Isle of Skye (Scotland)

Advantages: Tranquility; breathtaking scenery; friendly islanders
Disadvantages: Wet and windy or Midgies - take your pick!

"'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 ...
...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. ... Read review

Advantages: Breathtaking Sceneryo of Mountains and Coastline
Disadvantages: The Midges

There is something about the Isle of Skye that is magical and I have very fond memories of spending holidays there as a child. I therefore make no apologies for the length of this review which I hope will be a guide for anyone visiting, or thinking about visiting this beautiful island. It is affectingly known in Gaelic as Eilean a' Cheò, which literally translates into English as the Island of the mist and today Skye, the largest of the Inner Hebridean ...
...& Getting There The Isle of Skye lies less than a mile off the north-west coast of Scotland and is the best known and largest of the of the Inner Hebridean Islands. The island has a population of just under 9,000 residents and is 50 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. It is accessed via the Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland ... Read review

Advantages: numerous
Disadvantages: its a long drive from the south!

...spend 3 weeks on the isle of Skye (should have been 2 ½ weeks but we got snowed in)! This review is by no means a comprehensive account of all there is to see and do on the beautiful Isle of Skye, but I have tried to give a taste of what the island is like and have included some of what I think are the highlights. I hope it is helpful to anyone planning a trip to Skye. Some basic information ********************* The Isle of Skye is situated off ...
...can change quickly. 10. The isle of Raasay can be reached via a 15-minute ferry crossing from Sconser. The day we spent on Raasay was another highlight. The island only has one road and felt really remote. We walked to see the ruins of a crofting settlement, deserted during the clearances. I love to teach my children history in this way! 11. Wildlife spotting is easy on Skye. We saw numerous golden eagles and even saw a rare sea eagle near Portree ... Read review

Advantages: Scenery, tranqility
Disadvantages: Not many shops

It's 240 miles to Skye from my house, but it's 240 miles of some of the most wonderful scenery you are liable to encounter. our route took us through Stirling, Callandar, Fort William, and Kyle of Lochalsh. We were in no desperate hurry when we set off for Skye so I set myself a task of not going over 60 MPH. Now for me that's one hell of a task. As it turns out though it wasn't nearly a difficult as I first imagined. The weather as we started out ...
...not great but sufficed since we had seen the scenery of the first 100 miles many tines before. Once we had passed Stirling we were into territory we had encountered only a few times so that was quite refreshing. As we journeyed on the weather was improving slightly with the cloud cover becoming a bit sparser. We had passed Callandar and were now heading for Fort William which was going to be our half way point for refreshments and eats. Fort William ... Read review

Advantages: Scenery; wildlife; getting away from it all
Disadvantages: Dreich if the weather closes in...

...Oh, and a final word for the Isle of Skye brewery. The brewery shop in Uig is rather depressingly poorly stocked and dull, but the likes of the Co-Op in Broadford carry their full range and I would recommend you try the Porridge Oat Ale. Trust me, it's fabulous. ... Read review

Advantages: Peaceful and friendly
Disadvantages: none at all

...We stayed at the White Heather Hotel in Kyleakin on the isle of Skye in September 2004. We liked it so much that we are going back again in September 2006. ***** THIS REVIEW IS NOW UPDATED DUE TO MY RECENT VISIT AS SOME CHANGES HAVE BEEN MADE TO THE HOTEL SINCE 2004************************************ ISLE OF SKYE ++++++++++++ The Isle of Skye is off the coast of Scotland, about a 2 hour drive from Fort William. It can be reached by bridge or ferry. It is a beautiful place, with plenty of wildlife. I am not going to go into more detail as this review is not about Skye itself. KYLEAKIN - pronounced Ky-lark-in ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ Kyleakin used to be the main point for the ferry, so when the bridge was built it changed the nature of the area a bit. There are two pubs and a hotel and several b&b's in Kyleakin. You can... Read review

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Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...For the past few winters our family has spent several weeks on the Isle of Skye. During our stay we always take several trips across to the beautiful Isle of Rassay. Raasay is a very special place and well worth a visit if you have the opportunity. Travel information ***************** Raasay is a small island situated between the north west of Scotland and the Isle of Skye. It is only accessible by ferry, which, for me, adds to its appeal. If you live in the south and don't fancy a long drive then it is possible to fly to Inverness, hire a car and drive the 3 hours to the ferry terminal at Sconser on Skye. Alternatively there are trains from Glasgow to the Kyle of Lochalsh, where a bus continues on to the Isle of Skye. The ferry terminal for the Isle of Raasay is in the tiny hamlet of Sconser. There is a public toilet... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average very helpful

Advantages: Almost everything: guides, tour...
Disadvantages: accomodation not included, visit of Edinburgh not included

...Here is a review of Macbackpackers, a company providing tours of Scotland. Check the website for more info: www.mackbackpackers.com I did the 7 days tours, and I’ll tell you about my experience… *THE COMPANY (MACBACKPACKERS): This company is specialised in Scotland and proposes different tours: 1, 3, 5, 7 days, and also a jump on / jump off option (running 7 days a week). They have been running tours for 5 years. It is therefore a young and active company. They provide fully guided tours in small coaches. They offer 3 days tour to different parts of Scotland: Isle of Skye, Inverness, Oban... etc... *WHERE DOES IT START FROM: The tours start from Edinburgh at different days of the week (according to the tour you are willing to do. You have therefore to organise your trip there… From London: By train: takes around 8 hours and cost... Read review

Ciao members have rated this review on average helpful