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  • [ Gulls squawking ]

  • -Hi. I'm Rick Steves,

  • back with more of the best of Europe.

  • This time, we're gettin' to know the locals,

  • and that includes the seagulls.

  • We're exploring the islands of Scotland.

  • Thanks for joining us.

  • ♪♪

  • ♪♪

  • ♪♪

  • ♪♪

  • Scotland's islands may be on the distant fringes of Scotland,

  • but those who venture here are richly rewarded.

  • As if fortified by the powerful sea,

  • these fabled isles are protectors of tradition --

  • each offering dramatic landscapes,

  • a rich heritage, and a warm welcome.

  • While Scotland has countless islands,

  • we'll visit what I consider the most rewarding:

  • Iona, with its tranquility and ancient Christian heritage;

  • Skye, with its remote and rugged landscapes;

  • and Orkney, with its prehistoric wonders

  • and fascinating World War II history.

  • The United Kingdom includes England, Wales,

  • Northern Ireland, and Scotland.

  • Scotland is ringed on the west by the Hebrides Islands.

  • We'll venture from Oban to Iona and Staffa;

  • then, Skye;

  • and then, in the far north,

  • sail to the Orkney Islands.

  • Oban's been the unofficial capital of Scotland's West Coast

  • ever since the train arrived back in 1880.

  • The hub of the local ferry system,

  • this low-key resort is nicknamed "the Gateway to the isles."

  • Oban's harborfront is lined with Victorian facades

  • recalling the early arrival of tourists

  • just over a century ago.

  • Before then, its economy was dominated by fishing.

  • Even today, a tiny fleet stays busy.

  • When the rain clears, sun-starved Scots

  • enjoy their esplanade and the beach.

  • ♪♪

  • The townscape is dominated by its busy ferry port.

  • The port has long been a lifeline

  • to the Hebrides Islands.

  • Today, it's a popular springboard

  • for island adventurers.

  • The best day out from Oban is the three-island tour

  • and we've caught the early ferry on our way

  • to Mull, Iona, and Staffa.

  • Right away, we're immersed in grand island views.

  • Be on deck to make the most of the experience.

  • After an hour, you approach the isle of Mull.

  • Everything is coordinated and a bus is standing by,

  • ready to take us across the island.

  • Enjoying the drive, you're struck

  • by the pristine scenery, the sparse population,

  • and how Mull feels hardly touched by civilization.

  • On the far west of Mull,

  • another ferry makes the short crossing to the isle of Iona.

  • Iona is tiny, but with a big history.

  • It's just one village, 3 miles long,

  • 150 people, almost no cars.

  • [ Baaing ]

  • It's famous as the birthplace of Christianity in Scotland.

  • ♪♪

  • The year was 563.

  • A nobleman, who became Saint Columba,

  • fought a battle over in Ireland.

  • He won, but was so sickened by the bloodshed

  • that he left his homeland, vowing never to return.

  • According to legend, this was the first piece of land

  • he came to out of sight from Ireland.

  • He stopped here and built a church,

  • which eventually became this abbey.

  • Iona became a center of Celtic Christianity.

  • [ Tender tune plays ] From here, Saint Columba's monks

  • spread the gospel throughout Scotland.

  • This remote, little island was a center of art and learning

  • back when most of Europe was almost illiterate,

  • mired in relative darkness.

  • The exquisitely illustrated Book of Kells --

  • this is a copy on display in Dublin --

  • is perhaps the finest piece of art

  • from Europe's early Middle Ages.

  • Monks wrote it here, on Iona, in the 8th century.

  • Over the next centuries,

  • Columba's monastic community grew

  • in religious importance.

  • The abbey became the burial place for chiefs and kings.

  • According to legend, dozens of ancient kings,

  • Scottish, Irish, and even Scandinavian, rest here.

  • [ Outro plays ] [ Gulls squawking ]

  • After many generations, in about the year 800,

  • Viking raiders were terrorizing coastal communities

  • all across western Europe, including Iona.

  • After one terrible massacre,

  • 68 monks were killed right here on this beach.

  • The survivors packed up their treasures,

  • including the precious Book of Kells,

  • and returned to Ireland.

  • Today, a thoughtful calm

  • pervades Scotland's holiest of islands.

  • After centuries of pillaging,

  • little remains of the original abbey,

  • but if you're interested in tranquility

  • and a bit of meditative peace,

  • Iona is a fine place for a break from your busy itinerary.

  • ♪♪

  • Next, a fastboat takes us to our third island of the day,

  • Staffa -- famous for its bird life

  • and striking volcanic rock formations.

  • ♪♪

  • Our captain gives us a dramatic sneak preview

  • of the fabled Fingal's Cave.

  • He then drops us off for time to explore.

  • Walking across the uninhabited island,

  • we head for the hidden nests of a colony of Atlantic puffins.

  • ♪♪

  • We wait patiently and quietly, observing the hardworking adults

  • bringing home a fishy breakfast for their chicks.

  • ♪♪

  • Hiking along the base of the cliffs,

  • using Staffa's distinctive six-sided basalt columns

  • as stepping stones, we reach Fingal's Cave.

  • ♪♪

  • Peering into the geological darkness,

  • so surrounded by nature, I savor the moment.

  • Enjoying the interplay of the sea and the rocks,

  • I think of the generations of romantics

  • who've stood right here and been inspired.

  • ♪♪

  • [ Jaunty tune plays ] After enjoying

  • our three-island day, we're driving farther north.

  • The drive's scenic, the roads are good,

  • and the traffic's light.

  • ♪♪

  • Ferries connect these islands

  • with Scottish government-subsidized fares,

  • keeping island-hopping inexpensive.

  • Next up, the rugged Isle of Skye.

  • ♪♪

  • Offering some of Scotland's best scenery,

  • the Isle of Skye is understandably popular.

  • Narrow, twisty roads wind around Skye,

  • in the shadows of craggy, bald mountains,

  • and the coastline is ruffled with peninsulas;

  • and sea lochs, or saltwater inlets.

  • Skye, while Scotland's second-biggest island,

  • about a two-hour drive from south to north,

  • has only 13,000 residents.

  • And it's been that way since the Highland Clearances

  • [ Baaing ] back in the 1800s.

  • That's when wealthy landlords decided sheep

  • were better for their bottom line than people.

  • Landless peasants were driven out and, to this day,

  • the island's population is half what it used to be.

  • While plenty of tour buses cover Skye,

  • it's a great place to have your own wheels.

  • The island is dotted with scenic roadside attractions.

  • The Sligachan Bridge offers a classic Skye view

  • and a good reminder to stop the car and get out.

  • The Cuillin mountains tower high above

  • and above the bridge looms the cone-shaped Glamaig Hill.

  • ♪♪

  • Around here, people really know how to have fun with nature.

  • As a matter of fact, every summer, there's a race,

  • from the bridge to the top of that mountain and back.

  • Last year's winner? 44 minutes.

  • [ Flute plays haunting tune ] If you know where to look,

  • the island is strewn with the scant remains

  • of past civilizations.

  • Just a short hike from a handy parking lot

  • is Skye's best-preserved Iron Age fort:

  • Dun Beag.

  • To get the most out of our Isle of Skye road trip,

  • I'm joined by my friend and fellow tour guide

  • Colin Mairs.

  • Exploring this prehistoric stone tower

  • connects us with Skye's distant past.

  • Judging from these stones,

  • the tower once stood much taller.

  • I love scrambling through ruined castles

  • and this one is particularly evocative.

  • -Well, people have been living on the Isle of Skye

  • for thousands of years and this place, if you imagine,

  • it probably had a timber frame inside, three stories high.

  • They would get in here under times of attack.

  • They could gather in here, the community,

  • men, women, children, and their domesticated animals,

  • and we think this was built around about 2,000 years ago.

  • ♪♪

  • -Skye's best home base is the town of Portree,

  • nestled deep in its protective harbor.

  • Portree, with its narrow streets

  • and humble shops, restaurants, and hotels,

  • is the island's largest town and tourism center.

  • As Skye gets more and more popular,

  • Portree gets jammed with visitors in the summer.

  • ♪♪

  • The harborside, once busy with its historic kelp-gathering

  • and herring-fishing economy, like the rest of the town,

  • is now dedicated to tourism.

  • Fish and chips is a standby for a cheap lunch.

  • Grab a spot and enjoy the view.

  • But be on guard.

  • Those seagulls are hungry, too.

  • -[Squawk] -Hey!

  • Well, the gulls are well-fed and, now, it's our turn.

  • Time for a pub lunch.

  • We're here in July

  • and every restaurant in town is busy with tourists,

  • many escaping the heat of southern Europe

  • for the cool of the north.

  • Places that take pride in their food

  • have raised pub grub to new levels:

  • creative dishes, fresh vegetables, and salads.

  • And, anywhere in Britain, I go for the local beer.

  • Here on the island, it's Skye Gold.

  • [ Outro plays ]

  • [ Mid-tempo tune plays ]

  • The highlight of our Isle of Skye visit

  • is driving around the scenic Trotternish Peninsula.

  • The coast is lined with jaw-dropping cliffs

  • plunging into the sea.

  • This one's nicknamed Kilt Rock

  • because its volcanic lava columns

  • look like pleats in a Scottish kilt.

  • A steep climb inland leads to a trailhead

  • at the summit of the Trotternish Ridge.

  • ♪♪

  • Man, we're lucky to have a place to park.

  • -Right.

  • -Skye is well-discovered, these days,

  • but you can still get away from the crowds.

  • Make a point to get out of the car and take a hike.

  • [ Poignant tune sweeps ]

  • ♪♪

  • From here, we enjoy the easy walk

  • across a dramatic escarpment called the Quiraing.

  • ♪♪

  • Hikers are richly rewarded, enjoying unforgettable views

  • of the Isle of Skye and the distant mainland.

  • ♪♪

  • ♪♪

  • In addition to the stunning scenery,

  • there's history and heritage in the land.

  • We stopped at a peat bog that tells a story.

  • Until a generation ago, bogs like these,

  • where organic matter is slowly working its way

  • to becoming coal, were harvested to heat homes.

  • So this is a peat spade?

  • -Yeah, so that's just for cutting the peats.

  • And it's a task like chopping firewood.

  • It's a matter of survival, really.

  • Peat was really important

  • for people historically, on the Isle of Skye.

  • So you would cut the peat from a bog, like this.

  • Then, you'd dry it out, first, put it on the fire,

  • and that lets off a sweet, smoky smell.

  • It's used through the harsh winter, heats the home,

  • provides a fuel source for cooking.

  • It's used widely in the whiskey industry

  • and I really love the smell of burning peat.

  • [ Jaunty tune plays ]

  • -The fine little Skye Museum of Island Life

  • explains how a typical Skye family lived,

  • back in the days when peat was vital to survival.

  • So, what is this?

  • -So, this is a crofting community

  • and it shows how people used to live in Skye.

  • This was quite typical in the 1800s

  • and a croft is basically a small-scale farm,

  • so, small-scale subsistence farming.

  • They didn't own the land, but they lived off the land

  • and paid the rent, as well.

  • -So, this is where the family gathered.

  • -Yep. This is a typical

  • household setting for 1800s Skye.

  • -So, the kitchen would've been where the action is.

  • -Yeah, so they're all around the hearth.

  • You've got the peat burning on the fire

  • and that's burning day and night.

  • People gather around here and they've got things

  • to keep them amused, keep them entertained.

  • They've got a Bible in the Gaelic language

  • because they spoke Gaelic here.

  • They've got musical instruments and that would give them

  • some entertainment, as well.

  • People would get together and have a cèilidh.

  • A cèilidh is a get-together.

  • They have a bit of a gossip,

  • bit of a drink, maybe some whiskey,

  • and then that leads into playing some music, some dancing,

  • and we still use the termilidh today.

  • -So they'd gather 'round the peat fire.

  • They've got their whiskey.

  • They've got their bagpipe, their fiddle,

  • and their accordion. -Yeah. What else do you need?

  • -Neighbors. -[ Chuckles ] Yeah.

  • -Farm communities like this had to be self-sufficient.

  • A blacksmith made all the tools

  • and clothing was woven from local wool.

  • -The people here were self-sufficient

  • to make their own clothes, as well,

  • and they basically could take the wool from their own sheep.

  • They'll spin it into yarn, dye it,

  • and then weave it into tweed on this loom,

  • so the loom was kept very busy.

  • -I hear the word tweed a lot when I'm in Scotland.

  • What is that? -Yeah. So, tweed is basically

  • a coarse, woolen cloth

  • and very famous, from this part of the world.

  • The most famous, really, comes from the neighboring island

  • of Harris. -Oh. The Isle of Harris

  • that's just over there? -Yeah, that's Harris.

  • -The north tip of the Trotternish Peninsula

  • is marked by the crumbling remains of the Duntulm Castle.

  • This was the first stronghold on Skye

  • of the influential MacDonald clan.

  • It offers another wind-blown chance to savor

  • how history and nature mix it up here on the Isle of Skye.

  • ♪♪

  • For our final island,

  • it's a four-hour drive across the mainland

  • and up the northeast coast of Scotland.

  • Before catching our ferry, we make a quick stop

  • at the northernmost tip of the British mainland:

  • John O'Groats.

  • ♪♪

  • It's a fun stop for tourists to snap their

  • "been there, done that" photo

  • with the landmark signpost.

  • But, for us, there's more.

  • Orkney looms just off the coast.

  • [ Outro plays ]

  • ♪♪

  • The Orkney Islands, perched an hour's ferry ride

  • north of the mainland,

  • are remote, historic, and, for the right traveler,

  • worth the effort.

  • Orkney's dramatic cliffs and rock formations

  • seem to herald a different world.

  • The ferry lands in the tiny port of Stromness.

  • ♪♪

  • Stony and humble,

  • you immediately feel an island kind of charm.

  • Orkney's landscape is mostly flat and bald,

  • with few trees and lots of tidy farms.

  • [ Baaing ] ♪♪

  • The blustery weather keeps the vegetation

  • [ Wind whistling ] low and scrubby.

  • Trees just can't grow in the Orkney winds.

  • ♪♪

  • With its sparse population,

  • the island has no traffic lights.

  • Most roads are single-lane and driving here is a joy.

  • Fine, sandy beaches seem always empty,

  • as if lying on them will give you hypothermia.

  • ♪♪

  • Orkney, an archipelago of 70 islands,

  • has about 25,000 people.

  • The main island is called, confusingly,

  • Mainland.

  • The vast majority of Orcadians live in Kirkwall.

  • Tidy and functional,

  • this town's buildings are more practical than pretty.

  • Its pedestrians-only main drag leads

  • from the cathedral down to the harbor.

  • It's a workaday strip, lined with simple shops

  • and busy with locals who all seem to know each other.

  • At the harbor, fishing boats bob

  • and ferries fan out to nearby islands.

  • Today's economy is based mostly on North Sea oil and fishing.

  • ♪♪

  • [ Drumroll ]

  • [ Playing upbeat tune ]

  • The local pipe band brings a ruddy,

  • distinctly Orcadian groove to the town center.

  • ♪♪

  • It's a toe-tapping energy as everybody gathers together.

  • ♪♪

  • [ Cheers and applause ] St. Magnus Cathedral

  • towers above the town center.

  • With centuries of tombstones and its weathered red sandstone,

  • it's a reminder of a long-ago era

  • that shaped this island's culture.

  • The church was built in the 12th century,

  • when Orkney was ruled by Norway.

  • In fact, it was part of a Norwegian parish.

  • Norway's just 170 miles across the sea.

  • The Vikings established Orkney

  • as a trading post in the 9th century

  • and it stayed under Norwegian rule for 600 years.

  • That's why this culture feels more Scandinavian than Celtic.

  • The old Orcadian language, many town names,

  • and the folklore: all Nordic.

  • Stepping inside, you're struck

  • by the stout and harmonious Romanesque design,

  • with its arcade of round arches leading

  • to what must've been an awe-inspiring

  • high altar in the Middle Ages.

  • [ Flute plays haunting tune ]

  • Orkney is small, and its countryside charms

  • are just minutes away by car.

  • To get the most out of our time here,

  • we're joined by my friend and fellow tour guide

  • Kinlay Francis.

  • -And beauty and ancient history.

  • Orkney has two big draws: World War sites

  • and some of the best prehistoric sites in northern Europe.

  • Orkney, at one stage, was the center of civilization,

  • back in the Stone Age.

  • -The island is dotted with monuments

  • recalling the island's distant past.

  • The Stones of Stenness,

  • part of a dozen stones that made a big circle,

  • are a reminder that, 5,000 years ago,

  • Orkney had a busy civilization,

  • with more people then than there are here today.

  • ♪♪

  • At the far western shore,

  • Skara Brae illustrates how some Neolithic people lived.

  • They hunkered down in subterranean homes

  • connected by tunnels.

  • -It was a big community. 150 people living here

  • at one stage.

  • A third of the village remains.

  • Two-thirds were taken away by the North Atlantic.

  • People lived under the ground, in stone-type igloo buildings

  • with turf roofs, and they lived under the ground

  • to keep the weather out, to keep them warm.

  • They were powered by oil lamps,

  • with whale oil and whalebone basins,

  • and a very nice-looking community.

  • ♪♪

  • -And all of this was accomplished

  • without the use of metal tools.

  • This, after all, was the Stone Age,

  • before people learned to make and use metals.

  • A few miles away, sitting quietly

  • in what seems like just another field,

  • is a remarkable burial mound.

  • Maeshowe is the finest chambered tomb north of the Alps.

  • For 5,000 years, people have lowered their heads

  • to enter this sacred place.

  • ♪♪

  • ♪♪

  • Wow! This is great.

  • Tell me about this place.

  • -This is a burial chamber

  • and to our right and our left and behind you

  • are three tombs. -Mm-hmm.

  • -On winter solstice, at sunset,

  • the sun streams through this position here

  • and illuminates the back chamber.

  • -Wow! -The stone is sandstone

  • and it's been hand-carved and corbelled,

  • vaulted into position, to make this beautiful chamber.

  • And how Neolithic man managed to build this structure,

  • no one really knows.

  • [ Outro plays ]

  • [ Tranquil tune plays ]

  • -Orkney's arch of scattered islands

  • forms one of the world's largest natural harbors.

  • It's called Scapa Flow.

  • In the 10th century, Vikings sheltered their warships here

  • and, 1,000 years later, in the 20th century,

  • so did the British.

  • Scapa Flow was a critical base for Britain's

  • Royal Navy. [ Chord strikes ]

  • Back during World War I, to prevent German U-boats

  • from sneaking between the little islands

  • that define this harbor, dozens of old ships

  • were intentionally sunk, to block the gaps.

  • You can still see many of these "block ships"

  • breaking the surface today.

  • But they didn't really do the job,

  • as Britain learned, tragically, at the start of World War II.

  • -In 1939, a few weeks after the start

  • of the Second World War,

  • a German U-boat slipped through a position

  • just like this, into Scapa Flow

  • and torpedoed a British battleship at anchor.

  • Over 800 men were lost.

  • As a result of this, the British sent

  • tens of thousands of troops here, to Orkney,

  • to fortify the island

  • with gun batteries and ships and airfields,

  • and it became known locally as Fortress Orkney.

  • -Britain built barriers to make the harbor safe

  • from more surprise attacks.

  • Winston Churchill visited and decided to connect the islands

  • by building causeways out of concrete blocks.

  • Today, tourists drive along these Churchill Barriers

  • as they explore the island.

  • ♪♪

  • Orkney's most charming wartime sight is its Italian chapel.

  • Italian prisoners of war helped to build the Churchill Barriers.

  • They were given these two prefab Quonset huts

  • and, during their free time, they were allowed to scavenge

  • whatever wartime scraps they could find to decorate them.

  • They built a beautiful little Catholic chapel

  • that reminded them of their homeland.

  • [ Melancholy tune plays ] Inside, you can see

  • the creative work of those Italian prisoners:

  • light fixtures made from ration tins,

  • candleholders fashioned from brass shell casings,

  • and painted windows with the illusion

  • of radiant, stained glass.

  • Above the altar, Mary holds the baby Jesus,

  • who holds an olive branch,

  • a kind of prayer for peace.

  • The chapel was completed in 1944,

  • just two months before the Italians who built it

  • were free to go home.

  • [ Chord strikes, mid-tempo tune plays ]

  • These Scottish islands each have a distinct personality:

  • Orkney, with its quirky history;

  • Iona, with its spiritual heart;

  • Staffa, with its remote wildlife;

  • and Skye, with its majestic nature.

  • [ Music climbs, intensifies ]

  • [ Chord strikes ]

  • [ Gulls squawking ]

  • I hope you've enjoyed our island adventure

  • across the friendly and scenic fringes of bonnie Scotland.

  • Thanks for joining us. I'm Rick Steves.

  • Until next time, keep on travelin'.

  • [ Microphone crackling ] -Ah!

  • -Don't push. -Ow!

  • ♪♪

  • Ow! Oops.

  • -Yeah. There's a lot of sheep around,

  • so you'd better watch your step. -Thank you.

  • -They call them the Skye landmines.

  • [ Laughter ] -The Skye landmines.

  • -The MacDonalds against the MacLeods.

  • -Aye. -Aye, give me a sword

  • and a kilt, and I'm on my way.

  • This time, we're getting to know the locals,

  • and that includes the pigeons.

  • -Seagulls. -Seagulls! Seagulls.

  • [ Squawking ]

  • ♪♪

[ Gulls squawking ]

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蘇格蘭和島嶼 (Scotland& Islands)

  • 115 4
    Amy.Lin 發佈於 2021 年 01 月 14 日
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