Hi I’m Sarah...
Several years ago I had a stroke during an operation which has left me disabled. Straight after the stroke I was in a wheelchair but now I am able to walk short distances with a walking aid. I use a mobility scooter for longer distances.
Since my stroke there are many places on Skye I have not visited and there are places I still haven’t visited since I moved here nearly 20 years ago. Then one day during a chat with Melanie, over tea and cake (all our chats happen over tea and cake) we were talking about the places I would like to visit. However, I was unsure about accessibility, and an idea was born – Skye For All.
Despite popular belief this is not merely an excuse for us to travel around Skye eating cake and we hope you will find it useful.
Hi I’m Melanie…
I first fell in love with the Isle of Skye in 2000 when I came up on holiday with my husband. Ever since that first visit I have been holidaying up here with ever increasing regularity. That was until 2018 when we packed up our Yorkshire home, business and dogs and moved to Skye. I now lead a much more relaxed but outdoor lifestyle.I am the proud owner of a near 2 acre garden that is more like a jungle, which is shared with my 6 chickens and two Border Collies.
I have always loved the great outdoors. Family holidays were camping holidays all over the UK. In my teenage years I got involved in the Duke of Edinburgh Award and was the first person in my school to achieve the Gold Award. Back then I loved an exhilarating climb up a mountain, now I like to explore at a slightly slower pace.
Despite all my holidays on Skye there are still so many new places to explore. The list only ever gets longer as I discover more nooks and crannies I’ve never visited. I met Sarah through the Way Forward Group in Portree where I volunteer as a carer twice a month. Over lunch one day we hatched a plan to put my outdoor skills and Sarah’s disability to good use.
On reflection…
It seems to us that too many tourists rush their visit to Skye, spending maybe only a day or two sightseeing from the car. They tick off 3 or 4 photos from a list they see on the Internet and say they have seen Skye. Others only ever see Skye from the summit of a Cuillin which is beyond what our fitness will allow! We want people of all ages and abilities to be able to enjoy Skye and experience some of it’s quieter hidden gems. Enjoying the scenery and it’s beauty on foot, in a wheelchair or on a scooter. We want to share with you some beautiful places that showcase all that Skye has to offer.
So here we are – Skye For All.
