Last summer I did the entirety of the North Coast 500, plus visited Orkney and Skye. This was my second visit to Skye and I absolutely adore the island. At 640 square miles, Skye is second only to Lewis & Harris among the largest islands in Scotland.
So here are my 10 Things to Do on Skye:
10. Tour Dunvegan Castle. Dunvegan has been the seat of the chief of Clan MacLeod since the 13th century. Built on an elevated rock overlooking Loch Dunvegan, the castle is unique in that the family still lives there today.
9. Take a photo at Sligachan Bridge. The Sligachan Bridge is a popular camping spot on Skye – being close to the Cuillin mountains and providing a majestic view towards the Black Cuillin mountains when you wake up.
8. Have a nip at the Talisker Distillery. The oldest working distillery on the mystical Isle of Skye, the Talisker Distillery is supremely positioned on the rocky shores of Loch Harport with climactic views of the Cuillins. The distillery was founded in 1830 and rebuilt in 1960 after a fire devastated the distillery (after which five exact replicas of the original stills were assembled to defend the unique Talisker flavor).
7. Bag a Munro on Skye. Munros are any Scottish mountains higher than 3,000 feet. There are 12 Cuillin Munros, which are acknowledged as the hardest to attain. The Inaccessible Pinnacle is one of the most revered and is equally popular with climbers and adventurous visitors alike.
6. Take a boat trip. Taking a boat trip from Elgol is the easiest way to get to Loch Coruisk, a freshwater loch surrounded by the Cuillin Mountains. A truly spectacular location.
5. Walk to the Neist Point Lighthouse. At the most westerly point of Skye near Glendale is the walk down to Neist Point Lighthouse, a must for any visitor to the Island.
4. See the Kilt Rock. Towering nearly 300 feet above the crashing surf of the Atlantic Ocean, Kilt Rock is made up of basalt columns resting atop a base of sandstone. From a distance, it looks a bit like a pleated kilt, with the colors of the rock creating a tartan-like illusion in the sun. The overlook also provides a killer view of Mealt Falls, which plummets down onto the jagged rocks below.
3. Picnic in the Fairy Glen. The Trotternish Ridge escarpment was formed by a series of landslides. The Quiraing– the eastern face of the northernmost summit– is the only part that’s still moving. So much so that the road at its base has to be repaired every year! As a result, the geological formations that remain have an almost alien appeal. Many have nicknames, including The Needle (a 121-foot pinnacle), The Prison (a pyramid-shaped peak that some say resembles a medieval keep), and The Table (a flat grassy area).
2. Visit the Fairy Pools. A series of gorgeous waterfalls and pools near the small town of Glen Brittle. in fact, no list of things to do in the Isle of Skye could ever be complete without this well-known highlight that includes multiple waterfalls of vibrant blue’s & green’s connected by fridged yet swimmable pools. Crystal clear and all so clean, the pools are accessed by a 2.4-kilometer walk from the car park.
1. Hike to see the Old Man of Storr. The most famous hike on the island, and the most photographed highlight of the Isle of Skye, the Old Man of Storr in a magnificent pinnacle of rock that stands proud and tall – visible for miles around. A combination of ancient lava flows and landslides, the Old Man of Storr is part of the Trotternish Ridge, which continues behind it. Be careful when getting in amongst it here; however, as rock falls are an omnipresent danger and many areas around the base of the landform are off-limits.The walk up to the best viewpoint takes around 45 minutes one-way.
Have you ever visited Skye before?
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