ISLE OF SKYE TOURIST BOARD - VISITOR GUIDANCE No.119

ISLE OF SKYE TOURIST BOARD - VISITOR GUIDANCE No. 119 SKYE’S MYTHS, LEGENDS & OTHER MATTERS NOT YET DISPROVED The Isle of Skye has accumulated a considerable quantity of folklore over the centuries. We have warrior queens, giants, ghosts, water horses, faeries, enchanted flags, magical rivers and several hills which may or may not contain people. Some stories are ancient. Some have changed considerably through generations of oral tradition. And some appear to have started after somebody on a minibus tour said something confidently enough that nobody wanted to interrupt. The Tourist Board has therefore prepared this short guide to help visitors distinguish between genuine Highland folklore, geological fact and things Donnie says definitely happened because his grandfather knew a man. THE FAERIES We should begin with an important clarification. Traditional Highland faeries are not necessarily tiny smiling women with wings, glitter and experience in children’s birthday parties. Gaelic tradition speaks of the sìth — supernatural beings associated with hills, particular places and the otherworld. Older Highland stories tend to treat them with considerably more caution than modern tourism does. This is probably sensible. If you encounter a faerie, therefore: Be polite. Do not make promises. Do not accept unexplained food. Do not follow mysterious music into a hill. And under no circumstances ask where the gift shop is. They were here first. THE FAIRY FLAG OF DUNVEGAN This is one of the more inconvenient legends for sceptics because the flag actually exists. The Fairy Flag, Am Bratach Sìth, is kept at Dunvegan Castle and is one of the great treasures of Clan MacLeod. The surviving silk itself is extraordinarily old and has been linked to origins far beyond Scotland. Naturally, this was not considered sufficiently interesting, so faeries became involved. One famous tradition tells of a MacLeod chief who married a faerie woman. After one year and one day, she was required to return to her own people. At their final parting, she left him the flag, which possessed the power to save Clan MacLeod in its hour of greatest danger. The important bit is that it could only be used three times. Tradition says two have already been used. We therefore ask visitors not to request the third because: the weather has turned, the café has stopped serving lunch, the Wi-Fi is down, or somebody has locked the keys in a rented Nissan Qashqai. The third use is being kept for something serious. Possibly the A87. THE FAIRY BRIDGE Near Dunvegan stands the Fairy Bridge, traditionally associated with the farewell between the MacLeod chief and his faerie wife. Visitors expecting a grand supernatural structure surrounded by mist, music and glowing woodland may wish to adjust expectations. It is a small stone bridge. This is normal. Highland supernatural infrastructure has traditionally been rather understated. You may encounter: Water. Grass. Wind. A sheep. And possibly two other visitors wondering whether this is definitely it. It is. THE FAIRY GLEN The Fairy Glen near Uig is one of those places which looks as though faeries have spent several thousand years doing landscape architecture. Its strange conical hills, ridges and lochans are, regrettably for the marketing department, geological features produced by landslip and glacial processes. Even Castle Ewen, which looks suspiciously like the remains of a tiny fortress, is natural. No planning permission was required. Visitors should also note that the stone spirals sometimes seen in photographs are not ancient Celtic monuments. They were made by visitors. Please do not build more. The faeries managed the site perfectly well for several centuries without visitors arriving from Surrey and redesigning it. Leave the stones where geology put them. It has seniority. THE FAIRY POOLS The Fairy Pools at Glen Brittle are clear pools and waterfalls beneath the Cuillin. They are spectacular. They are photogenic. They are also extremely cold. The word “Fairy” does not imply central heating. Visitors sometimes choose to swim. This is entirely their decision. Please understand that calling it “wild swimming” rather than “getting into freezing water voluntarily” does not affect the temperature. Anyone entering in April and immediately producing a noise normally associated with damaged livestock or a broken accordion should not be embarrassed. The faeries have heard considerably worse. SLIGACHAN AND ETERNAL BEAUTY A popular Sligachan legend is associated with the warrior Sgàthach, the Irish hero Cú Chulainn and intervention by the faeries. In one telling, Sgàthach and Cú Chulainn were engaged in what could diplomatically be described as a prolonged disagreement. Sgàthach’s daughter sought supernatural help to bring matters to an end. The waters at Sligachan became associated with beauty and rejuvenation, and the modern ritual involves immersing the face in the river for seven seconds and allowing the water to dry naturally. Seven seconds. Not seven minutes. This distinction has recently become important. Visitors undertaking the ritual should approach carefully, choose a safe place beside the water and remember that the river contains rocks. The faeries may provide eternal youth. They do not provide public liability insurance. The Isle of Skye Tourist Board has recently recognised the considerable commercial potential of this tradition. Details of the Sligachan Eternal Beauty & Rejuvenation Centre are available elsewhere. Donnie holds coats. Charges apply. DÙN SGÀTHAICH At Dùn Sgàthaich — Dunscaith Castle — in Sleat, legend becomes properly ambitious. Sgàthach herself is traditionally associated with the site. She was a formidable warrior woman and teacher of martial arts whose pupils included Cú Chulainn. The surviving castle ruins are medieval, although the location has much older associations. According to legend, aspiring warriors came to Sgàthach for training. The curriculum appears to have involved weapons, combat, extraordinary physical feats and considerably less concern about safeguarding than would be permitted today. No prospectus survives. Tuition fees are unknown. There was almost certainly no online booking. THE OLD MAN OF STORR Geologists explain the remarkable landscape around the Storr through ancient landslips. This explanation is supported by evidence, geology and people with qualifications. Highland folklore naturally offers alternatives. One well-known tale says that a giant lies buried beneath the Trotternish Ridge and that the famous pinnacle is his thumb protruding from the ground. There are other stories involving supernatural beings and figures turned to stone. Visitors may choose whichever explanation they prefer. Geology has several million years of scientific evidence. The giant has better branding. Please do not dig beside the Old Man to establish whether the rest of him is there. The car park is busy enough already. THE CUILLIN The Cuillin were formed through ancient volcanic activity, erosion and geological processes extending across an incomprehensibly long period. There are also legends involving giants and supernatural battles. Anyone who has seen the Black Cuillin disappearing into cloud on a winter afternoon will understand why early inhabitants felt “giants fighting” was quite a reasonable first draft. The Tourist Board remains officially neutral. Geology explains the mountains. Giants explain them more quickly. Neither explains why every weather forecast for them appears to be wrong. LOCH CORUISK AND THE KELPIE Loch Coruisk, surrounded by the Black Cuillin, has long been associated with supernatural stories, including tales of a kelpie. Kelpies are shape-changing water spirits often appearing as horses. They should not be confused with ordinary Highland horses. The practical distinction is that one may allow you to ride it home. The other may drag you beneath the water forever. Visitors should therefore exercise basic judgement around unusually attractive unattended horses beside remote lochs. Do not climb aboard. Do not attempt a selfie. Do not assume it is part of a guided tour. And do not ask whether it connects with the Elgol boat timetable. Use the boat. DUNTULM CASTLE Visitors who prefer ghosts are also well catered for. The ruins of Duntulm Castle in north Skye are associated with several stories of hauntings and tragic deaths. Among the traditional tales are those connected with Hugh MacDonald, Donald Gorm and a nursemaid whose story ends badly at the castle cliffs. The MacDonalds eventually abandoned Duntulm. Historians can discuss the practical reasons. Ghost enthusiasts already have their own theory. The Tourist Board would merely observe that any castle exposed to that much north Skye weather was probably capable of producing strange noises without supernatural assistance. Visitors should remain well away from dangerous cliff edges. If you hear screaming, establish whether it is paranormal before attempting to investigate. This reduces paperwork. GIANTS Skye has had a surprising number of giants. This may partly reflect the island’s dramatic landscape. Large mountains require appropriately large explanations. Before geology became widely understood, “a giant did it” offered an admirably efficient account of many landscape features. No diagrams were required. Modern visitors should not actively search for giants. If one is eventually confirmed, we will issue revised parking guidance. A WORD ABOUT “ANCIENT TRADITIONS” Skye possesses a genuine and rich Gaelic storytelling tradition. Stories were passed orally through generations, so versions naturally differ. This is not a problem. It is folklore. If everybody in the Highlands agreed on exactly what happened, when it happened and who was responsible, we would have lost several centuries of conversation. However, visitors should be aware that not everything described online as an “ancient Skye tradition” necessarily dates back to antiquity. Some traditions are ancient. Some are Victorian. Some are modern. Some appear to be approximately three Facebook posts old. Before participating in any ritual involving rocks, coins, ribbons, trees or removing clothing, further research may be advisable. PLEASE DO NOT INVENT ADDITIONAL TRADITIONS We already have enough. Please do not: Build stone spirals. Stack stones into towers. Hammer coins into trees. Tie ribbons to vegetation. Move rocks into “sacred formations”. Create wishing wells. Announce that touching a particular sheep guarantees fertility. Or tell an entire coach party that licking a boulder ensures seven years of good fortune. Somebody will believe you. By Tuesday it will be on TripAdvisor. By Thursday we will be receiving emails asking where the boulder is. GENERAL SUPERNATURAL GUIDANCE If you encounter: A FAERIE — be respectful. A GIANT — give way. A KELPIE — do not mount. A GHOST — allow it to finish. A CROFTER — shut the gate. Of all these instructions, the last one has the strongest evidential basis. Finally, visitors should remember that Skye’s myths and legends are part of a genuine cultural heritage tied to landscape, language and generations of storytelling. Enjoy them. Respect the places associated with them. Accept that several versions may exist. And remember that not everything on Skye requires a rational explanation. We have lived with the weather for centuries on exactly that basis. ISLE OF SKYE TOURIST BOARD “Where fact ends, folklore begins, and Donnie says he remembers it happening.” [“Fairies” is the modern, familiar spelling, often associated with the small winged variety found in children’s books. “Faeries” is commonly used when talking about the older supernatural beings of folklore — the sìth — who were generally less sparkly, more powerful, and considerably more likely to ruin your afternoon.]