You will not forget your visit to the Isle of Skye. The superlatives, the adjectives, all the flowing words of praise that have been written about the island, are correct. If anything, they do not do it justice. It really is an island travellers should visit. Skye really is something special.
We took the Calmac ferry from Tarbert on the Isle of Harris to dock in Uig, the small port which resides in a sheltered bay on the north-west coast of Skye. It was a lovely sea crossing which had the added bonus of giving us superb views of the other islands that lie off the Scottish mainland. Of course, we think the best way to see Skye, is to go over the sea to it!
Portree is a small, but busy little town situated halfway along the eastern coastline of the island. Portree’s central location makes it a great centre to tour the island from. We were happy to stay in lovely B&B which had the option of delicious pancakes or a full Scottish breakfast. After 2 weeks of touring the Western Isles and having a full Scottish breakfast every day the pancakes were a real treat as were the fresh home-made scones baked daily. We can highly recommend a stay at Gleann an Ronnaich
Skye is a deceptively large island. It’s over 100 kilometres in length with a land area greater than 1,500 square kilometres. Even from Portree it may take over an hour and a half to drive to some of the popular tourist sites on the far north and south of the island. You have to spend at least a few days on Skye to appreciate all that the island can offer.
We enjoyed Portree itself. There is a scenic circular walk that starts by the harbour in the centre of the town. It provides great coastal views all the way across the sea to the nearby island of Raasay. The walk took us about 90 minutes and at its end we were ready for a cup of coffee and a cake. Portree has lots of bars and cafes to choose from.
Skye can get very busy during the peak summer months though we personally had no difficulties in finding a table when we wanted to eat and we were there in July. However, if you want to eat somewhere extra special and would like some fine dining in places like the Three Chimneys in Colbost, then you must book in advance, even outside of the summer months.
Peak congestion is when a stream of coaches disembark their passengers in the town all at the same time. Then, Portree can seem very busy indeed! Again, though some restaurants required pre-booking for an evening meal, we had no problem finding a free table when we ate out. We tend to eat our evening meal between 5-6 pm. Had we eaten later, finding a table may have been more problematic. Eating early has the additional advantage that you may finish your meal just in time to see and hear the Isle of Skye Pipe Band which regularly parades through the town centre. We enjoyed a rousing performance from the band with the Pipe major being particularly impressive marching up and down in full Highland regalia. The Band’s parades in the town are advertised locally and we would strongly recommend you see the Band if you are in Portree.
Skye is one of those rare holiday destinations where the reality of being there is better than what brochures advertise. From the Old Man of Storr to the Neist Point Lighthouse, none of the island’s fabled attractions disappoint. We hired a car in Skye and simply travelling across the island was a wonderful experience with breathtaking views around every corner. Our journey times were much longer than planned because we kept stopping to take photos of the wonderful landscapes we kept on meeting. Skye really is a beautiful island. This is our favourite photograph of our stay, the view just stopped us in our tracks!
There is a caveat to touring Scotland’s most famous island. The whole world has now heard of Skye’s natural beauty and and at times it may seem the whole world is queuing up to see it. The traditional tourists from North America and England are now accompanied by tourists from Europe, China and South America. There can be traffic congestion near the most popular spots and you may find yourself amongst a small crowd of people when trying to get that perfect photo. Skye is still worth visiting despite the increased number of visitors. And to put Skye in perspective, it is much less crowded than Devon, Cornwall or the Lake District during the peak holiday season. We would recommend visiting the most popular sites early in the morning or late evening when day-trippers and coach parties are not there. Take advantage of the long daylight hours that are past 11.00 pm in the summer months. Travelling around Skye in the early evening is much quieter than during the day. It is the time when the local sheep population take over the roads and we got some great pictures of sheep on our way back after an evening sunset. The sheep weren’t bothered by the crowds!
Here are a few samples of the beautiful places we saw in Skye, There were so many places we were not able to see, we will have to visit Skye again.
Flora MacDonald and Skye
Skye has had a long and often turbulent history. Its role in the 1745 Jacobite Rebellion has been immortalised in the song: Over the Sea to Skye. The song commemorates how Flora MacDonald helped the rebel leader Bonnie Prince Charlie escape chasing Hanoverian troops. The Prince had been hiding on the neighbouring Hebridean island of South Uist. Flora MacDonald disguised the Prince as her maid. She and the Prince first travelled to the Isle of Benbecula where they boarded a boat which, as the song says, went over the sea to Skye. From Skye, the Prince was taken on another short boat journey to Raasay, where he boarded a vessel which eventually took him to safety in France.
Flora MacDonald was imprisoned for over a year for her part in the Prince’s daring escape. The irony is that a number of Flora’s family were supporters of the Hanoverian cause! She and her family later emigrated to America where she became involved in that country’s rebellion against the British. Sadly, the family lost its lands in that rebellion and so she had to return to Skye. Her burial place at Kilmuir has a fitting memorial to this remarkable woman. It is well worth a visit.
Over the Bridge to Skye
Built in 1995 the Skye road bridge has transformed the economy of Skye with day-trippers now visiting the island from as far away is Edinburgh. Prior to the bridge being built visitors would have to catch the ferry which made the short sea crossing from the mainland port at the Kyle of Lochalsh. Though only a few hundred metres in length, the bridge is a feat of engineering skill and well worth taking the time to explore.
The bridge spans the small island of Eilean Ban which is home to a lighthouse and a nature reserve run by Ring of Bright Water author, Gavin Maxwell. It is worth parking your car and walking across the bridge to see the lighthouse and the spectacular views the bridge provides. Tours are available around Eilean Ban’s nature reserve on request.
Eilean Donan Castle
About 2 miles along the road from the bridge is one of Scotland’s most impressive castles, Eileen Donan castle. The castle has a long history and it played a pivotal role in the 1719 rebellion when a garrison of Spanish troops defended the castle against British soldiers. If you are travelling by car to Skye then take the time to visit it. In recent years it has been used as a film location for lots of films including Highlander (1986), Loch Ness (1996) and James Bond – The World is Not Enough (1999)
The views looking out from the castle are pretty special too.
Isle of Skye Running
One of the best ways to see Skye is to take part in the island’s annual half-marathon race which is held in early June. Details can be found here: Skye half marathon
Though the island does not have a parkrun, it has an established athletics club and members meet in Portree on Wednesday evenings for a club run. Perhaps you could join them when you visit the island? Details of Skye running can be found on the club website: Skye and Lochalsh RC
We left our hire car at the Kyle of Lochalsh railway station as we said goodbye to Skye. There was a plaque here to commemorate the 1919 Iolaire disaster (see our blog on the Isle of lewis for more details). We then took another scenic train journey, this time to Inverness where our trip ended with a flight home. It was a fantastic trip all through the Outer Hebrides and Skye. It left us wanting to see and explore more Scottish islands. Keep a look-out on our blog for where our adventures will take us next.
We would love to hear your thoughts in the comments section below. Please follow and share with anyone you think may be interested. See you again soon!
Godiva Travellers 