Tour Scotland travel video, with Scottish music and song, of the Cuillin mountains, Scottish Gaelic: An Cuilthionn or An Cuiltheann, on visit to Isle of Skye, Inner Hebrides. The main Cuillin ridge is also known as the Black Cuillin to distinguish it from the Red Cuillin, na Beanntan Dearga, known locally as Red Hills, which lie to the East of Glen Sligachan. The Red Cuillin are mainly composed of granite, which is paler than the gabbro, with a reddish tinge from some angles in some lights, and has weathered into more rounded hills with vegetation cover to summit level and long scree slopes on their flanks. These hills are lower and, being less rocky, have fewer scrambles or climbs. The highest point of the red hills is Glamaig, followed by Garbh bheinn and Blà Bheinn. The peaks of the Black Cuillin mountains are mainly composed of gabbro, a very rough black igneous rock which provides a superb grip for mountaineers, and basalt, which can be very slippery when wet. . The highest point of the Cuillin, and of the Isle of Skye, is Sgùrr Alasdair in the Black Cuillin at 3,255 feetThe summits of the Cuillin are bare rock, jagged in outline and with steep cliffs and deep cut corries and gullies. Twelve Black Cuillin peaks are listed as Munros, though one of them, Blaven, is part of a group of outliers separated from the main ridge by Glen Sligachan. The Cuillin is one of 40 National Scenic Areas in Scotland.
The Skye Boat Song is about the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie, over the sea to the Isle Of Skye, after his defeat at Culloden in 1746. The author of this song, often used as a lullaby, is unknown.
(Chorus)
Speed bonnie boat like a bird on the wing
Onward the sailors cry
Carry the lad that's born to be king
Over the sea to Skye
Loud the wind howls, loud the waves roar,
Thunderclaps rend the air
Baffled our foes, stand by the shore
Follow they will not dare
Chorus
Many's the lad fought on that day
Well the claymore did wield
When the night came, silently lain
Dead on Culloden field
Chorus
Though the waves heave, soft will ye sleep
Ocean's a royal bed
Rocked in the deep, Flora will keep
Watch by your weary head
Chorus
Burned are our homes, exile and death
Scatter the loyal men
Yet e'er the sword cool in the sheath
Charlie will come again.
Chorus
All photographs are copyright of Sandy Stevenson, Tour Scotland, and may not be used without permission.
View the most recent Tour Scotland photographs.
1 comment:
Skye boat song sung by Scottish singer Kenneth McKellar is one of my favourite songs!
Post a Comment