By air
Inverness (INV), ~2.5 h by road
United Kingdom
Isle of Skye, United Kingdom
Fairy pools and jagged ridges
Getting there
Best time to visit
May to September — the long days
Don't miss
The Old Man of Storr
The Fairy Pools
The Quiraing
Portree
Things to do
The Old Man of Storr
The Fairy Pools
The Quiraing
Where to eat
Sources: Photo: Grinner · CC BY-SA 3.0
What to pack
Waterproofs, hiking boots
A quieter corner
Neist Point lighthouse at sunset
Questions travellers ask
When is the best time to visit Skye?
May to September, when the days are long. Pack waterproofs and proper hiking boots.
What should I do on the Isle of Skye?
See the Old Man of Storr, the Fairy Pools and the Quiraing, then wander around Portree.
Where should I watch the sunset on Skye?
Neist Point lighthouse — the island's hidden gem at sunset.
How long does it take to reach Skye?
Fly into Inverness (INV); from there it's about 2.5 h by road. Reward the drive with seafood in Portree.
About Isle of Skye
- Island
- Mountains
Where it is
Skye is the largest of the Inner Hebrides, off the west coast of Scotland, linked to the mainland by the Skye Bridge near Kyle of Lochalsh, with the jagged Cuillin mountains at its heart and Portree as its main town.
History
Skye was under Norwegian control until the Treaty of Perth in 1266, and the MacLeods and the MacDonalds of Sleat became its most powerful clans; Dunvegan Castle has been the MacLeod seat since the 13th century. After Culloden, Flora MacDonald helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape by way of Skye, and in the 19th century the Clearances emptied many of the island's villages.
People
Skye is one of the strongholds of Scottish Gaelic, spoken by many islanders and taught at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic college in Sleat. Crofting, fishing, forestry, tourism and whisky, distilled at Talisker beside Loch Harport, are the island's livelihoods.
Known for
- The Cuillin mountains
- The Old Man of Storr
- The Quiraing
- The Fairy Pools
- Dunvegan Castle
Did you know?
Dinosaur footprints from the Jurassic period have been found on the shores of the Trotternish peninsula, including at An Corran near Staffin.
We haven't written a guide for this place yet — you can still plan a trip here.