The Isle of Skye is the largest of the Inner Hebrides. During the 19th century, the inhabitants of Skye were devastated by famine and clearances. It is estimated that circa thirty thousand people were evicted between 1840 and 1880 alone, many of whom were forced to emigrate to the ‘new world.’ Many of these settlers ended up on what is now Canada’s east coast. The Island Register has a PEI Ships Database, which consists of information transcribed about the arrival of immigrants to PEI in the 18th and 19th centuries. Perhaps the best-known group of Skye settlers to come to the Island was the Selkirk settlers who settled in southern Queens County and King’s County in 1803.
Many Islanders, including my sister-in-law, are descended from Skye ancestors. So during our trip there, it was all about Karen. We took as many photos as we could for Karen, and purchased her Christmas gifts during a stop in Portree, the Island’s largest settlement. Known for its picturesque harbour, Portree is a quaint little village.
I was surprised at Skye’s barren landscape – barren, yet magnificent – but there was heather here and there (that we risked our lives to pick on the roadside). Hopefully these images provide an adequate visual of this lovely wee isle.
