Isle of Skye: What to expect
The Isle of Skye: what to expect
The Isle of Skye is Scotland’s most visited island and one of the most popular places to visit in our entire country. But what makes this island so special and what can you expect when visiting the Winged Isle?
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Loch Fada and Old Man of Storr
A bit about Skye
The Isle of Skye lies off the west coast of Scotland and is the 4th largest island in the British Isles. With a size of 639 square miles it can feel quite daunting to plan a trip around this entire island, but with a well maintained road network and a bridge from the mainland to the isle; it’s actually one of the most accessible islands to visit in Scotland.
The terrain of Skye undulates between rolling hills, sheer cliff faces and dominating mountains. It’s a land that changes rapidly as you explore it and the natural beauty of this isle has inspired many poets and artists throughout the ages. It was once held by the Vikings and bares the marks of this time in the names of many of its towns; while still feeling deeply Scottish. It’s the most visited Isle in Scotland and with so much to do, it’s easy to see why. Here we’ll try to show you why you should be adding it to your Scotland itinerary.
Skye’s Incredible Landscapes
When crossing the bridge onto Skye you’ll immediately notice a shift in the landscape. The Isle of Skye was a highly volcanic area and was once dominated by a super volcano which collapsed in on itself. What is left is the scars of time and some of the most dramatic landscapes in the UK.
The Cuillin
The towering Black Cuillin Range is the UK’s most formidable mountain range and dominates the middle of the island. Formed from the magma chamber of the ancient collapsed volcano, these black rock mountains are as beautiful as they are dangerous; and attract mountaineers from around the world attempting to climb “The Ridge.” You’ll see this range best from the Old Bridge at Sligachan, one of our stops on tour.
The second part of the Cuillin is called the Red Cuillin, due to their reddish coloured sand. While not as large as the Black Cuillin, they do tend to look incredible during sunset and are said to glow red in a way that has to be seen to be believed.
Trotternish Peninsula
Venture further north and you’ll find the Trotternish Peninsula. This is the area most visited by tourists and it’s easy to see why. Most people’s first stop is the Old Man of Storr. The Old Man of Storr is a towering basalt column that protrudes dramatically from the landslip that makes up the high ground of the Trotternish Peninsula and is one of the island’s most famous views.
The next place we love to show our guests is the famous Kilt Rock. A waterfall flowing directly into the ocean along dramatic cliff edges. Lealt Falls is also a very popular stop along this route and offers you the chance to walk to the base of the falls for that ultimate Instagram shot.
As we continue north you can see the beautiful Quiraing rising through the clouds. If you get the chance to go up to this spot you’ll be greeted with wonderous views along this ancient landslip. The Quiraing was once described as “a nightmare of nature”, but we think it’s one of the most beautiful places in the entire world.
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The Quiraing
If you missed out on the Quiraing then you’ll be lucky enough to see the most northerly part of the island. An Corran Beach near Staffin is famous for its dinosaur footprint fossils, Flodigarry is has the Skye Museum of Island Life and the ruins of Duntulm Castle adorn the cliffs of the far north of the isle. A walk out to the Rubha Hunish bothy is also an incredible stop if you have the time. The views from here across the towards the isles of the Outer Hebrides are some of the best in Scotland.
Towns of Skye
The Isle of Skye only has a population of just over 10,000 and most of the population lives in the largest town of Portree. Portree, meaning Port of the King, is a quaint town with colorful harbour houses and a variety of food options. You’ll be able to pick up some great food here from the famous MacKenzies Bakery and grab some souvenirs on the high street.
Some of the other towns on Skye include Broadford, Uig, Dunvegan and the town of Kyleakin, where we spend our nights. The small towns that dot the island rely heavily on tourism and we encourage you to buy local and support the people that get to call this part of the world home.
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Portree Harbour – Isle of Skye
When to visit Skye
The Isle of Skye is absolutely packed with things to see and looks great in all types of weather. For those wanting long days to explore and the chance to see the hills covered in the purple heather, pick a summer tour. If you’re more interested in the history of the island, looking to save some money and want to possibly see snow; then head up in the winter (our cheapest tour dates).
But for us, the best times to explore Skye are the Spring and Autumn. Spring is when we have the most consistent weather, blooming flowers and when the days start to feel long again. Autumn is incredible for its orange hues, the changing leaves and for some of the most dramatic sunsets.
Our 3 Day Isle of Skye tour runs year round and is the perfect way to see Skye year round. For our spring, summer and autumn dates check out our 3 Day Loch Ness & Skye Magic or 5 Day Skye & Highland Fling.
Skye is one of those places that you could visit a hundred times over and never run out of things to see and do.
Why to explore Skye on Tour
The Isle of Skye is our backyard and we know every corner and every tale. It’s a special place to look at, but even better once you understand why this place is so special to everyone who gets to call it home. That’s why we think the best way to explore Skye (and the rest of Scotland) is with the help of a passionate Scot. Thankfully, we have a few of them who would love to help you explore the beauty of Scotland and embellish the landscapes of Scotland with tales of clans, treachery, faeries, giants and everything else that makes Scotland so incredible. If you’d like even more reason to jump on a tour, then check out our piece on the 5 Reasons You Should Pick A Scotland Bus Tour.
So why not take the stress out of your trip and let us show you Scotland in all its glory.
Check out our range of tours below!