I am a very lucky lady. When I went to the Do What You Love Retreat this year I made friends with book artist Rachel Hazell who was teaching the book binding workshop. Rachel loves making and reading and collecting books and travels all around the world (a lot) teaching inspiring workshops. Rachel has been a great support during my months of book writing, and in the summer when I was moaning about not having had a holiday (that was before Brighton and Wales turned out to be productive AND relaxing) she invited me to share her annual trip up to The Isle of Skye to stay in the Timber House.
Timber House has been beautifully designed with huge windows so you can make the most of the far reaching views.
Timber House has been beautifully designed with huge windows so you can make the most of the far reaching views.
It is SO comfy and cosy in there with underfloor heating and a wood burning stove, so if the wind is howling and the rain is horizontal (like it was a lot of the time) you don't mind having to stay indoors at all!
The house looks out over Loch Dunvegan so we could keep an eye on the wildlife. We got a quick glimpse of an otter splashing about and one morning we watched a sea eagle circle majestically around the house. I saw him again out of the bathroom window while I was having a shower! We were visited each day by a weasel (or was he a stoat?) running over the decking, one day he was carrying a mouse home for his dinner. When the rain stopped I ventured down to sit on a rock by the foreshore to watch the lovely seals poking their inquisitive heads out of the water.
The house looks out over Loch Dunvegan so we could keep an eye on the wildlife. We got a quick glimpse of an otter splashing about and one morning we watched a sea eagle circle majestically around the house. I saw him again out of the bathroom window while I was having a shower! We were visited each day by a weasel (or was he a stoat?) running over the decking, one day he was carrying a mouse home for his dinner. When the rain stopped I ventured down to sit on a rock by the foreshore to watch the lovely seals poking their inquisitive heads out of the water.
Rachel said that I would love the Coral Beach and she was absolutely right!
These golden 'sands' are made up of the richest mosaic of tiny pieces of coral and shell.
The sun made an appearance lighting up the beach!
Look at the textures...
and the colours....
Timber House was the BEST house for yoga and we did a good hour every morning looking at the big sky. We spent a lot of time talking, thinking, planning and eating. The Three Chimneys Restaurant was a treat on my last night!
Rachel showed me how to make an origami box so I could take home my handful of beach!
It was a long old trip home but the coach from Syke to Glasgow was the most awesome bus journey I have ever been on. Six hours of absolutely stunning scenery. We passed mountain, lochs and forests, we passed Ben Nevis, Glencoe and Loch Lomand. Amazing and it only cost ten pounds too, for all that beauty!
And now home and not planning to go anywhere really until Rachels book making workshop on the Summer Isles next March (wanna come? check it out!). It's time to embrace the crazy Christmas weeks ahead! I'm ready!
12 comments:
You spent really great time together in beautiful nature. Thank you to share that with us :)
Hannah - this looks blissful! I'm going to check it out. I want to go too! Hope it was as productive for your work as it was nurturing for your soul. Thanks for sharing your experience.
ah I love these photo's! we went for our holidays to Skye in August and it was absolutely beautiful!, I saw the house you stayed in and visited the coral beach, such a wonderful part of the word the views are food for the soul, here are my photo's. glad you had a fab time :)
http://lilsonnysky.blogspot.com/search?q=Skye
Looks amazing! Rachel has been so many places, what an amazing woman and her classes sound a dream, one day... x
So lovely to have a wee glimpse of your trip to skye. And looking forward to the Summer Isles too !
I loved Coral beach too! lovely to relax into your yoga with such views and wildlife.
xx
Looks like an amazing place- the photos are beautiful. I especially like the one of Rachel- captures her well. Did the caption refer to her or the actual sun? The colours of her outfit are so sun like...
I really enjoyed your pictires Hannah. I spent my honeymoon in Achmore and we spent many happy days on Skye. In fact I wear a ring (I call it my second wedding ring), bought from a silversmith there. We plan to take our little girl there soon.
Best wishes
Lorrie
It's so lovely to read all of your comments. It seems like Syke holds many happy memories for many of us doesn't it! x
oh that looks amazing! so jealous! now I know where those tweets were coming from and what you were up to. love the change in scope from massive landscapes to the coral sand shapes xx
Wow, what a beautiful place!
Oh! I was just thinking, 'what a beautiful post,' and then I read that you're coming here, to the Summer Isles, for Rachel's book binding workshop. Excellent! It's going to be great. We'll look forward to meeting you.
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