Two Tickets To The Isle Of Skye

“Will it ever stop?” we asked ourselves as relentless sheets of rain lashed against the kitchen window. The cloudless skies and summer temperatures of the past few days in Fort William felt like a distant memory. Instead, the Isle of Skye had greeted us with a rude, wet awakening of the fact that we were travelling through Scotland – not the Seychelles.

Still, we were lucky to have made it this far at all. No amount of rain could dampen our gratitude that we’d planned our trip during a relative lull in the Covid pandemic. Just being on Skye was a triumph – even if we did have to imagine the outline of the mountains, which we knew were hidden behind the thick swirling clouds.

Thankfully, our time on Skye would not prove to be a complete washout. This is our diary of a short, wet, spectacular few days on one of Scotland’s most famous islands.

Day One: Over The Bridge To Skye

It doesn’t quite have the same ring to it. Skye has been drenched in Scottish folklore and legend for centuries. The romance and drama of the tales are heightened, without doubt, by legends of dangerous and daring sailings.

Perhaps the most famous of these – the escape of Bonnie Prince Charlie to the island’s shores – is immortalised in the words of the Skye Boat Song.

Speed, bonnie boat, like a bird on the wing,

Onward! the sailors cry;

Carry the lad that’s born to be king

Over the sea to Skye.

The famous lyrics of the Skye Boat Song

Since 1995, however, it has been possible to make the journey to Skye without setting foot on a boat. The Skye Bridge connects the mainland village of Kyle of Lochalsh with the South-East of the Island – a route which had previously relied on a ferry crossing. We’d be following this route onto the island before catching the ferry back to Mallaig for the return leg.

Heading to Kyle of Lochalsh from Fort William

We’d decided that the bridge route would give us the best chance to see some new sights along the way. So setting off from Fort William, we followed the A82 route as far as the banks of Loch Ness, before doubling back on ourselves to reach the A87.

As had become custom, we continued to stop at regular intervals along the way. The first stop was the imposing Commando Memorial at Spean Bridge, a thought-provoking monument commemorating the sacrifices of British Commando Forces. Overlooking training grounds used by the commandos, it stands magnificently among the surrounding mountain peaks.

Next up was Loch Ness, which needs no introduction. We skirted up the southwestern shores before quickly admitting defeat in our search for Nessie. No doubt the infamous Monster was enjoying a mid-morning nap, far away from prying eyes. Truth be told, the diversion to Loch Ness was more a box-ticking exercise.

Sadly, we didn’t find anywhere to stop before we reached our turning towards Skye. A thick covering of trees obscured any big views of the loch.

If Loch Ness had proven to be less than amenable on our quest for great road trip views, the rest of the route to Skye did not disappoint. Once again, reminders of the beauty of the Scottish Highlands met us at every turn. The A87 took us alongside sparkling Lochs, through steep Glens, before finally teasing us with the first glimpses of coastline. Finally, Skye was within our reach.

Crossing over to Skye

Our final stop on the mainland allowed us to take in the views of the bridge, with the jagged landscape of Skye forming a magnificent backdrop. Not long after setting off again, we reached the shores of mainland Scotland and were heading out over the water. As we rose up the 35m height of the bridge, among a steady stream of traffic, it was hard to imagine that a ferry used to be the only way to cross this small stretch.

Before we knew it, we’d rolled off the bridge and onto Skye! We were heading to the small crofting village of Torrin, where we’d booked our accommodation. After a short drive up the coast to the surprisingly large town of Broadford, we transferred onto the single-track B8083. This winding road, flanked by rolling hills, would take us all the way down to our base.

As we drove over the crest of a small hill, we caught our first glimpse of Torrin. The houses were scattered sporadically in front of us. Each of them enjoyed an immense view across to the jagged mountain peak of Bla Bheinn.

After checking in to our flat, we set off to explore the area. Despite the area’s diminutive size, it was a relative hive of activity. Hikers, climbers, campers – this was a haven for outdoor enthusiasts.

The sun was beginning to set by the time we set off back to the flat. Little did we know that it’d be a few days before the good weather would make a return…

Day Two: A Good Old Fashioned Scottish Washout

There is always one day on a UK trip when you just have to accept defeat. Unfortunately, our first full day on Skye turned out to be precisely that day. We woke up to the sound of horizontal rain slamming against our bedroom window and knew straight away that it would not relent.

The weather was torrential. Clouds and rain hid the mountains and the nearby shoreline from view for most of the day. There was little to do except put the kettle on and hope for an improvement.

Hours went by, and there was no let-up. Eventually, when mid-afternoon crept upon us, we decided we’d get our full waterproof gear on and head on out.

If anything, our excursion into the storm served as justification for not venturing further. We were soaked within a few minutes. Not even Gore-Tex could save us. After making it down to the waterfront, we turned back.

Well done, Skye. You won this day.

Day Three: Touring Across Skye

We could still hear the splattering of raindrops on the window as we woke up. Thankfully, the weather had relented somewhat by the time we’d wolfed down some breakfast and had a cuppa. Safe to say, we were relieved. The weather had already wiped out one day, the last thing we needed was a repeat performance.

We’d planned today to be a day of driving and hiking, exploring some of Skye’s most spectacular landscapes. To the end, we set off towards the Trotternish peninsula. Here, the likes of the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing would usually draw tourists by the thousands – many ferried across on coach trips.

Saying ‘Hello’ to the Old Man of Storr

Amid the pandemic, we were able to enjoy a relatively quieter drive. As we approached Portree, Skye’s largest town, we could see the iconic pinnacle of the Old Man of Storr stretching upwards in the distance. The walk up to the dramatic spike of rock is the most popular on the island, and a huge car park was mid-way through construction.

The hike up should not be underestimated. We passed plenty who had made the mistake of dressing for a shopping trip rather than a day in the hills. A relentless wind cut straight through us, and drizzle was falling by the time we made it to the Old Man’s base.

Here, we sheltered from the wind for a while before pressing further into the hills, searching for a view back towards the Storr. We were undoubtedly in the minority of people to continue, but it’s undoubtedly worth it. It’s hard to appreciate the true drama of the landscape when you’re right in the middle of it.

Hiking Along The Surreal Quiraing

A little further up Trotternish, up a winding single-track road, is the Quiraing. The scenery created by this ancient landslip needs to be seen to be believed. It is almost otherworldly.

We set off after parking up and spotting a few of our fellow hikers from the Storr. The weather remained pretty wild, to the extent that we were forced to shelter behind rocks on a few occasions to avoid being blown off our feet. This only served to add to the drama of the experience as we made our way along the narrow footpaths.

Along the way, we passed some of the Quiraing’s most famous features – the razor-sharp ‘needle’ and the fortress-like ‘prison’. The wind continued to batter us as we scrambled around the base of the latter before heading on deeper into a landscape that was beginning to look like something straight out of a Tolkien fantasy.

Eventually, we reached a point where the path began to track upwards, heading onto a ridge and doubling back on itself. This circular route would have taken us over the top before returning to the car park, but we preferred to stay among the crazy features below. To this end, we started to head back the way we came.

Along the way, we passed more visitors who had woefully underestimated the Scottish weather. Bring a coat and wear some proper walking boots, people!

Reaching The Top Of Skye

Our Quiraing hike took us nicely into the afternoon. After enjoying a classic ‘car picnic’ whilst sheltering from the winds, we resumed our journey around the Trotternish peninsula.

The roads grew quieter as we headed further north, and the landscape became wilder. Whilst the top of the peninsula cannot necessarily match the landscape of Storr and the Quiraing for drama, it is no less atmospheric. The road follows the coast, and we got a real sense of just how remote Skye is. The misty rain made for a wonderfully desolate atmosphere.

Eventually, having reached the northernmost point, we headed down the other side. Here, we passed by the best-named Loch of the trip – Loch Snizort Beag. Wonderful.

By the time we’d completed the loop, the first hints of dusk were beginning to creep through. Finally, it was time to head back. We’d certainly done justice to the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing, but we could easily have spent another day in this area. The dinosaur footprints at Staffin, the ruins of Duntulum castle, and the ever-popular ‘Fairy Glen’ are just a few of the attractions which keep visitors to Trotternish very busy indeed.

Day Four: Climbing The Spectacular Bla Bheinn

Skye’s Black Cuillin range is the UK’s most dramatic mountain scenery. The epic, rocky munros of the Cuillin offer a whole host of mountaineering adventures to climbers and hikers alike.

The peak of Bla Bheinn stands isolated, but we’d heard rumours of spectacular views from its summit across to the famous Cuillin. It is a munro in its own right, and was our pick of the mountains on Skye. We were determined to climb it before we left.

A weather window finally presented itself on our last full day on the island. We set alarms for the unsociable time of 6am. An hour later, we took the short drive around the bay to park at the beginning of the hike.

It didn’t take long before we were rewarded for our early start. The sunrise was spectacular, drenching the landscape with a warm golden glow, accentuating the early autumn colours. We tracked up alongside a river, which we eventually crossed, before heading up towards a saddle.

Along the way, we spotted one of Scotland’s most famous and coveted animals – a golden eagle – soaring silently near one of the cliffs. It looped around for a few minutes before disappearing from view. Unmistakable for its sheer size, it was a real treat. Bla Bheinn was certainly living up to its reputation as a spectacular hike.

Scrambling to the summit of Bla Bheinn

Our Airbnb host had given us some route tips the day before – head right at ‘the big boulder’ instead of battling with the scree field straight ahead. Climbing up scree is always a tedious slog, so we didn’t hesitate to follow the advice when we encountered the boulder in question.

This led to the most fun and physically challenging part of the climb. The path became less defined the higher we got, and eventually, we found ourselves scrambling up gullies and steering clear of the steep drops. As long as we were heading higher, we didn’t mind too much how we got there.

The scrambling was great fun, and eventually, we rejoined the path. It wasn’t long before we could spot the trig point, marking the summit at 928m. This was also our first view of the Black Cuillin, and it was worth the wait.

A picture doesn’t quite do justice to what we saw from the summit of Bla Bheinn. The full majesty of the Cuillin range, and the views across the sea to the smaller isle, made this an extraordinary spot. We’d made it up in just over three hours, and rewarded ourselves with a mid-morning break at the top.

As we took in the scenery, a couple of RAF F15s zipped past, flying a couple of hundreds of metres beneath us, swerving their way between the mountains. The clouds were starting to roll in, and we got a real sense of just how high we’d climbed.

Rewarding our efforts…with oysters

The route back down was relatively straightforward, retracing our steps and stopping to chat with hikers making their way up. We made it back to our flat in time for a quick lunch and with plenty of daylight to spare.

Lucy had been reading about somewhere which sounded perfect for a post-hike treat. The Oyster Shed is a fantastic seafood shack serving fresh fish in a takeaway-style setting. It also happens to be in Carbost, a tiny village home to the Talisker whiskey distillery!

We parked next to the distillery and headed up the hill (I thought we were finished with climbing hills for the day!) to the Oyster Shed. Several groups walked past us back towards the sea, clutching food boxes that smelt amazing.

Once we arrived at the Shed, we quickly joined the queue and ordered a few oysters to try, as well as a couple of boxes of kippers, scallops, and chips. We polished off the oysters whilst waiting for the rest of our food. Then, we collected our boxes and headed back down to a patch of grass on the waterfront.

By this time, the weather was incredible. We demolished our food, enjoying the sounds of the sea and the views back towards the mountains. A great end to another fantastic day on Skye – and it was about to get better when darkness fell!

Just as we were poised to head to bed, Matt noticed his phone buzz with an aurora alert. Heading outside, we quickly set up the camera on the tripod with a 30-second exposure. When we checked the results, we could see it – the distinctive green glow of an aurora! Excited, we headed down the road to a darker spot, where we enjoyed an even better view.

This was the first time either of us had “seen” the northern lights. Admittedly, they were barely visible to the naked eye. However, this slight technicality didn’t stop it from being a magical bonus for a fantastic day – even if it did involve standing in a muddy field at midnight in the freezing cold…

Day Five: Finally Hitting The Water

All too soon, our time on Skye was up. We had climbed mountains, we had crossed rivers, and we had covered plenty of miles as we explored the island. We’d even been stuck inside for a full day, as the Scottish weather got its revenge for being too sunny earlier in the trip.

We were to be leaving Skye on a ferry from Armadale, which would take us back to Mallaig. The sailing was scheduled for early afternoon. This meant we had just about enough time for one last hurrah.

A short distance from our Airbnb was the fishing village of Elgol. Here, Misty Isle Boat Trips run short trips to Loch Coruisk, a glacial lake nestled in the heart of the Cuillin hills. We’d booked on to a 9am departure, giving us just enough time to get back for our ferry.

Our two hours with Misty Isle were short but spectacular. The crew gave a short, entertaining commentary as we sailed towards the loch before eventually, we docked at a small jetty. We had just over thirty minutes for a quick explore of the top end of the loch before we needed to head back to the boat.

Hello Loch Coruisky, and Goodbye Skye

Feeling nimble from our climb the previous day, we sped off across the rocks and around the corner to the loch. Yet another awe-inspiring view greeted us – if only we could have stayed longer! Skye is blessed with a ridiculous variety of incredible sights.

We snapped as many photos as we could manage before it was time to return to the boat. As we sailed back towards Elgol, an eagle-eyed passenger spotted a couple of porpoises splashing about in the distance. We spent the rest of the sailing convincing ourselves that every dark-looking wave was another porpoise – or maybe even a whale. Alas, our eyes were deceiving us on all fronts.

The boat trip had been a perfect way to sign off our final morning on Skye. It wasn’t long before we arrived at Armadale, and our time on the island was over. Before we knew it, we were back on the mainland, reflecting on this special place. We’d been fortunate enough to catch Skye at its best, uniquely free of the usual crowds which are rightfully attracted by all it has to offer. We won’t be forgetting our time here in a hurry.

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