书城外语英语PARTY——高地之邦·苏格兰
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第9章 宜人风景Natural Scenery(2)

Sometimes referred to in Gaelic poetry and song as Eilean a, Cheò (The Misty Isle), Skye is renown for its natural beauty, history and wildlifewildlife n.野生动植物.

The second largest island in Scotland at 1700 km2 (656 mi2), Skye has some of the most dramatic and challengingchallenging adj.引起挑战性兴趣的, 挑逗的 mountain terrain in Scotland, including the Cuillin, as well as a rich heritage of ancient monuments, castles, and memorials.

The south west side of Skye is a series of peninsulas, including Sleat, Strathaird, Minginish and Duirinish, with Waternish and Trotternish to the north west. Surrounding islands include Raasay, Scalpay and Soay.

The Cuillin Hills, the Red Hills and Blaven have long been favourites with climbers and walkers. If you don,t fancy the high places, the deeply indented coastlinecoastline n.海岸线 means you are never far from the sea.

Wildlife abounds on the Island, with birds from the tiny Goldcrest to magnificent Golden Eagle, mammalsmammals n.哺乳动物 from Pygmy Shrew to Red Deer and fish from Saithe to Salmon. If you are lucky you might catch sight of the elusive Otter playing on the shore. The wide range of geology and topography provides habitats for many wild flowers.

Culture

Of all the Inner Hebrides, Skye has the most in common with the Outer Hebrides, with nearly half the population speaking Gaelic, and many belonging to the Free Church of Scotland, known for its strict observance of the SabbathSabbath n.安息日.

The Talisker Distillery, which produces a single malt whisky, is beside Loch Harport on the west coast of the island.

Dunvegan Castle has been the seat of Clan MacLeod since the thirteenth century.

The Isle of Skye has been immortalisedimmortalise v.使不灭, 使不朽 in the traditional song “The Skye Boat Song” and in the book “To the Lighthouse by”.

Visit the Island

As you travel around the Island it,s not unusual to hear snatches of Scottish Gaelic, the indigenousindigenous adj.本土的 language of the area. Gaelic culture and heritage pervade the atmosphere, each part of the Island having its own tales of times past and plans for the future.

Starting from Armadale, docking point for the ferry from Mallaig, the tour heads north through Sleat to Broadford. From Broadford we head west via Luib & Sconser to the Cuillins and Sligachan, then up through Portree to Trotternish and Staffin.

After rounding the northern of the Island and passing Duntulm we head south through Uig then west to Dunvegan, before turning east again around the shores of Loch Bracadale and up Glen Drynoch. This brings us back to Sligachan and then Broadford. Our finishing point is Kyleakin and the Skye Bridge.

Even without detours, driving this route (approx. 140miles) would occupy the best part of a day, or a whole day if you allow for a few photography stops and time to eat.

Taken at a leisurely pace, adding the odd detourdetour n.便道, 绕路 vi.绕路而行 vt.使绕道 or excursionexcursion n.远足, 游览, 短程旅行, 远足队, 离题, [物]偏移, 漂移 and stopping at the museums, galleries and other attractions the route could easily form the basis for a longer stay on the Island.

Whether you,re a potential first time visitor or one of the many people who are drawn back to Skye time and again we hope you will find our information and links useful.

Skye is bigger than many people imagine!

John o, Groats

天涯海角

天涯是Land Ended,从Inverness 沿着A9一直向北走,走到尽头就是英国本土的最北边。这里有一个牌子,告诉你大不列颠岛本土到此为止。那个地方叫 John o,Groats。 海角是在离天涯不远的地方,一个壮观的大悬崖,悬崖距离海平面大约三百米高。那里有一个U形的悬崖,裸露的石头被风蚀成一层层的横断面,横断面上栖息着数以万计的各种鸟,鸟的叫声汇成了一个天然的鸟类大合唱,美妙无比。悬崖上红色的石头被各种鸟粪染成五颜六色,在碧蓝的大海的映衬下十分壮观。站立在悬崖上你可以看到从海里冒出来的各种形状的怪石头,有的像巨大的冰淇淋,有的看起来像巨大的蘑菇,还有的看着就像是一个人坐在那里观海。令人佩服大自然的奇妙,真可称是天斧神工。

John o, Groats (Taigh Iain Ghròt in Scottish Gaelic) is a village in the traditional county of Caithness, in the Highland region of Scotland, and is usually regarded as the most northerly settlement on the Great British mainland. The actual location of the most northerly point, however, is at nearby Dunnet Head.

The name, John o, Groats has a particular resonanceresonance n.共鸣, 回声, 反响, 中介, 谐振, 共振, 共振子, 极短命的不稳定基本粒子 because it is so often used in outliningoutline n.大纲, 轮廓, 略图, 外形, 要点, 概要 vt.描画轮廓, 略述 the length of Great Britain when races, walks and charitable events take place between the Cornish point, Land,s End (at the extreme western tip of the Cornish peninsula in England) and John o, Groats. The phrase Land,s End to John o, Groats is frequently heard both as a literal journey and as a metaphor for great or allencompassing distance.

The punctuation and capitalisation in John o, Groats is the correct form. The space after o, appears to vary but was probably the correct older form.

John O,Groats is the furthest village from Land,s End on the British mainland-a full 876 miles separates the two points. The name derivesderive vt.得自 vi.起源 from Jan de Groot, one of three brothers who arrived in the area in 1496 with a commission from King James 1V to operate a ferry between the mainland and Orkney. The area is still very much a farming and crofting area. The small harbour is mainly used by lobster and crab fishing boats.

A passenger ferry still runs from John O,Groats to Orkney during the summer months and you can take a day tour of the islands. The ferry company also run daily wildlife tours round the cliffs and Stoma. A high speed jet boat does trips round Stroma or over to the Stacks of Duncansby-an exciting speed trip stopping to let you see the sites.

There is an interesting craft complex at John O,Groats comprising knitwearknitwear n.编结的衣物, 毛织类, candle making, a pottery and a satin craft studio. There is also a small museum called “The Last House”.

Loch Lomond

洛蒙特湖

洛蒙特湖是英国最美丽的湖泊Loch Lomond。洛蒙特湖成新月状,全长40公里,最宽处仅为8公里,而为岩石所夹得最窄处只有1.2公里,但她的面积仍是全苏格兰最大,在这个全英最美的湖泊中据说至今生活着仙人和妖精。要去那里最好从皇后车站下车在Baloch下车,从这里可以乘船在湖上畅游,这里的景色迷人,是超出人的想像的,特别是天气好的时候,仿佛画卷,湖边不断有城堡出现,其中有青年旅社,也有麦克尔·杰克逊住过的五星酒店。湖水是黑色的,可见湖水很深,中间有很多小岛点缀,港湾里随波摇摆的小船上总是停满叽叽喳喳的水鸟,小桥旁更是有成群的天鹅,非常的舒服,让人流连忘返,如果有时间,建议大家在城堡里住上一晚,体验一下苏格兰的古老和优美。湖旁有一个国家公园,可以在里面摆放城堡和英国园林,登高俯瞰洛蒙特湖,更是美不胜收!