Hikes, drams and foodie fare on Scotland’s largest and most iconic island
Skip to
Guide to Skye, Scotland
Looking across the serene sea to the isles of Rùm and A’Chill, inhaling a lungful of the fresh air, zero sound is carried on the breeze. The silence is a far cry from the roars of thunder that were to shake us from our beds that evening. Tiny white birds, disturbed by the lapping water, sweep across the gentle waves and in a meticulously organised flock, re-settle on their sandbank.
On one of Scotland’s most iconic isles, you can experience torrential rain, whipping winds or calm, penetrating sunshine, all in 24 hours. Nicknamed The Misty Isle for a reason, it’s always best to be prepared on Skye.
Away from Scotland’s mainland, Skye has that isolated ‘island’ fee. But now with the added convenience of the traffic bridge, it is also easily accessible. This makes it a popular holidaying destination for anyone exploring the Highlands and Islands and all the beauty, gastro cuisine and activities it offers.
Here is your essential guide on travelling Skye. Where to fill up on delicious food sourced from Scotland and where to walk it off. Don’t forget your midge-repellent if you visit in late summer, those buggers have a penchant for human flesh.
If you’re travelling the Highlands, see my other article, Scottish Highlands Guide for recommended stop-offs and the complex and gripping history hidden in the hills.
How you should do it
To take in the wilderness of Skye, sampling the local food and whisky and admiring its dramatic scenery at a decent pace, you should allow yourself 3 – 4 nights minimum. We rented a motorhome from Goboonys rentals, who put you in touch with local owners. We started and ended our trip in Glasgow, a good option if you want to see the city and drive through Glencoe. But it’s a long way from Skye. The drive from the nation’s culture capital will take up to 6 hours to get you to the isle.
If you’re coming from outside of Scotland, a good option is to get a train to a city such as Oban, Fort William or Inverness. Then you’ve got a fair whack of the journey already under your belt, making the remaining drive much faster.
Everyone forgets that driving through the Scottish Highlands is a schlep. Don’t underestimate the driving time on winding roads – that can close under weather conditions – in a monstrous vehicle that you may not be used to driving. Always check online about traffic and closures. It will save you time not having to go back on yourselves like we did.
We travelled during August 2020, during the new, partially closed, pandemic world. For more tips on travel in these times have a look at my post all about travel during Covid.
Getting To Skye:
There are 2 ways to get to Skye from the mainland of Scotland: Bridge, or ferry.
If you want to make the most of your journey, try doing one on the way there and the other on the way back. For example, drive up to Kyle of Lochalsh on the A87, crossing the bridge to Kyleakin on the island. Leaving Skye, drive to Armadale on the south-east of the island and take the ferry to Mallaig on the mainland.
Plan ahead and check ferry schedules on the Caledonian MacBrayne ferries site and always check that ferries are actually running on that day – sometimes due to bad weather, they are cancelled for the entire day.
The bridge is rarely closed, but high sided vehicles cannot cross it. You’ll pass the beautiful 13th century Eilean Donan castle on your left before you get to the bridge. The castle was destroyed during the Jacobite rebellion in the 13th century and sheltered Robert the Bruce in the 14th century during the wars of independence from England. You know, proper Braveheart stuff.
Driving route
A common way of driving around the island is to do a figure of eight, starting from the bridge and stopping off at famous viewpoints.
At the top of the island the road follows the rugged and wild with photo opportunities at Lealt Falls, up to Kilt Rock, then past the Quiraing, Duntulm Castle and round to Uig.
Driving times are usually longer than what Google Maps tell you.
Parking can get busy in summer months and manoeuvring a huge van can take some skill and potentially damage otherwise healthy relationships. Breathing exercises and realising most other tourists are exactly the same skill level help a great deal.
Sleep
Skye is dotted with campsites that get booked up early in summer months, so plan and book ahead! We stuck to the camping as this means you wake up with nature (and midges).
Here are a couple of suggestions that are basic but clean and in fabulous locations:
Kinloch Campsite in Dunvegan. All your amenities and home to the Old School restaurant there which does delicious, local food.
Glenbrittle Campsite in Carbost. Beachside setting and close to the Fairy Pools. They have a cafe and bakery on-site where you can order a fresh loaf for tomorrow’s breaky.
For free parking and overnight parking, download the app Park4Night which gives you a map of sites all over the world. It also tells you what facilities you can expect there.
For a longer list of campsites, including boutique stays and glamping, check out the Visit Scotland website.
Another option for prime comfort is to Air BnB in Portree. They may not be in the centre of the town though so factor in a bit of a walk.
For hotels and BnBs, Booking.com is your go-to!
Taste of Skye
Skye has a proud foodie scene, from Michellin Starred restaurants to cottage cafes and roadside shacks, you won’t be going hungry.
For most restaurants, it’s definitely worth trying to book in advance if you’re there in high season to secure your space. I’ve heard of people trying to book a couple of weeks in advance for the Easter break and not being able to get a table.
These are just some tried and tested restaurants around the island:
The Old Inn in Carbost boasts outdoor seating overlooking the loch, fresh locally inspired menu and a tasty range of Scottish whiskies. Close to the Talisker Distillery where you can book a tour. Definitely book ahead if you plan on doing the tour!
The Ferry Inn in Uig – Delicious food in a quaint bistro pub restaurant. Try the mouth-watering fish and seafood platter or ask about vegan options.
For veggie and vegan friendly made with local organic produce, Cafe Arriba in Portree serves traditional Scottish breakfast, with vegan options, until 4:40pm, for the really late risers.
The take-away foodtruck The Black Sheep on Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls serves some hearty veggie and vegan as well as meat options. The veggie haggis and homemade soups will warm your cockles.
The Old School in Dunvegan does decent, locally sourced seafood, meat and game, with added veggie and vegan options, and local craft beer to wash it down.
Sea Breezes in Portree – Massive seafood platters to drool over, all local and freshly caught fish and seafood, in a setting that’s little more chill than the Ferry Inn.
If you’re feeling fancy, these three offer set menus:
Tastes from the land and the sea at The Three Chimneys on Loch Dunvegan, sophisticated dining overlooking the peaceful loch.
Set in a crofter’s cottage in the old fishing village of Stein, Loch Bay on the Western peninsula offers Michelin Starred seafood caught fresh from the loch.
For famous fine dining with mountain views, head to the Michelin Starred Scorrybreac of Portree.
For other suggestions for locally sourced and independent caterers, check out this website.
Stretch your legs
As long as you’re not a fair-weather soul, Skye is a hiker’s dream. The west coast of Scotland can witness four seasons in one day. Rainbows, hailstorms and streams of golden sun, it always inflicts some sort of mood. Skye boasts sweeping valleys, craggy rock faces and vast ocean cliff vistas – the island is drenched in uninterrupted scenery.
Most walks are not signposted except for at the start so downloading the walk instructions from the links below is useful. I didn’t get signal the whole time I was on Skye, so prepare for a digital detox!
These are just a few suggestions for walks worth braving the midges for. The walks can be busy, as most of them are pretty straightforward:
- Old man of Storr Rock spires resembling dragon’s teeth overlooking the sea give this well-photographed landscape a Game of Thrones mystical atmosphere. It’s the most iconic and most popular walks on the island so best to avoid peak times. It’s a short walk and fairly easy.
- The Fairy Pools A gentle wander to a tier of waterfalls suitable for bathing in summer months. Although still probably the coldest water I’ve ever been in – think ice daggers. The Tolkien-esque mountain backdrop makes the chill worthwhile.
- Coral Beach a quick and easy walk to some quaint little cove beaches and vast sea views. Best to get there early in the morning as the car park fills up quickly and early.
- Talisker beach is not a challenging walk but again can get busy. It’s best enjoyed at its most peaceful so head there early evening or morning and you may find it deserted, and catch a stunning sunset or sunrise. The famous Talisker Distillery offers tours and sells their fine whisky just a short drive away and sits in a pretty harbour.
- Neist Point lighthouse is a quick little walk from the car park down a very windy and steep hillside to the lighthouse, it’s pretty exposed so take a windproof jacket and hold onto your hat as it can get very windy! This area also offers Whale Watching trips.
- Scorybreac walk around Portree Bay – a very gentle walk perfect for a post-dinner digest with lovely views of Portree Bay.
- The Quiraing one of the longer walks taking in dizzying cliff views and craggy valleys. Not recommended on very windy days! Takes up to 3hrs depending on how many photo stops you do to take in the spectacular views.
- There’s an amazing view of the Black Cuillin mountains if you walk out of Elgol along the cliffs.
The walks are mostly quite accurate timings to the description you find on the Skye Guide website but it can be fairly easy to get distracted taking photos and getting lost.
Walking the length of Skye, known as the Skye Trail, is a windy and whimsical way to see the island. It comes with its challenges, covering 128km of cliffs, mountain ridges and deserted beaches. It’s not for the faint-hearted or the fair-weather types. It’s do-able in 7-10 days depending on what sort of machine you are.
Follow this link for a comprehensive list of walking trails on Skye, from easy peasy to brutal as you like.
Tips for the more intrepid:
Crowds getting you in a flap? If Skye is too bustling for your liking, as it really can get, to go further off the beaten track allow yourself some days to explore the isle of Lewis and Harris. One local told me the white sand beaches were deserted whilst over the water hundreds were flocking to Skye’s Fairy Pools.
For ferries to these Outer Hebrides islands, click here for schedules and prices.
Practical Tips:
Vanlife
If you choose to book a motorhome, consider the size of your van, most campsites can accommodate big ones (ours was 7’6) but the bigger the van, the more difficult to manoeuvre!
Check what time you will get to the campsite to make sure their reception is open so they can give you a rundown of everything – many places close by 5 or 6pm. Always allow an extra 45 mins to an hour when you’re driving one of these beasts on hilly, windy, unfamiliar roads.
Check campsites have chemical waste disposal when you book – a few are now going organic and you always need to empty ideally before any long journeys or definitely before you hand back the vehicle. You may need a dedicated poo person, or dish out the deed as punishment to whoever is the most annoying that day.
Always make sure you fill up plenty of water when you arrive as you’re going to want a shower after all that hiking.
Check before you drive away that you haven’t left anything under the van, a classic error.
Plan your route! There are not many services for rest stops along the way so check where services are.
Check where to get petrol from beforehand. Some of the larger towns such as Fort William have garages but they can be few and far between.
Taxis are expensive! You can ask the pubs to order you one back to the campsite but we paid £50 for a 20 minute journey. I blame the whisky.
The Great Outdoors
There isn’t much toilet infrastructure or food shops on the longer walks, so make sure you are set for the day.
Midges are mean little beasts! They will have no problem feasting on you and your travel buddies, they sting and then itch like hell. It’s common to see travellers in the summer months covered in red blotchy midge bites, making everyone look like they have a skin degenerating disease.
To keep them away, the best products we found were: Smidge, and Avon’s Skin-so-Soft. No one actually knows why this Avon product works and it’s a running joke in the outdoors community. Rather than 50’s housewives, this is now a favourite amongst rain-drenched stubbly men in hiking boots and clutching compasses.
Download your maps – I downloaded the whole of Scotland on google maps or on the Maps.Me app. The app is useful as it also shows walking trails. There is none to barely any signal on Skye!
You might be lucky to view the Aurora Borealis during the winter months or Spring/ Autumn equinox. You can check on the app My Aurora Forecast for Northern Lights activity.
Shops can sometimes close around 1pm even in high season (although we visited just after lockdown).
More environmentally friendly ways to see Skye:
Skye attracts more than 500,000 visitors a year. This is a vital boost in the economy of an isolated area, bringing in £211 million in 2019. But mass tourism has a downside. Ecological erosion, litter and carbon emissions from traffic are just the start of the threats this naturally spectacular place faces.
Plus, campervan living, despite images of an eco, hippy way of life fit for Instagram, can end up being much more wasteful if you don’t do it right. Many people throw all waste in together instead of separating it and carrying it around with you until you find recycling facilities. Using chemical toilets and dumping them into an already stretched sewage system. Using chemical repellent for those pesky midges. Ask yourself how eco-friendly you are actually being. Are there better ways you can do it to preserve the beauty you’ve come all this way to see?
Read more about the impact of mass tourism on Skye here.
Read:
The Outrun by Amy Liptrot
Isolated on the stormy and restoring Orkney Islands, Amy surrenders her battles with mental health and overcomes her alcohol addiction. This real-life memoir beautifully invokes the mystical, eerie and turbulent setting of these remote and peaceful Scottish isles. She craftily compares her chosen backdrop for her recuperation to the noise of her previous dwelling in London, where her problems escalated. This uplifting debut will make you want to explore Scotland’s wilderness, bathe in icy waters, and search the skies for the ‘Merry Dancers’.
For US readers click here
For UK readers click here
We did this just after the Covid lockdown lifted. All campsite facilities were out of bounds so they could only take self-contained vehicles. Meaning you need your own toilet, shower, cooking and washing facilities. Definitely worth checking when you book whatever state the world is in.