Following on from my long-COVID diary, I’m on a week’s holiday on Skye. As I intend to be a bit more regular and more detailed, I’ve separated this out from the usual one. That gives a better intro. Suffice to say I have hopes that I’m somewhat recovering, which is part of the reason for logging in a bit more detail what I do.

4 September 2020

Travel day. Was later on the road than planned, which of course set everything back. No hassle on the roads until Perth. Details at the first roundabout, then more between Dunkeld and Ballinluig. The bonus was the first bit of dualling on the A9 is now open, so the 50mph limits have gone there.

Lunch at House of Bruar – had hoped to make The Pottery, but delays meant I was due a break. With my food limitations, soup was about the only option, but treated myself to Paradise Slice too. Back on the road and it went ok until Laggan. Cattle herding (somehow feels old-fashioned – I’ve been too long in Edinburgh!) was a short delay, but meant I was stuck behind slow traffic. This was the case for over an hour until I reached the Cluanie Inn. I did pull over a couple of times for pics, but still caught up to other vehicle quickly.

Tea and carrot cake there in the bakery. Another new thing. Or new to me. A few miles of a free run before stuck behind traffic again. This wasn’t too bad until Kyle, but once on Skye was pretty painful again. Past Portree it got a little better. Apart from a stone getting thrown up and chipping my windscreen. As its heated it won’t be cheap to replace.

Arrived at the cottage almost seven and half hours after leaving. Its generally pretty good, but smells of smoke from the fires. Didn’t feel too tired, but threw dinner in the oven and watched the cricket.

5 September

Didn’t sleep as well as I’d like, but not totally terribly. Have completed the 5 nights for the Biostrap to configure. It seems to think I’m sleeping better than I feel and picking up more than I am. Maybe I just lie very still when I wake up early and fool it! After the usual breathing and meditation, came up with a plan for the day over breakfast. There’s a 5km walk suggested on Waternish – seems the right balance to see how I’m doing.

Pair the HRM to my phone instead of the iPad so can track that live and record. Although its less than 10km as the crow flies, it took twice that driving and single track roads, even quiet ones, slow you down. Set off and messed up pretty quickly. Missed the path turning (passing again later, I can see why) and headed up the hill on a track. Even trying to take it really slowly was worried it was a bit too much.

When I realised I was going the wrong way, I cut back across some open land, ducked round some trees and found the correct path. This had the views I was promised 🙂

Nevertheless, it was steadily upwards, steeper than I had anticipated and I wasn’t at all sure. After slowly progressing I reached the edge of the trees and a sign saying ‘Cliff Path’: I remembered it was on the route description, but couldn’t remember why! Checking my BPM I saw it has just spiked to 129, which was much higher than I wanted. The wind and rain had picked up, or the lack of tree shelter made them more obvious. Heading onto the moorland seemed unattractive, so I carried on up the clifftop a little. This turned out to be a mistake – I quickly realised I was past my limit for now. I’d been going an hour, BPM mostly over 100. Too much.

I turned round and slowly descended. I was still careful, but it was uneventful. An hour and half to cover 4km.

Back home I had to have a lie-down – definitely overdone it. I chilled the rest of the afternoon. Tried the jacuzzi bath, but it didn’t work and the water was barely warm enough. I tried to book some eating out, and eventually got something for tomorrow (forgetting about my regular weekly team call!)

I felt a bit better in the evening, but tried to relax. Film was The Lady Vanishes, and old Hitchcock film. Have the feeling I saw it a long time ago, but was nicely amusing for a thriller.

6 September

Whether from lack of sleep or tiredness, I slept pretty well. Time on exhale test still unchanged, but the hold test is much improved. But my chest hurts again and a bit more tired. My Biostrap app tells me it should be a recovery day – only 27/100! But its nice outside and I don’t want to do nothing so I decide on an easy walk: the Coral Beaches north of Dunvegan. Actually, I’m thinking it might have been the smart choice for yesterday.

The weather smegged out as I was leaving the cottage and the mist was down most of the way to Dunvagen. The car park was stowed out, but fortunately someone left as I was turning so I got a space.

Put my waterproof on and faffed with my HRM. Guess the battery died on it. Quickly realised this wasn’t working: I was tired and really feeling the cold, even with the wind at my back. I decided to just do a couple of km and keep it to my normal exercise walk. Walked really slowly and reached a little rise before the beach before turning back.

Got burnt off by a couple walking back, but that was ok. The cold wasn’t. Drove straight home. Cooked my ‘dhal’ for lunch and even that took a bit out of me. Nothing but rest this afternoon. Have put my dressing gown on over my clothes for warmth. The heaters here don’t hack it.

Dinner was at the Old School Restaurant in Dunvegan. Superb scallops for starters and beef cheek for main course. The cloutie dumpling for dessert was a bit of a letdown however – the dangers of being able to cook it yourself. But I needed to get out – my mood was rather down.

7 September

With a score of 37 on my Biostrap telling me to take it easy today, it was maybe opportune that the weather was still minging. So I chilled for most of the day. I had the desire to finish Walden. Sometimes I can’t figure myself out: I love reading, but when I get into a book I am dying to finish it so I can move onto the next one. This was either deep or boring, or perhaps both. Anyway, I did finish it, split by lunch and some gentle exercises to stretch a few things.

The good news is this afternoon the weather finally lifted a bit. I’d spotted a path sign just past Edinbane which looked reasonably flat and not too long on the map, so thought I’d try it. Actually, I made a complete mess of it. Followed a sheep track into a (fairly dry) bog. Walking through the hummocks and holes was a big effort and pushed my BPM up drastically. I cut back to the road and found the path, but prudence took over – I breathed my way gently back to the car.

But I did do something productive – the map doesn’t suggest any good paddleboard launching places around Kildonan. But there is a pier across the Loch. I checked it out and looks promising. If the wind stays down, then I have a plan for tomorrow!

8 September

I suspect this will turn out to be the best day of my trip. The weather was bright, though the breeze was a bit stronger than expected. This gave me a slight concern, as it was from the south which would blow me away from land with my planned paddle. So I checked the map, found a jetty at Calbost with some islands nearby and mostly south of the launch point. So I threw my stuff in the car and headed off.

9 September

Today was my sociable day. Ian had suggested meeting at 11 in Portree, so it was a small effort to be up and on time. For all I loved what I did yesterday, overdid it and need to recover. Biostrap recovery score at 25 and telling me to rest. Maybe I should have followed its advice.

Nice tea and cake in The Birch with Ian, then a short stroll down to the harbour before he had to head off to Uig. He had suggested the point on the far side of the harbour as a nice gentle walk. There was a circular version, Scorrybreac, but as it went up a hill later on it seemed best avoided. I had originally thought to have lunch, then walk but as the weather was nice I thought no time like the present. And Jo had texted to say she could meet today so I was going to be hanging around in town anyway.

So I set off on foot. Although it was less than 2km to the viewpoint at the point, this was probably all I should have walked. Unfortunately I had to come back too! But it was nice – the weather stayed dry, the view across to the harbour and round the corner to Raasay were cool and there were plenty of cormorants and gulls on the rocks at the point.

I walked back very slowly, feeling very tired. And annoyed at the extra bit to the car to top up my parking ticket – especially as I should have driven to the starting point. Then the cafe I wanted to go to for lunch had too long a queue so I found another in the square. The goats cheese salad was excellent so was happy with my choice in the end.

Jo wasn’t arriving until 4:30, so I had an hour to kill. Foolishly, I wandered out to the headland above the harbour. Although minimal ascent, the rain had started and the wet vegetation spread the water into my trainers and trousers. I took shelter in a market in a hall. Didn’t buy anything, but leant on a perch in the hallway reading A Study in Scarlet on my tablet to kill time while sheltering from the rain.

Meeting Jo was a bit confusing as we stood at differing staircases, but eventually we found each other. A nearby bar served tea and we caught up on the 15 years since we last saw each other! We went for fish and chips and I headed, exhaustedly, back to the cottage.

10 September

Funnily enough after yesterday’s exertions (apparently over 15,000 steps!) I’m tired today. Didn’t sleep that well and woke up early. Still lay a while longer in bed as I felt I needed it. The message on my recovery score (37) is take it easy, and no further urging needed.

Felt a little better when I got into gear and did my simple stretches routine. Quads are still stiff after Wednesday, so good to stretch them a bit. Checked Edinbane for lunch, but its closed so went back to the Dunvegan where I stopped a couple of days before. This time I had the cullen skink (tempted by, but resisting, the bread) followed by carrot cake. A little shopping and a walk round a ruined church finished my excursion.

Back at the cottage, finished A Study In Scarlet. Nice to read again, though felt a little slight now. Still amazed at my desire to finish for its own sake, yet have to get onto something else. Started packing but focus on relaxing for my last afternoon.

11 September

Kicked out early from my cottage, but weather not great again. A couple of wee strolls and sitting reading or chilling in the car until today’s highlight: lunch at the Three Chimneys. Not point in half-measures, so did the whole four courses. Was really good, service immaculate and definitely a nice way to finish my trip 🙂

Drive home uneventful. Felt slow in places, but still managed it in less than 6 hours of driving so can’t have been too bad. Really tired though. Biostrap recovery was Medium this morning (55) so not entirely surprised that I have tired myself out.

So holiday over, back to the normal long-COVID diary.