Isle of Skye (Scotland)

"'The Misty Isle' as the Isle of Skye is affectionately known (the Gaelic name is Eilean a' Cheo - pronounced Ellen a Kee-ow) is the largest of the Inner Hebridean Islands. The island lies about a mile off the north-west of Scotland.

Grab yourself a map, and if you live in the south of England, move your finger up the map following the coastline, up through the North of England, through the Scottish borders, up, up, up…. Wait! ...
...catch the ferry to the Isle of Skye. Then they built a bridge and tourism dropped dramatically because the tolls were very, very expensive at £5.70 each way. In 2005, the tolls were finally abolished and since then the island has enjoyed a return of the traveller seeking peace and tranquillity. Walkers, hikers, climbers, artists, sailors, musicians, photographers, writers…. the list is endless of the type of person this beautiful place beckons.
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"'The Misty Isle' as the Isle of Skye is affectionately known (the Gaelic name is Eilean a' Cheo - pronounced Ellen a Kee-ow) is the largest of the Inner Hebridean Islands. The island lies about a mile off the north-west of Scotland.

Grab yourself a map, and if you live in the south of England, move your finger up the map following the coastline, up through the North of England, through the Scottish borders, up, up, up…. Wait! Stop! See, just to the left at the very edge of the coastline in the Highlands of Scotland you will see a tiny place called Kyle of Lochalsh. This is where, up until 1995, you would catch the ferry to the Isle of Skye. Then they built a bridge and tourism dropped dramatically because the tolls were very, very expensive at £5.70 each way. In 2005, the tolls were finally abolished and since then the island has enjoyed a return of the traveller seeking peace and tranquillity. Walkers, hikers, climbers, artists, sailors, musicians, photographers, writers…. the list is endless of the type of person this beautiful place beckons.

If you'd like to visit:

You can travel by road or rail. You can even fly, landing at Inverness Airport… but then you'd still have to hop on a train or hire a car to get you to either the Kyle of Lochalsh where the train stops or, if you want to go the very scenic a long way round, you could go via Fort William-Mallaig-Skye.

Once you arrive on the island, be aware that there is very little public transport. The main town, Portree, can be accessed once a day by bus. The school bus in term time, and then a bus slightly later at other times. The journey takes about 1 hour.. Therefore, should you find yourself in the South of the island (Kyleakin), you will be 33 miles away from Portree. That may not sound like a long way under normal circumstances, but these are 33 'Skye Miles'. They are very different as they encompass a journey up and down mountainous regions and round bends so curvaceous you'd think you were going round in a circle. The bus driver must circumnavigate sheep, cyclists and deer.

Take a tip from me. If you want to see the Isle of Skye, be prepared to stay a fortnight, try and take your own car or at least hire one when you get there. If you are young and fit, you could hire a bike but the weather can change seasons many times in one day, so if you insist on pumping your little legs up steep hills for hours on end, at least take waterproofs and suntan lotion.

Fifty miles long by 25 miles wide at its widest point, decreasing to just 7 miles wide at its narrowest point creating 350 miles of spectacular and stunning coastline, this is the place to come if you are a keen walker, photographer or artist. The light on the island is other-worldly and marvellous for taking pictures. If it isn't raining. How often does it rain? The clue is in that 'affectionate' handle 'The Misty' isle. If you want to get the best from the area, do plan on staying at least a week. That way, even if the weather is bad, you may just get a couple of days where the sun shines and you get to appreciate the famous views.

However you decide to travel, you will find a wealth of information on the internet advising you on the best routes and what you will see along the way. The Highlands of Scotland are breathtakingly beautiful and careful planning will make your trip all the more worthwhile.

Things to see:

There are so many things to see on the island, it would be a very long list indeed if I listed them all. But the island, of course, is a magnet for climbers and so, at the very least, The Cuillins (the Cuillin Peaks) have to get a mention.

But for the more sedate tourist, there are many arts and craft outlets for you to see. For unusual and beautiful designs in clothing, jewellery and pottery, try Ragamaffin on Armadale Pier (if you happen to go to Skye via Mallaig, the ferry will deposit you at Armadale Pier and you will find Ragamuffin on your left). Stay awhile in Armadale, for there is much else to see.

Having spent some pennies in Ragamuffin, walk a little further on and for the plant boffins amongst you, there's the Rhubha Phoil Permaculture Centre for forest gardens and woodland walks.

Before you leave the area of the Pier, you should also try and grab a bite to eat at the tiniest café in the world! Known as The Pasta Shed, this little place has only four tables! They also do take-a-ways. The food is delicious (awards galore adorn the walls) and the staff friendly and helpful.

There are other little outlets around the Pier, so do try and see them all. You can pick up some beautiful, local, hand crafted goods.

A gentle 10 minute stroll will take you to the famous Clan Donald Centre with its beautiful gardens and Visitors Centre.

Dunvegan Castle - In the northwest corner of the island is Dunvegan castle, this is the ancient stronghold of the McLeod Clan and has been for the last 800 years, today this is still their family home.

The Isle of Skye Toy Museum in Glendale. Only recently re-opened after being gutted by fire 3 years ago, this museum is highly recommended for a visit. It's a hands-on museum, where the owners Pat and Terry Wilding positively encourage children (and adults!) to play with those toys and dolls which are not actually in glass cases. There are very few items in glass cases. Take a visit to their website: www.toy-museum.co.uk and take a virtual tour.

Portree, the island's pretty little harbour-side town, has many delightful little shops and is probably one of the few places left in the UK that has not been spoiled by the gobbling mouth of Tesco supermarket (although I hear rumours we might be getting an Aldi or Lidl).

There are houses on the Harbour front prettily painted in shades of pink, white, blue or cream blue. Most of these houses, though, are bed and breakfast establishments, and there's also a dental surgery and a couple of restaurant-come-pubs. On the harbour, you can watch the fishing boats landing their daily catch.

Portree also has a library, which is worth a visit if you want to learn a little of the local history and culture. However, the library is not open every day but a timetable can be found on the door.

The Aros Heritage centre is situated just outside Portree and here you can browse the rather elegant shop for gifts and books and enjoy a cup of tea and home baking in the large café. There is also a bar. When there last, we sat for so long chatting and admiring the view that we didn't notice that the café was closing (it was after 5pm on a Sunday) but the proprietors didn't try and chivvy us up at all. Friendly and courteous is putting it mildly!

Kylerhea Otter Haven - Situated in the south-west of the island, and approached down a scary, hairy one-track road. I'd advise you to keep your eyes closed, but in a car that wouldn't be sensible and by bicycle it would be positively suicidal. Once you get to the end of that steep decent you will find a wooden observation hide located where you can watch otters in their natural habitat. Keep very, very quiet and you might get lucky. If you don't, you could also try:

Eilean Ban (White Island), Kyleakin: Situated between Kyleakin and Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland. This is a six-acre nature haven nestling below the Skye road bridge which spans the island. There is a lighthouse on Eilean Ban which was originally home just to the lighthouse keepers and their families, and later it later became the residence of the author and naturalist, Gavin Maxwell. Eilean Ban has nature trails (suitable for wheelchair users), which wind around the island leading to different points of interest, including a viewing platform and sensory garden. You can also take a guided visit which includes the Maxwell museum, complete with original artifacts.

Since the advent of the Skye Bridge, the village of Kyleakin (pronounced Kyle Ah Kin), has become very quiet, since bridge traffic now tends to head straight up the island, bypassing Kyleakin altogether. But take the time to visit this little village and see the 10th century ruins of the fortress Castle Moil. There are some nice pubs, a coffee bar, and hotels and places of backpackers to rest their weary heads. There is a Youth Hostel but that, I believe, is to finally close its doors in November. For curry lovers, the recently opened Taste of India (previously the Crofters' Kitchen) is getting some excellent reviews.

An important note on the Skye Bridge: the view from the bridge is fantastic - particularly at sunset. But please be aware that there is a continuous white line on both sides of the bridge's road which means that traffic must not stop there. It is infuriating for us locals when using the bridge to come across cars parked half on and half off the pavement causing a back-log of traffic which can't get past and if you're unfortunate enough to be a pedestrian (and many do walk the bridge, daily) then we have to step into the road of oncoming traffic. There is a large, free car park in Kyleakin which can be used. Park the car there then walk back to the bridge for your sightseeing.

General:

Skye is a mostly English-speaking island these days, but there are a lot of Gaelic speakers, some native speakers and others having decided to learn the language. All road signs are displayed in both Gaelic and English.

Eating and sleeping:

There are plenty of places to stay. Only in the summer months is it advisable to book in advance if you are particular about your accommodation. The prices range from a modest £15 per person per night including a full cooked breakfast, to a more princely sum of anything up to over £100 if you decide to treat yourself and stay in one of the more exotic hotels.

Depending on the time of year you visit, there is little difficulty in finding somewhere to eat. Though when I say that, I am assuming that you wouldn't expect there to be an over abundance of eateries in the middle of nowhere. Some places can be a little expensive so do your homework first. Over the years, there has been an upsurge of fish and chip shops (one in every village - almost) and even one or two curry take-a-ways. Also be aware that most places stop serving at 9pm, so if you've arrived late in the evening, there are few places where you can get a decent meal after this time. However, progress has marched on and the local Co-op supermarkets in Portree, Broadford and Kyle of Lochalsh, are now open until 10pm Monday-Saturday and 6pm on Sundays (5pm in winter) so you'll at least have somewhere you can buy something to make a sandwich if you're desperate.

If there is one thing which spoils the Isle of Skye (and the Highlands in general), it's the midgies. The dreaded midge which, if legend is true (and I can believe it), has forced all potential invaders back since the beginning of time. The little black insect, no bigger than a tea leaf, doesn't fly alone. It flies in packs of millions, hunting for fresh blood. People have invented midgie machines to repel them (and to a certain extent I understand this has been quite successful), but generally, go armed with lots of insect repellent - citronella-based being the most effective - and if you are particularly prone to being bitten, beware of still evenings, most especially after it's been raining and it's warm….. because believe me, those little blighters are waiting in the heather to get you.

Other than that, the island is a magical, marvellous place you must visit at least once in your life."

Visit www.skye.co.uk

And http://www.isleofskye.net/ (which is an excellent site for more detailed information on accommodation available, things to do and transport etc.

© Louise Saunders

Summary: Get out of the rat race and reclaim your sanity in beautiful surroundings 

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