would be great.