Isle of Skye

Scotland's most spectacular island, with the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing, the Fairy Pools, the Cuillin and cliff-top lighthouses, and Eilean Donan Castle at its gateway.

The Isle of Skye is the largest island of Scotland's Inner Hebrides, covering about 1,656 sq km. It is linked to Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland by the Skye Bridge, opened in 1995, and can also be reached by ferry from Mallaig to Armadale. The landscape is shaped by volcanic rock and ancient landslides. The Trotternish Peninsula in the north packs in the Old Man of Storr, the Quiraing, Kilt Rock and the Fairy Glen, and makes a good one-day driving loop. In the centre, the capital Portree has a colourful harbour and is the hub for lodging and dining. The west has Dunvegan Castle, the Coral Beach and Neist Point Lighthouse. The south holds the rugged Cuillin range, the Fairy Pools, Talisker Distillery, and Elgol, where boats leave for Loch Coruisk. On the Sleat Peninsula in the southeast stands Armadale Castle. Eilean Donan Castle and Plockton, before you cross to the island, are also popular stops. The best season is May–Sep, with long daylight hours; winter is wet and windy and some sights close. We recommend staying 2–4 days; driving is the most convenient, as buses are infrequent. Notes: most roads on the island are single-track, so give way at passing places; popular car parks charge fees and fill up quickly; summer accommodation must be booked months ahead; the weather changes fast, so always bring a waterproof jacket, and in summer, midge repellent.

Top sights

• Isle of Skye – The largest island of the Inner Hebrides, where jagged peaks, sea-cliff waterfalls and fishing villages make up Scotland's most magical sce…
• Fairy Pools – A chain of blue-green pools and small waterfalls on the Brittle River at the foot of the Cuillin, the most dreamlike glen hike on the Isle…
• Old Man of Storr – A basalt pinnacle about 50 meters tall on the Trotternish ridge, the most iconic hiking and photography spot on the Isle of Skye.
• Eilean Donan Castle – A stone castle on a tidal islet where three sea lochs meet, linked to the shore by a stone bridge. It is one of Scotland's most photographe…
• Quiraing – A large ancient landslide landscape at the northern end of the Trotternish ridge, where needles, plateaus and cliffs intertwine. It is the…
• Neist Point Lighthouse – A cliff-top lighthouse at the westernmost point of the Isle of Skye, with the headland reaching into the Atlantic. It is a classic spot for…
• Dunvegan Castle & Gardens – A castle where the MacLeod clan has lived for 800 years, housing the legendary 'Fairy Flag'. Its gardens and seal-watching boat trips are e…
• Talisker Distillery – The oldest whisky distillery on the Isle of Skye, located on the shore of Loch Harport. It is known for single malts with smoky, peppery, a…
• Portree Harbour – The harbor of Skye's capital, where a row of pastel blue, yellow, and green houses is reflected in the water. It is the island's hub for ac…
• Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls – Basalt columns on the sea cliff resemble the pleats of a Scottish kilt, while Mealt Falls plunges 60 meters from the cliff into the sea.
• Cuillin – Britain's most rugged mountain range, where the jagged gabbro ridges of the Black Cuillin contrast sharply with the domed hills of the Red…
• Sligachan Old Bridge – A 19th-century stone arch bridge with the Cuillin peaks behind it. Local legend says that washing your face in the stream beneath the bridg…
• Fairy Glen – A cluster of miniature hills near Uig, with cone-shaped grassy mounds and stone circles like a fairy tale scene. You can climb 'Castle Ewen…
• Coral Beach, Claigan – A white 'coral' beach north of Dunvegan, made of crushed calcified red algae. On sunny days the water turns a Caribbean-like turquoise.
• Elgol & Loch Coruisk Boat Trip – Boats from Elgol pier carry you deep into the heart of the Cuillin to Loch Coruisk. Seals can be seen along the way, and it is regarded as…
• Duntulm Castle – The ruins of a MacDonald clan castle on a cliff at the northern tip of Trotternish, facing the Outer Hebrides.
• Skye Museum of Island Life – A group of traditional thatched 'black houses' recreating the life of 19th-century Skye crofters, next to the grave of Flora MacDonald.
• Armadale Castle & Museum of the Isles – The ruins and gardens of a MacDonald clan castle on the Sleat Peninsula, with a museum on the history of the Scottish islands.
• Kyleakin & Castle Moil – A fishing village beside the Skye Bridge and the ruined tower of a castle on the strait, the first stop after entering Skye.
• Isle of Raasay – A quiet small island east of Skye, with the Raasay Distillery, the flat-topped Dun Caan hill, and hiking trails with views of the Cuillin.
• Torabhaig Distillery – A new distillery on the seaside in Sleat, converted from a 19th-century farmstead. It began production in 2017 and is Skye's second legal d…
• Brothers' Point – A narrow headland jutting into the sea on the east coast of Trotternish. A short walk reveals sea cliffs, dinosaur footprints, and distant…
• An Corran Dinosaur Footprints, Staffin – Jurassic dinosaur footprints on the An Corran beach in Staffin Bay. At low tide, three-toed prints tens of centimeters long can be found in…
• Plockton – A Highland bay village on the mainland across from the Skye Bridge, where palm trees and stone cottages line the harbor. It is known as the…

Where to eat

• The Three Chimneys – A famous Isle of Skye establishment on the shores of Loch Dunvegan operating for over forty years, featured in the Mich…
• The Oyster Shed – A farm seafood shop on the hillside of Carbost, famous for freshly shucked oysters and grilled scallops eaten around wo…
• Edinbane Lodge – A restaurant with rooms set in a converted 16th-century hunting lodge, featured in the Michelin Guide, showcasing 'A Ta…
• Sea Breezes – A popular seafood restaurant next to Portree Harbour with a concise menu focusing on seafood platters, langoustines, an…
• Stein Inn – The oldest inn on the Isle of Skye, located by the loch on the Waternish Peninsula with '1790' carved over the door, se…

Itineraries

• Classic Highlands and Isle of Skye Loop – Depart from Edinburgh and loop clockwise through the Highlands via Glencoe, the Isle of Skye, Loch Ness, and Pitlochry.
• North Coast 500 Anticlockwise Loop – Drive the NC500 anticlockwise from Inverness, taking in Bealach na Bà, Assynt, the north coast, and east coast castles.
• London to the Highlands: 10-Day Rail Journey – Take the train north from London to York and Edinburgh, ride the West Highland Line to Skye, and finish in Inverness.