Questions about Skye

[Napoleonic]

Can anybody answer these questions? I am writing a Scottish Historical fiction and could use some help, as I have never been to Scotland and probably won't have a chance to (sadly) anytime soon. Thanks!

1. Can anybody tell me what the terrain is like around Dunvegan Castle?
2. What is the weather normally like on Skye, in the winter/spring?
3. This is a tuffer one that I couldn't find much info about, a history question, can anybody tell me what Skye was like during the early 1800's (surrounding towns, events)
4. Is there a lot of villages around Dunvegan, ones that have been around since the 1800's?

Thanks so much!

[aNonnyMoose]

a) Read some travel books
b) Read some history books
c) Write about something you actually know about.

What's the point in writing a book about a place you obviously know less than zero about?

[Napoleonic]

I have done the research. I have read history books, I have looked and read a little of travel books, and I want to back my research up, not have lectures.

[BornAgainScot]

Reading books about travelling around Skye today makes no sense if you are writing about the island 200 years ago! For instance, this is what Johnson had to say about the journey to Dunvegan when he and Boswell visited in the late 1700s:

We had at last some difficulty in coming to Dunvegan; for our way led over an extensive moor, where every step was to be taken with caution, and we were often obliged to alight, because the ground could not be trusted.

There would have been various routes across the island formed by the cattle drovers, but the first proper roads were only just being proposed in the early 1800s when Telford was building the Parliamentary Roads - most of these would have followed the old drove roads! Maybe you need to read Haldane's two books that cover these routes - or at least the sections that cover Skye - and also the tours taken by Johnson, Boswell and anyone else that visited the island in the late 18th/early 19th century!

Failing that, why not tell us what you know and we'll try to fill in the blanks - otherwise it just looks like you want US to do all your research!

[Napoleonic]

Ok, but it would be kind of hard to tell you what I do know, so I will just tell you what I would like to know more specificly.

Mostly I wanted to talk to some one who lived on Skye or who is there quite often, and who could give me the feel of the terrain. I mean more than your going to get off of web sites and books.

The one history question that would be helpfull if anybody knew, was what was going on in the northern part of Scotland during the early 1800's? I haven't been able to find much on that.

What were those books you were talking about? Do you know where I could get them, they sounded good. Thanks!

[BornAgainScot]

You say you have carried out some research and yet you are asking some pretty basic questions? The terrain of Skye is fairly obvious from looking on the internet and through any guide book on the area. A site on Dunvegan Castle would give you the layout of the building and the land on which it stands! As for what was going on in the northern part of Scotland during the early 1800's - are you sure you've found nothing? There are a great many sites on the internet that cover the events in quite a bit of detail!

I'm sorry, but until you can prove you HAVE done some research I personally don't think anyone will want to waste their time helping! As for the books, I gave you the author's surname so look him up!

[Napoleonic]

Yes, I know what the terrain is generally like, and I have looked at websites, but I want to know from somebody who has actually spent a lot of time there!