To the Highlands – Third Stop: Isle of Skye
In Gaelic, Isle of Skye means “cloud island”, the Vikings named it after the often mist-surrounded Cuilins Hills. But what makes this Island majestic has little to do with its cloudy mountain tops.
I am not going to lie, before starting the research for my Scottish adventure, I’ve never even heard of Isle of Skye. But once I stumbled across it in Google (thank heavens for the Internet) I was immediately fascinated by its name. On our first schedule, Isle of Skye was not included but as the dates drew closer, I sat down with the rest of my crew and insisted that we must spend at least a night there. So, we downgraded Inverness to just a coffee stop and swapped accommodation to Skye.
And boy was this last minute change worth it! When I saw the iconic Skye bridge I couldn't wait for us to drive over and into the island. As we were crossing it, I had goosebumps because the view from the bridge was phenomenal. The perfect introduction to what Isle of Skye turned out to be: a series of iconic sceneries worth admiring and of course photographing.
Why Isle of Skye?
The scenery is truly mesmerizing: steep mountains with small waterfalls surrounded by sea. Skye is home of the most iconic Scottish landscapes and nature and you can’t help but fall in love with this divine little island. Miles of dramatic coastline where you can stop and visit countless castles, forts, traditional pubs and museums.
If you are hiker, Isle of Skye will be your paradise. There are paths compatible to all levels of expertise. The Isle of Skye website is super useful and can help you choose where you can hike or just enjoy a nice, easy walk with your family.
And boy was this last minute change worth it! When I saw the iconic Skye bridge I couldn't wait for us to drive over and into the island. As we were crossing it, I had goosebumps because the view from the bridge was phenomenal. The perfect introduction to what Isle of Skye turned out to be: a series of iconic sceneries worth admiring and of course photographing.
Why Isle of Skye?
The scenery is truly mesmerizing: steep mountains with small waterfalls surrounded by sea. Skye is home of the most iconic Scottish landscapes and nature and you can’t help but fall in love with this divine little island. Miles of dramatic coastline where you can stop and visit countless castles, forts, traditional pubs and museums.
If you are hiker, Isle of Skye will be your paradise. There are paths compatible to all levels of expertise. The Isle of Skye website is super useful and can help you choose where you can hike or just enjoy a nice, easy walk with your family.
The must-do
You have to visit Dunvegan Castle for sure. Not only is a beautiful castle on the shore but it also has beautiful gardens around it. You MUST take a seal trip, there are schedule boat tours that take you around Loch Dunvegan and you have high chance of watching a seal casually swimming next to you or nesting birds on the nearby coast.
Well, its Scotland so it means you have to go for a whisky tour. Lucky for you the world renown Talisker Distillery is situated in Skye. Conveniently located near the Skye bridge, it is an easy stop and you could perhaps do it on your first day. What I particularly liked was learning about how the sea (literally the distillery is at the edge of the shore) gives their whisky its distinct character.
The must-visit
Number one place on your list should be the Fairy Pools in Glenbrittle. We weren’t supposed to go there as we were on a tight schedule but after an argument, I won and nobody regretted visiting this divine place. Situated at the foot of Black Cuillins, a long stream of crystal-clear water pouring in little natural pools makes for a magical scenery. The walk up to the top is very easy, you will have to cross the river along the way by stepping stones (nevertheless it is very safe). The spectacle is fairytale-like since the sun reflected on the water creates beautiful rainbow colors. If you have kids in the group, search with them for fairies it will make the way up a lot faster and fun.
You have to drive by the Old Man of Storr since you have probably already seen it on Instagram or Pinterest. In real life, it’s magnificent beyond belief. It’s the most famous and photographed part of the island and films like James Bond Skyfall were shot here.
The Quiraing is an essential walk for any photographer (professional or not) who finds himself/herself in Scotland. The Quiraing walk is like a loop which returns to the same point you begin (which is the carpark). It covers a distance of 6.8km, with the average time to complete the walk being 2 hours (with no stops). It has 4 stages and me as a non-hiker and not really fit person in general only managed to go up to stage 2. If you are hiker, you won’t find the trail too difficult.
Lastly, you must visit Portree Harbor. Portree is the largest town and the capital of the island. It has an amazingly graphic little harbor and quite a few great restaurants (2 of them actually have a Michelin star). The streets have many little artisanal shops and a few pubs. Be aware though, you need to reserve a table in order to find somewhere to eat. Portree is a popular place to visit in Skye so the tourists overcrowd restaurants and pubs, plus since the locals rely on seasonal tourism a lot of places will be shut (unless it's July or August).
How to travel around Isle of Skye?
If you are going to Isle of Skye, you most definitely need a car. There are some buses available, but the distances are long and the whole point of going to Skye is to be able to stop whenever and admire the astonishing landscapes. In order to get to Skye from the mainland, you will have to take a train up to a nearby town (not many trains run per day) and then a bus across the Skye bridge or hop on a ferry. Another way you can travel around the island is by bicycle. The roads around the island are in good condition and you can enjoy the surrounding nature whilst exercising.
Where to stay?
Isle of Skye, unfortunately, has limited accommodation availability hence, you need to book your accommodation well in advance. We found a lovely cottage literally in the middle of nowhere that the owners were super nice and helpful (the breakfast was awesome too). You can find your accommodation either in the Isle of Skye website or here.
To conclude, if you are going up in the Highlands please plan a stop at Isle of Skye. If you are lucky you might catch the Aurora lights which are visible from Skye due to low light pollution. If the skies are clear you will see the Milky Way and a sky full of stars. The experience of driving past forest animals and vast sections of land with wild nature is a calming privilege for all modern-day big city citizens. I will definitely return to Scotland just to visit Skye again, hopefully, a little longer this time.
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A funky person who likes change. Loves travelling, photography, eating and binge-watching shows. Favorite pastime is eating and of course uploading pictures of fancy food on Instagram. Sings out loud when she is writing and loves reading crime novels.