The Skye's The Limit! Quiz | Mixed UK

Quiz Answer Key and Fun Facts

1. Talk of Scotland for a while, and the talk will turn to whisky. Skye boasts a distillery of its very own. Its product is one of several mentioned in the Robert Louis Stevenson poem 'The Scotsman's Return from Abroad'. What whisky, described by Michael Jackson (no, not that one!) on the palate as "Full maltiness, slightly syrupy, with sourness and a very big pepperiness developing" is produced at the Isle of Skye distillery?

Answer: Talisker

Talisker distillery is the only one on Skye, and it is set in a lovely location on Loch Harport. Robert Louis Stevenson's poem is from his book 'Underwoods' and the relevant part is

"But maistly thee, the bluid o' Scots,
Frae Maidenkirk to John o' Grots,
The king o' drinks, as I conceive it,
Talisker, Isla, or Glenlivet!"

Translation:

"But mostly thee, the blood of Scots,
From Maidenkirk to John O'Groats,
The king of drinks, as I conceive it,
Talisker, Islay or Glenlivet!"

There are eight distilleries on Islay, and Glenlivet is a Speyside whisky. The other wrong answer is Highland Park, one of my personal favourites, which is from Orkney. If you think that you don't like whisky, my opinion is just that you haven't find the right one for you yet! Enjoy looking for it.

2. A very fine Scottish rock folk band has recorded a song called 'Skye'. The band took their name from a system of land management, which was used until fairly recently in the Highlands. One of their former lead singers was born in Uig on Skye and left the band in 1997 to, of all things, pursue a career in politics, contesting the seat of Ross, Skye and Inverness West, that was eventually won by Charles Kennedy (then leader of the Liberal Democrats). At one time this group were the best sellers in Scotland. What is their name?

Answer: Runrig

Runrig have had many changes in their line-up and their albums have got decidedly mixed receptions. Many of their songs reflect their Celtic roots, in fact their first album, 'Play Gaelic', was entirely in that language. They are still going strong in 2008. I first saw them supporting Chris de Burgh and I recommend the live album 'Once in a Lifetime' if you'd like to sample their unique sound. All the wrong answers are/were 'Celtic folk rock bands' (a surprisingly neglected genre).

3. With a highest peak of 3255 feet (992 metres), what is the range of Black Mountains on Skye called?

Answer: Cuillin

The Black Cuillin are a range of mountains, mainly composed of a mixture of basalt and gabbro. They are visible from most parts of the island and have a very forbidding look! The highest peak is Sgurr Alisdair at 3255 feet (992 metres). A mountain over 3,000 feet is known as a 'Munro', and there are 12 in the Cuillins. People who make a habit of scaling them are known as 'Munro-baggers'.

The meaning of Cuillin is not known, although one theory suggests that it comes from the Old Norse word Kj�len, meaning ridges, hence the Cuillin rather than Cuillins, although some people will say Cuillins. All the wrong answers are Gaelic words, uisge-beatha being whisky, piobaireachd (pibroch) being a pipe lament and claidheamh-m�r (claymore) being a sword.

These are some of the few Gaelic words that have become part of the English language.

4. You may have thought that the Scottish rugby anthem "Flower of Scotland", played before the team's matches, was an ancient clan tune. However, it was written in the 1960s by the late Roy Williamson of 'The Corries'. 'The Corries' also wrote a number of parodies. One, to the tune of 'Ghost Riders in the Sky' is about a hard man from the capital town of Skye. What is the title?

Answer: The Portree Kid

Portree, the capital of Skye, was originally Kiltraglen, but was renamed King's Port (Port-an-Righ in Gaelic, (a tip to pronouncing Gaelic, the letters gh are normally not sounded)), following a visit in 1540 from King James V (and a fleet of warships!) to 'persuade' the clans to support him. Portree is a natural harbour. Uig, Trotternish and Armadale are all towns in Skye.

"A man cam' riding oot the west one wild and stormy day
He was tail, quiet and hungry, his eyes were smokey grey
He was lean across the hurdies, but his shoulders they were big
The terror o' the hielan' glens that was the Portree Kid

He drum ho he drum hey
The teuchter that cam' frae Skye"

'Hurdies' are hips, and a 'teuchter' is roughly equivalent to a 'hick or 'hayseed' - a faintly derogatory word for a highlander.

5. Skye is now connected to the Scottish mainland by a very controversial bridge. So, when I last visited, I was singing "Speed bonny Toyota, Like a car on a bridge, Over the sea to Skye" as I crossed it in my Toyota, in an appalling parody of the 'Skye Boat Song'. Whose escape from whom does the 'Skye Boat Song' supposedly commemorate?

Answer: The Young Pretender Charles Edward Stuart from the English

Following his 1746 defeat at Culloden, Charles Edward Stewart, romanticised as 'Bonnie Prince Charlie', supposedly escaped, with the aid of Flora MacDonald to Skye from Uist, disguised as a serving maid. The song was actually written, by Sir Harold Boulton (a philanthropist and songwriter from Kent) in the 1870s and set to an air collected by Miss Annie Macleod.

"Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,
Onward! the sailors cry;
Carry the lad that's born to be King
Over the sea to Skye."

6. The 'Skye Boat Song' has been recorded many, many times. Which unlikely pair conspired to have a minor hit with it?

Answer: Roger Whittaker and Des O'Connor

It actually managed to make the British Top Ten in 1986. Des did the singing, Roger whistled. I shall say no more. Of the wrong answers, Freddie Mercury (late lead singer of the rock group 'Queen' and the Spanish operatic soprano Montserrat Caball� combined on 'Barcelona' in 1988 (it became the anthem of the 1992 Summer Olympics) and crooner Bing Crosby and the rock singer David Bowie duetted on 'Little Drummer Boy' in 1977.

As far as I know, Ozzy ('Bites the head off bats') and Julie Andrews have never appeared together, but it's an intriguing proposition...

7. Which of these was NOT a clan of the Isle of Skye?

Answer: Clan MacKenzie

The two largest clans were the MacDonalds and the MacLeods, and they had many bloody feuds over the centuries. The full clans of Skye are Clan MacLeod, Clan MacDonald, Clan MacKinnon and Clan MacNichol. Clan MacKenzie is supposedly from Kintail and lands in Ross-shire, and I am a proud sept of that clan (a sept is a descendant from a female, in this case my paternal grandmother). Luceo non uro! (I shine not burn)

8. Skye is the largest island of which group?

Answer: Inner Hebrides

The Hebrides (pronounced Hebri-dees) were perhaps settled as early as 8500-8250 BC, in the Mesolithic era. The site at An Corran in Staffin has sites showing occupation by Mesolithic hunter-gatherers. They were once under the 'Lord of the Isles', a semi-autonomous authority.

The Outer Hebrides and Shetland Isles are also groups of some of the nearly 800 offshore islands of Scotland. Were Skye in the Maldives (an island group in the Indian Ocean), the climate would be marginally warmer...

9. What wildlife would you NOT be able to see in Skye?

Answer: Pine marten

There are no pine martens (nor badgers) on Skye, which is, however, extremely rich in flora and fauna. There are corncrakes around Uig and other birds you could see include golden eagle, peregrine falcon, kestrel, sparrow-hawk, hen harriers, merlin, buzzard and the recently re-introduced sea eagle.

There are also many waders, including curlew, oyster catchers, peewits, sandpipers, snipe, greenshank, dunlin, ring plover and the golden plover. Mammals include foxes, red and roe deer, otters, weasels, stoats, brown hares and rabbits.

There are also seals, whales and dolphins to be seen around the coasts.

10. Which literary pair travelled around the highlands of Scotland on an epic 83 day tour, during which time they spent over a month in Skye?

Answer: Johnson and Boswell

Both Johnson and Boswell wrote books about their journey - Johnson 'Journey to the Western Isles of Scotland' and Boswell 'Journal of a Tour to the Hebrides'. Taking place in 1773, they crossed to Skye on 2 September 1773 and stayed with both the clan chiefs of MacDonald and MacLeod (presumably they weren't feuding at the time).

They also stayed with Flora MacDonald of Bonnie Prince Charlie fame, and left Skye on 3 October.

Source: Author Quiz_Beagle

This quiz was reviewed by FunTrivia editor gtho4 before going online.
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The Skye's The Limit! Trivia Quiz

Skye is one of my favourite islands. Situated off the West coast of Scotland, how much do you know about this remarkable place? I hope you enjoy the quiz. All feedback appreciated.

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