It feels like the most remote place I have ever been. A lovely drive from Fort William to Kyle of Lochalsh and to Skye. The Isle of Skye has an almost primeval feel about it. Soaring mountains, wooly sheep; tiny crofters cottages nestled into the hills. Milovaig is on the most westerly point of Skye and looking out the window I can see a dozen seals sitting on the rocks. I walked about 25km today to the lighthouse and over the most remote hills. I am totally intrigued by the sheep. The lambs are a crack up to watch; they are so cute. Last night driving back from the stunning Three Chimneys restaurant I had to stop the car three times in the freezing cold as the sleeping sheep were all over the road. They had no intention of moving. If you could picture me on a tiny road, no houses, no lights, driving a manual car in the pitch black, and these amazing looking sheep, with their lambs, just snoring peacefully despite me and my car. I had to  get out of the car and literally push them off the road; they gave me the most foul looks.

The Three Chimneys was stunning. A gorgeous white washed house; similar to most others in this remote part of Skye. Everyone who I have met told me that if I had a chance I should try and eat at the Michelin starred restaurant in the middle of nowhere. I emailed them and luck had it that they had one vacancy at their kitchen table. While they have a beautiful restaurant; with conventional seating, the kitchen table is literally that. A table for six in the middle of the restaurant kitchen. The eight course Taste of Skye menu was beautifully presented and the company really lovely. At the table was a delightful young female psychiatrist from North Carolina, an economist and banker from Chicago, and two German mathematicians who were living in Edinburgh. It was such fun watching the chefs at work and we were free to wander around watching and chatting. I can’t imagine what it must be like to try and cook in an incredibly busy restaurant kitchen with six nuisances peering over your shoulder. It was fantastic watching our food be cooked and seeing how calm and organised the kitchen was – nothing like Gordon Ramsay. We had beautiful food:

Loch Bracadale brown crab parfait, apple, mull cheddar and sorrel; Colbost skink, Marag Dubh and talisker crumb with croft egg yolk; Loch Dunvegan lobster and prawn gratin, fennel bree; Sconser king scallop with asparagus, blood orange, and seaweed dressing; Black Isle black face lamb flank and Haggis with needs and ransoms; Lochalsh venison with rhubarb, ginger and crowdie, and Cairnsmore goats cheese, poached pear and pecan crumble. For our last course we had a lesson in making soufflé. The hot marmalade soufflé with drambuie syrup and mealie ice-cream was gorgeous and I can’t wait to practice at home.

Sue, I think we need to send Jack to work there. There were lots of lovely young chefs that all reminded me of Jack and it would give us an excuse to visit – not that one needs one.