0:00:03 > 0:00:07It's said that the look of a place plays a big part
0:00:07 > 0:00:10in shaping the character of its people.
0:00:11 > 0:00:12If that is the case,
0:00:12 > 0:00:17then island folk here must surely be a formidable lot.
0:00:20 > 0:00:23There's something essentially heroic about this landscape,
0:00:23 > 0:00:28and it's impossible not to be moved by its ruggedness and grandeur,
0:00:28 > 0:00:32which seems to come from the realms of myth and legend.
0:00:35 > 0:00:38I'm continuing my epic island-hopping odyssey,
0:00:38 > 0:00:40trying to unravel the secrets
0:00:40 > 0:00:43of some of Scotland's most fascinating places.
0:00:47 > 0:00:49'And meeting the people who live here.'
0:00:49 > 0:00:52I'm used to travelling first class, Donald.
0:00:52 > 0:00:55- This is first class! - I think this is steerage.
0:00:55 > 0:00:59'It's impossible to be precise about the total number of islands
0:00:59 > 0:01:03'that are scattered round Scotland's untameable coast,
0:01:03 > 0:01:09'but not counting the numerous rocks and skerries, it's well over 250.'
0:01:09 > 0:01:13At the end of the jetty, a vehicle driven by a collie dog
0:01:13 > 0:01:15to take us to shore.
0:01:15 > 0:01:16DOG BARKS
0:01:16 > 0:01:21'On this grand tour, I'm exploring the northernmost peninsular of Skye,
0:01:21 > 0:01:24'where mist-wreathed mountains
0:01:24 > 0:01:26'and contorted rock formations
0:01:26 > 0:01:29'have shaped its people and fired the imagination.'
0:01:43 > 0:01:46My journey through Skye takes me back in time
0:01:46 > 0:01:50to the geologically ancient Old Man of Storr,
0:01:50 > 0:01:53on to the sporting legends of Portree,
0:01:53 > 0:01:55and the enchanting Fairy Glen,
0:01:55 > 0:01:59before exploring the eerily atmospheric Quiraing.
0:02:01 > 0:02:04It's a grand tour that starts with a hike
0:02:04 > 0:02:07best described as challenging.
0:02:09 > 0:02:11This is the Trotternish Ridge.
0:02:11 > 0:02:15It's like the backbone of northern Skye,
0:02:15 > 0:02:20with 22 miles of arduous climbs and dramatic descents.
0:02:20 > 0:02:25But, if geology is your bag, it really is quite something.
0:02:25 > 0:02:29This is an extraordinary volcanic wilderness,
0:02:29 > 0:02:33composed of ancient lava beds that once flowed across the landscape,
0:02:33 > 0:02:35about 60-odd million years ago.
0:02:37 > 0:02:39That's the scientific explanation.
0:02:39 > 0:02:41But, here on Skye,
0:02:41 > 0:02:45there are some rather more fanciful stories to explain the origins
0:02:45 > 0:02:47of these massive pinnacles.
0:02:48 > 0:02:51One such tale tells of an old man and his wife,
0:02:51 > 0:02:55and what happened when they encountered a group of giants
0:02:55 > 0:02:58roaming the hills. When the couple turned and fled,
0:02:58 > 0:03:03they made the fatal mistake of looking back at their pursuers.
0:03:03 > 0:03:07The old man and his wife were immediately turned to stone.
0:03:09 > 0:03:13I don't know where the old woman is, but that's the old man,
0:03:13 > 0:03:16and I reckon he must have been something of a giant himself,
0:03:16 > 0:03:18because he's over 50 metres tall.
0:03:22 > 0:03:25Now known the world over as the Old Man of Storr,
0:03:25 > 0:03:29you get a sense of how colossal he is when you see
0:03:29 > 0:03:31these tiny figures at his feet.
0:03:33 > 0:03:37In Gaelic, the old man is known as "an bodach."
0:03:37 > 0:03:42And "an bodach" is Gaelic for the male member.
0:03:44 > 0:03:46Now that's what I call a whopper.
0:03:50 > 0:03:53As I make my way along the ridge,
0:03:53 > 0:03:56I begin to understand why the name for this island
0:03:56 > 0:04:00is believed to be Old Norse for "island of mist."
0:04:00 > 0:04:03It certainly makes things atmospheric.
0:04:03 > 0:04:07Skye has a kind of otherworldly feel.
0:04:07 > 0:04:11This landscape has provided the dramatic backdrop
0:04:11 > 0:04:16for sci-fi epics like Star Wars, Alien and Prometheus.
0:04:19 > 0:04:20And, as the mist clears,
0:04:20 > 0:04:23I can see why numerous feature films
0:04:23 > 0:04:26have made use of these breathtaking vistas.
0:04:28 > 0:04:34'Indeed, this whole island could be described as one big Jurassic Park.'
0:04:34 > 0:04:37I'm not just talking about the movies,
0:04:37 > 0:04:41I'm talking about the giants of the fossil age - dinosaurs.
0:04:44 > 0:04:48I'm heading down to the shoreline to see for myself a remarkable
0:04:48 > 0:04:51discovery, which tells us a lot about this island
0:04:51 > 0:04:55and the creatures which once roamed here.
0:04:58 > 0:04:59Dugald, what are we looking for here?
0:04:59 > 0:05:01We're looking for footprints.
0:05:02 > 0:05:06Joining me is local expert Dugald Ross.
0:05:07 > 0:05:10Amazingly, these are dinosaur footprints.
0:05:10 > 0:05:13Really? You're kidding me!
0:05:13 > 0:05:15We can tell that by the pattern of them.
0:05:15 > 0:05:18They're in a distinct line.
0:05:18 > 0:05:21It is, in fact, a distinct line of dinosaur footprints,
0:05:21 > 0:05:23petering off into the distance.
0:05:23 > 0:05:25There's about 100 prints here.
0:05:26 > 0:05:28This was described by the researchers
0:05:28 > 0:05:33who discovered them as "a dinosaur disco," and it caused a sensation.
0:05:35 > 0:05:38Scientists were able to fill in a lot of blanks
0:05:38 > 0:05:42in our understanding of the distant past on this island.
0:05:42 > 0:05:44When we come to this particular one,
0:05:44 > 0:05:47you can actually see the impression of the toes.
0:05:47 > 0:05:48That's amazing.
0:05:49 > 0:05:51It's absolutely huge, isn't it?
0:05:51 > 0:05:57I can see very distinctly, one, two, three toe prints there.
0:05:57 > 0:06:00So, how old would this footprint be? When was it made?
0:06:00 > 0:06:04These date to the Middle Jurassic period of 170 million years ago.
0:06:04 > 0:06:05Wow.
0:06:05 > 0:06:09That was made by a huge sauropod.
0:06:09 > 0:06:13When I say huge, that was 15 tonnes plus.
0:06:13 > 0:06:18- Really?- Yes, we can tell this by the immense size of the footprint that
0:06:18 > 0:06:21they bore a large weight, you see?
0:06:21 > 0:06:23They walked on four hind legs.
0:06:23 > 0:06:25- They were four-legged?- Yes.
0:06:29 > 0:06:32These are Scotland's first recorded sauropods,
0:06:32 > 0:06:35so they've attracted a lot of attention
0:06:35 > 0:06:36from palaeontologists worldwide.
0:06:36 > 0:06:39What would the sauropods have been doing down here?
0:06:39 > 0:06:43We can reasonably assume that they would have been cooling off,
0:06:43 > 0:06:47simply because it was a tropical climate during that period.
0:06:47 > 0:06:50So they may have been wading in the shallow waters.
0:06:50 > 0:06:55- Like hippos? - Yes, possibly, as animals do today.
0:06:58 > 0:07:00Touching this fossilised footprint,
0:07:00 > 0:07:03I feel I'm spanning the aeons of time.
0:07:03 > 0:07:07It makes it almost feel as if the age of the dinosaurs was yesterday.
0:07:07 > 0:07:09It's mind-blowing, isn't it?
0:07:09 > 0:07:10Absolutely mind-blowing.
0:07:12 > 0:07:16Having literally followed in the footsteps of giants,
0:07:16 > 0:07:20I'm heading for Portree, the biggest town on the island.
0:07:20 > 0:07:25It's a bustling hub for locals, and the many visitors to Skye.
0:07:25 > 0:07:28But, for me, it's a chance to relax and take in
0:07:28 > 0:07:32the traditional sport of these parts - shinty.
0:07:38 > 0:07:41Shinty's a game I know something about.
0:07:41 > 0:07:45When I was at school, we played it on a gravel pitch.
0:07:45 > 0:07:48I can't say that I was an enthusiastic player.
0:07:51 > 0:07:53Perhaps it was supposed to toughen us up.
0:07:55 > 0:08:00In fact, it's given me a lifelong aversion to any game which involves
0:08:00 > 0:08:03swinging a wooden stick at head height.
0:08:03 > 0:08:06And, judging by this guy, with good cause.
0:08:06 > 0:08:10But, nevertheless, the game has a noble tradition.
0:08:10 > 0:08:13And it's played with a passion on the islands.
0:08:13 > 0:08:16- FOOTAGE NARRATOR:- Shinty, the fastest field game in the world.
0:08:16 > 0:08:19Shinty is something like hockey, but it's a much older game.
0:08:19 > 0:08:22Dating back to the sixth century,
0:08:22 > 0:08:25it's believed that Irish monks brought the game to Scotland.
0:08:25 > 0:08:28And the skills developed while playing
0:08:28 > 0:08:30were put to good use in battle
0:08:30 > 0:08:33when the shinty stick was swapped for a sword.
0:08:33 > 0:08:34It's a tough physical game,
0:08:34 > 0:08:37everybody knows that and everybody expects that
0:08:37 > 0:08:40when they walk onto the park. And that's what the spectators
0:08:40 > 0:08:42and our supporters come here to watch.
0:08:42 > 0:08:46Speaking to shinty coaches Alasdair Bruce and Douglas MacDougall
0:08:46 > 0:08:50is bringing back all my school playing field nightmares.
0:08:50 > 0:08:52It's quite a ferocious game, isn't it?
0:08:52 > 0:08:54Yeah. It's not a game for the faint-hearted.
0:08:54 > 0:08:57People get hurt, but nobody really lets on that they're hurt.
0:08:57 > 0:08:59It's part of the excitement, isn't it,
0:08:59 > 0:09:01because the sport does go with a wee bit of adrenaline,
0:09:01 > 0:09:03and it's an exciting game.
0:09:03 > 0:09:05It is. It's quite a spectacle.
0:09:05 > 0:09:08This club was formed in the 1880s
0:09:08 > 0:09:13and one of their first great triumphs came in 1898,
0:09:13 > 0:09:15when their team won the MacTavish Cup.
0:09:17 > 0:09:21But many of those pictured here swapped the shinty fields of home
0:09:21 > 0:09:23for the battlefields of France.
0:09:25 > 0:09:281915, there were a number of boys from Portree
0:09:28 > 0:09:31who played shinty headed off to France.
0:09:31 > 0:09:33Battle of Festubert
0:09:33 > 0:09:37was one of the bloodiest battles of the First World War.
0:09:37 > 0:09:40I think, if I can recall, it was about 20,000 men
0:09:40 > 0:09:41lost over a ten-day period.
0:09:41 > 0:09:45And from the guys that left Portree alone,
0:09:45 > 0:09:46I'm able to talk about the...
0:09:46 > 0:09:50There was 11 from the village that didn't come back.
0:09:52 > 0:09:56Some of them were players that had played in the 1898
0:09:56 > 0:09:58MacTavish Cup winning team.
0:09:59 > 0:10:01It was a terrible time, wasn't it?
0:10:01 > 0:10:03- Yes. It was huge. - They were younger guys.
0:10:03 > 0:10:06They said it was industrial massacre at the time.
0:10:06 > 0:10:10It was the first big, bloody battle of the First World War
0:10:10 > 0:10:13involving guys from the Highlands here.
0:10:19 > 0:10:23So, last year, exactly 100 years to the day,
0:10:23 > 0:10:26we met up and played several shinty games.
0:10:26 > 0:10:29The main attraction game was Skye against Kingussie,
0:10:29 > 0:10:34where on both sides a number of descendants of men
0:10:34 > 0:10:37that had fought at Festubert were playing.
0:10:37 > 0:10:42That shows how deeply-rooted in the community this game is.
0:10:42 > 0:10:45Yes, the shinty club is a huge part of the community.
0:10:46 > 0:10:52Before someone thrusts a shinty stick in my hand, I make my excuses.
0:10:53 > 0:10:56And with the clash of the ash still ringing in my years,
0:10:56 > 0:10:57I make my way north,
0:10:57 > 0:11:01stopping off at one of the island's most enchanting spots,
0:11:01 > 0:11:03the Fairy Glen.
0:11:11 > 0:11:15Now, fairies have something of a scary reputation.
0:11:15 > 0:11:19In legend, especially here on Skye, which is considered to be
0:11:19 > 0:11:23the fairy capital of Scotland, they're known as warlike,
0:11:23 > 0:11:25strong-willed, supernatural beings,
0:11:25 > 0:11:27capable of great harm.
0:11:32 > 0:11:35Stories abound of children being taken from their homes
0:11:35 > 0:11:38to be replaced with changelings,
0:11:38 > 0:11:42or people taken into fairy mounds for what seems a few moments,
0:11:42 > 0:11:46but, when they emerge, discover that several days or even years
0:11:46 > 0:11:47have passed.
0:11:49 > 0:11:53My favourite is where the beautiful queen of the fairies
0:11:53 > 0:11:57seduces a mortal man and whisks him off to fairyland.
0:11:59 > 0:12:03Now, that rocky outcrop ahead of me is known as Castle Ewen.
0:12:03 > 0:12:06And perhaps that's where the fairy queen holds court.
0:12:10 > 0:12:13Such was the importance of fairies on Skye
0:12:13 > 0:12:16that clan MacLeod have a flag
0:12:16 > 0:12:20said to be a gift to the chief from his fairy lover.
0:12:20 > 0:12:21On two occasions,
0:12:21 > 0:12:27they carried it into battle and both times emerged victorious.
0:12:27 > 0:12:30It's still held in Dunvegan Castle.
0:12:30 > 0:12:33I've made it! Very nice, too.
0:12:33 > 0:12:35I've got the place to myself.
0:12:36 > 0:12:41As much as I'd love to be away with the fairies, especially their queen,
0:12:41 > 0:12:44there's little chance of me meeting any today.
0:12:44 > 0:12:48So, instead, I return to the real world and the village of Uig.
0:12:48 > 0:12:51Having travelled across the island,
0:12:51 > 0:12:52I'm increasingly aware
0:12:52 > 0:12:57of just how big a part Gaelic culture plays in the life of Skye.
0:12:57 > 0:12:59It's something that's celebrated through language,
0:12:59 > 0:13:02literature and also music.
0:13:02 > 0:13:04But, until recently, centuries of neglect
0:13:04 > 0:13:08had left the culture in a desperately weak condition.
0:13:14 > 0:13:16Then, in the 1980s,
0:13:16 > 0:13:20the band Runrig burst onto the music scene and restored Gaelic pride,
0:13:20 > 0:13:25with music inspired by the history and language of Skye.
0:13:26 > 0:13:29Their lead singer was Donnie Munro.
0:13:29 > 0:13:32And I'm meeting him on the hillside above Uig
0:13:32 > 0:13:35beside a hugely symbolic building.
0:13:35 > 0:13:38It's a remarkable-looking tower there, Donnie.
0:13:38 > 0:13:39So, what is it? Is it a ruin?
0:13:39 > 0:13:41Is it a folly?
0:13:41 > 0:13:47Well, I mean, it is a folly and it dates back to about 1860.
0:13:47 > 0:13:50And it's known locally as Fraser's Folly.
0:13:50 > 0:13:52It's an interesting building in the landscape,
0:13:52 > 0:13:55but, in many ways, in historical terms,
0:13:55 > 0:13:58it's kind of iconic of a period in the local area
0:13:58 > 0:14:02that was very difficult for people, the period of the clearances.
0:14:02 > 0:14:06Fraser was the landlord and this tower was actually built
0:14:06 > 0:14:09on the site where many of the tenants of the Fraser estate
0:14:09 > 0:14:11came to pay their rent.
0:14:11 > 0:14:14And when it became more apparent to him that it was more profitable
0:14:14 > 0:14:17to bring in sheep and sheep farmers
0:14:17 > 0:14:21onto the land, he simply removed many of his tenants.
0:14:21 > 0:14:22Pretty brutally in certain areas.
0:14:22 > 0:14:24So, he was a key player in the clearances
0:14:24 > 0:14:26- in the north end of Skye, then. - He certainly was.
0:14:26 > 0:14:30People disappeared off this landscape due to people
0:14:30 > 0:14:32like Captain Fraser.
0:14:32 > 0:14:37And, certainly, for my generation growing up, going to school...
0:14:39 > 0:14:41..we had absolutely no sense whatsoever
0:14:41 > 0:14:43that all of this stuff had gone on.
0:14:45 > 0:14:48- Did that inspire you musically, what you were doing?- It did.
0:14:48 > 0:14:52# The red-hot sun burns up the hill
0:14:52 > 0:14:54# The winter's bright... #
0:14:54 > 0:14:58'The music then became very much informed by our common history.
0:14:58 > 0:15:01'The things we shared as people growing up here.
0:15:01 > 0:15:03'The whole idea of community,'
0:15:03 > 0:15:06of language, of culture, of the land,
0:15:06 > 0:15:08of the denial of history.
0:15:08 > 0:15:11- # You saw and touched...- #
0:15:11 > 0:15:15Since leaving Runrig, Donnie has become involved in politics
0:15:15 > 0:15:18and does much to encourage and support Gaelic culture
0:15:18 > 0:15:20on the islands.
0:15:21 > 0:15:24I'm very fortunate to be involved with the very inspirational
0:15:24 > 0:15:29institution called Sabhal Mor Ostaig, which is the national centre
0:15:29 > 0:15:32for the development of Gaelic language and culture.
0:15:32 > 0:15:36And it's the only university which provides all of its degree
0:15:36 > 0:15:39programmes through the medium of Gaelic language.
0:15:39 > 0:15:41Right through from access to PhDs.
0:15:41 > 0:15:45That is all about giving opportunity, good education...
0:15:45 > 0:15:48you know, the things that people need to live anywhere in the world.
0:15:50 > 0:15:53Nowadays, children here grow up with an understanding
0:15:53 > 0:15:57of how the clearances shaped this island's history.
0:15:59 > 0:16:01And, with an ever-increasing population,
0:16:01 > 0:16:03things are looking up for Skye.
0:16:08 > 0:16:13Continuing my exploration, I head back to the Trotternish Ridge,
0:16:13 > 0:16:17stopping off at the small crofting settlement of Staffin.
0:16:19 > 0:16:24I've come to lend a hand to father and son Ian and Calum MacDonald.
0:16:26 > 0:16:30They're about to move their cattle to one of the nearby islands.
0:16:30 > 0:16:34- What's the plan? - I'm going to take them just now.
0:16:34 > 0:16:37- Right.- We'll get the boat ready and then hopefully
0:16:37 > 0:16:41- it'll all go swimmingly.- I'll give you a hand.- Okey doke.- Good stuff.
0:16:41 > 0:16:42COW MOOS
0:16:48 > 0:16:49Now, in the course of my travels,
0:16:49 > 0:16:52I've become a bit of an old hand at this sort of thing.
0:16:52 > 0:16:54HE URGES COW ON
0:16:54 > 0:16:57I've already shared a boat with dozens of sheep,
0:16:57 > 0:17:00so I imagine this works in much the same way.
0:17:02 > 0:17:05'While Calum goes ahead to ready the boat,
0:17:05 > 0:17:09'Ian and I drive the tiny herd down to the shore.'
0:17:09 > 0:17:11Well, it's exhausting work, this.
0:17:11 > 0:17:14'And to beat the tide, we can't hang around.'
0:17:14 > 0:17:16Where's your horse when you need it?
0:17:20 > 0:17:23- It's all right for you, Ian. You've got wheels.- I know.
0:17:23 > 0:17:25You don't need to do all the running.
0:17:25 > 0:17:27So, that's where we have to swim them, across there.
0:17:29 > 0:17:32- Oh, yeah.- It's not so far.
0:17:32 > 0:17:34'This is Staffin Island.
0:17:34 > 0:17:39'And for our small herd, the grass is greener over there.
0:17:39 > 0:17:42'But, to get across, they won't be on the boat with us.
0:17:45 > 0:17:48'Around here, the cattle have to work for their supper.
0:17:50 > 0:17:53'Now, I have to say, I've never seen a cow swim before.
0:17:53 > 0:17:57'But, here on Skye, it's something of a crofting tradition.'
0:17:57 > 0:18:01Now, Calum, we've got the cows miraculously in the water.
0:18:01 > 0:18:03Do they take to water naturally?
0:18:03 > 0:18:05Well, these ones do because
0:18:05 > 0:18:08that's where they go. And they're used to it.
0:18:09 > 0:18:11Cows wouldn't normally, naturally go to water, no.
0:18:18 > 0:18:20What distance is it across here?
0:18:20 > 0:18:25Well, at low tide it's, you know, 400 or 500 yards, maybe.
0:18:25 > 0:18:30In fact, Calum would often be in there swimming with the herd.
0:18:30 > 0:18:33But, thankfully, I won't be putting my trunks on today.
0:18:33 > 0:18:36Well, they'll be glad to get across, I imagine.
0:18:36 > 0:18:38They will, they'll be tired after this swim because,
0:18:38 > 0:18:40although it's slack tide,
0:18:40 > 0:18:41there still's a current going through here.
0:18:41 > 0:18:44So, indeed they will.
0:18:45 > 0:18:48I'm going to be quite tired as well at the end of it.
0:18:48 > 0:18:49Yeah. Just keep it going.
0:18:53 > 0:18:56They'll fill their bellies with green grass and they'll just
0:18:56 > 0:19:00chew their cud for a while and meet the other cows that are there.
0:19:00 > 0:19:02And their day will be over.
0:19:03 > 0:19:06So, it looks as if the cows have got the bottom under their feet,
0:19:06 > 0:19:08as they say. They seem to be walking.
0:19:08 > 0:19:11- They're actually getting out.- Aye. It's quite a struggle for them,
0:19:11 > 0:19:14as well. Cos there's long tangle there and, you know,
0:19:14 > 0:19:17they're tired and they're slipping a wee bit. Things are getting
0:19:17 > 0:19:20wrapped around their legs, but they know they're on the shore.
0:19:20 > 0:19:23Hallelujah, they made it.
0:19:23 > 0:19:24Animal instinct there.
0:19:24 > 0:19:26They'll get to where they need to go.
0:19:28 > 0:19:32So, with a yee-haa, it's time for me to skedaddle.
0:19:34 > 0:19:35I'm back on the ridge,
0:19:35 > 0:19:40and passing through the mysterious and wonderfully-named Quiraing.
0:19:45 > 0:19:47This whole landscape looks like
0:19:47 > 0:19:51it's come from the pages of Tolkien's Lord Of The Rings.
0:19:51 > 0:19:56This could be Middle Earth, a land of heroes and mighty deeds.
0:20:00 > 0:20:04Just as Tolkien created a fictional universe,
0:20:04 > 0:20:07populated with orcs, elves and wizards
0:20:07 > 0:20:10engaged in an epic struggle of good versus evil,
0:20:10 > 0:20:13so the forces that created the Quiraing
0:20:13 > 0:20:17over millions of years were equally dramatic.
0:20:17 > 0:20:21You have to imagine what Skye might have looked like 40 or 50 million
0:20:21 > 0:20:25years ago. Dominated by a huge volcano
0:20:25 > 0:20:28which grows 4,000 metres above the sea.
0:20:28 > 0:20:33This volcano pumped out unimaginable quantities of molten rock which
0:20:33 > 0:20:37cooled to form the lava beds that make up the Trotternish Ridge today.
0:20:39 > 0:20:43But Skye's geological convulsions didn't stop there.
0:20:44 > 0:20:48The lava here is about 300 metres thick
0:20:48 > 0:20:51and it sits on top of much older, softer rock,
0:20:51 > 0:20:54which literally gave way under the colossal weight
0:20:54 > 0:21:00and the land split and slipped away east of where I'm now sitting.
0:21:00 > 0:21:04Though, apparently, it's still moving a few centimetres each year.
0:21:04 > 0:21:07A kind of a slow-motion natural disaster.
0:21:09 > 0:21:13And there's one place among these geological giants
0:21:13 > 0:21:16that really is something to behold.
0:21:16 > 0:21:19At the heart of the Quiraing is the Table,
0:21:19 > 0:21:23an extraordinary, elevated playing field, really,
0:21:23 > 0:21:25where I'm told that Skye men of old
0:21:25 > 0:21:29enjoyed the clash of the ash at a midsummer shinty match.
0:21:31 > 0:21:35As stadiums go, it's hard to imagine one more impressive.
0:21:39 > 0:21:43It would seem that the spectacular is commonplace here.
0:21:43 > 0:21:46And since I've been told that you can't come to Skye
0:21:46 > 0:21:48without fishing for salmon,
0:21:48 > 0:21:52it's no surprise that I'm being taken to a spot that just happens
0:21:52 > 0:21:56to look like something out of The Land That Time Forgot.
0:22:00 > 0:22:03It's a spectacular location for a waterfall.
0:22:03 > 0:22:08It's stunning. Now, this river is called the Lealt.
0:22:08 > 0:22:12Ian Stewart knows these waters well.
0:22:12 > 0:22:15And is the go-to guy for anyone wanting to learn about
0:22:15 > 0:22:18the mystic art of fly-fishing for salmon.
0:22:18 > 0:22:21The thing about fly-fishing is it's not about strength,
0:22:21 > 0:22:23it's about timing.
0:22:23 > 0:22:25When the salmon returns from the saltwater environment,
0:22:25 > 0:22:28as soon as it hits fresh water, it stops feeding.
0:22:28 > 0:22:31It's not capable of eating anything.
0:22:31 > 0:22:34But what we're trying to do is we're trying to trigger an instinctive
0:22:34 > 0:22:37reaction so that it actually grab at something
0:22:37 > 0:22:40which is more-or-less annoying it.
0:22:40 > 0:22:41Right, so I'll have a shot at this.
0:22:41 > 0:22:44- Yes.- I mean, you're casting so beautifully, Ian.
0:22:44 > 0:22:46You're making me realise that it's an art.
0:22:46 > 0:22:47HE LAUGHS
0:22:49 > 0:22:51- So, here we are.- Yeah.
0:22:53 > 0:22:54Yeah. No, that was hopeless.
0:22:54 > 0:22:57It's about timing and rhythm.
0:22:57 > 0:23:00- It's like being a musician.- Yes. - Stringed instrument.- Yes, yes.
0:23:00 > 0:23:02- Single stringed instrument.- It's very, very similar.
0:23:02 > 0:23:03- A rod and line.- Yes, very similar.
0:23:05 > 0:23:07- Yes.- No, absolutely pathetic.
0:23:07 > 0:23:09If you shorten your line now.
0:23:09 > 0:23:10Just shorten the line a wee bit.
0:23:10 > 0:23:12What's the biggest fish you've ever caught?
0:23:12 > 0:23:15The biggest fish I've caught is 18lbs.
0:23:15 > 0:23:18All I can say is you never forget your first salmon.
0:23:18 > 0:23:20I can remember the first salmon
0:23:20 > 0:23:23I caught as vividly today as I did when I was
0:23:23 > 0:23:25- a 14-year-old schoolboy. - You were 14?- Yes.
0:23:28 > 0:23:33After several hours, no fish has taken my fly.
0:23:33 > 0:23:36But at least my technique seems to be improving.
0:23:37 > 0:23:40That's really good, Paul. Really good. You've relaxed.
0:23:40 > 0:23:43- You must feel yourself relax now. - Oh, I'm so chilled.
0:23:43 > 0:23:46Yeah, that's good. That's what fly-fishing's all about.
0:23:46 > 0:23:48Catching a fish is a bonus.
0:23:48 > 0:23:51Now, if I'm lucky enough here to catch a fish,
0:23:51 > 0:23:53I suppose I'll have to release it again.
0:23:53 > 0:23:55Yes, that's right. Since this year,
0:23:55 > 0:24:00the Scottish Government have issued new regulations whereby it's illegal
0:24:00 > 0:24:03now to take a wild salmon from any of the West Coast rivers.
0:24:03 > 0:24:05- Really?- And that includes all Skye rivers.
0:24:05 > 0:24:07- It's illegal?- Yes.- Why is that?
0:24:07 > 0:24:09It's for conservation purposes.
0:24:10 > 0:24:13The wild salmon stocks are severely depleted.
0:24:13 > 0:24:18And, in many respects, anglers are the best conservationists
0:24:18 > 0:24:21because it's in our self-interest to try and make sure
0:24:21 > 0:24:22that the fish survive.
0:24:26 > 0:24:29The new catch-and-release policy still allows anglers
0:24:29 > 0:24:33to enjoy their sport, but, for generations of islanders,
0:24:33 > 0:24:36salmon fishing has been their livelihood.
0:24:40 > 0:24:43All around this coast, there were fishing stations
0:24:43 > 0:24:47where catches were landed in the traditional way,
0:24:47 > 0:24:50using what's known as a bag net.
0:24:50 > 0:24:53To find out more about the history of this fascinating industry,
0:24:53 > 0:24:57I've come to the home of retired fisherman Lachie Gillies.
0:24:57 > 0:25:01Now, you've spent some time at the salmon fishing,
0:25:01 > 0:25:02at one of these stations.
0:25:02 > 0:25:04Yes, I did. I did. That was a while back, though.
0:25:04 > 0:25:08A long time ago, when the salmon was fairly plenteous.
0:25:10 > 0:25:13That's me there at a stop in Ireland.
0:25:13 > 0:25:16And there was a bothy there where you could stay.
0:25:16 > 0:25:19And that's where we slept. Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
0:25:19 > 0:25:22Staffin had five men working in it.
0:25:22 > 0:25:25- So, you would have been one of five. - One of the five, yes.
0:25:25 > 0:25:28I was only, what? A little over 20 years of age at the time.
0:25:28 > 0:25:29Now, the fishing that you were doing,
0:25:29 > 0:25:32- it was quite a complicated system, was it not?- Well, it is.
0:25:32 > 0:25:35You need to pay a lot of attention to what you're doing.
0:25:38 > 0:25:41A big bag net and a smaller bag net inside it.
0:25:41 > 0:25:43It's like a fish trap, in a way.
0:25:43 > 0:25:44It's just a cage.
0:25:44 > 0:25:47- And attached.- A big cage tied onto the shore.
0:25:47 > 0:25:49So, it's a big structure.
0:25:49 > 0:25:51Oh, a big structure altogether, yes.
0:25:51 > 0:25:55But it involved a lot, a lot, a lot of work. Yes.
0:25:57 > 0:26:00- You can see it's a big net, isn't it?- It is a big net.
0:26:00 > 0:26:02These are big poles and that stretched away into the distance.
0:26:02 > 0:26:07Oh, yes. That net when it's wet, after being out at sea,
0:26:07 > 0:26:10it needs four men to carry it. It would make you puff a lot.
0:26:10 > 0:26:12THEY LAUGH
0:26:12 > 0:26:18The day you caught 100 fish or more, the boss at Portree
0:26:18 > 0:26:21would always send down a bottle of whisky.
0:26:21 > 0:26:25- Really?- Yes. So that we would make it another 100 the following day.
0:26:25 > 0:26:27That's a good incentive!
0:26:29 > 0:26:31In the days before fish farms,
0:26:31 > 0:26:36this was how the Scottish salmon, served in restaurants far and wide,
0:26:36 > 0:26:38would mostly have been caught.
0:26:38 > 0:26:41And, occasionally, the men would find something
0:26:41 > 0:26:44rather unexpected in their nets.
0:26:50 > 0:26:52But they looked happy days.
0:26:52 > 0:26:53Ah, yes, they were happy days.
0:26:53 > 0:26:56Yes. Well, you were young and happy.
0:27:02 > 0:27:05Much has changed on Skye since Lachie's day.
0:27:05 > 0:27:08Now, tourism has become the island's main industry.
0:27:09 > 0:27:13But if you feel the need to escape the coachloads of visitors,
0:27:13 > 0:27:16there is still one place that few people visit.
0:27:16 > 0:27:19And that will be my final destination.
0:27:22 > 0:27:27Lying just four miles off the north coast of the Trotternish peninsular,
0:27:27 > 0:27:30Fladda-chuain is one of a chain of tiny islands.
0:27:33 > 0:27:35These were once inhabited,
0:27:35 > 0:27:38but they must have been desperate places to live
0:27:38 > 0:27:41and it makes you wonder at the nature of the holy men
0:27:41 > 0:27:45who once worshipped God from these rocky islands.
0:27:45 > 0:27:49It's said that one of these monks was a giant of a man called
0:27:49 > 0:27:54Gorgon, and he built his hermit cell on the island 1,400 years ago
0:27:54 > 0:27:57when St Columba was on Iona.
0:28:01 > 0:28:05Strangely, the very last man known to have lived on this windswept rock
0:28:05 > 0:28:08was also famous for his size.
0:28:08 > 0:28:12Mullach Mor, the big man from Mull.
0:28:12 > 0:28:16Size obviously does matter when you're on a small island.
0:28:17 > 0:28:21This watery wilderness is an appropriate place
0:28:21 > 0:28:25for me to end my grand tour of the untamed places
0:28:25 > 0:28:28and legendary characters of Trotternish,
0:28:28 > 0:28:31Skye's land of giants and fairies.
0:28:33 > 0:28:36Join me on my next grand tour,
0:28:36 > 0:28:40which hops around Orkney, from Flotta to Sanday.