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
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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
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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 ...
Advantages: Lots to see Disadvantages: Admission charges
Even with all of today's mod cons like electricity and running water the Isle of Skye can still be quite an inhospitable place. In Gaelic it is known as Eilean Cheo (The Misty Isle) and its winters are amongst the harshest endured anywhere in the British Isles. Despite all of this humans have inhabited Skye for at least the last eight thousand years and over this period these people have adapted to cope with the environment. This way of life, which is unique to the Scottish Highlands, is known as crofting and crofting is still widely practised today.
A croft is traditionally a stone built house with a small patch of land around it that was used to grow crops and support a few animals. Typically a croft would have a few sheep, a couple of cows, some hens and even a pig or two. They would cut and dry peat from the land that provided fuel ...
Advantages: Tranquility; breathtaking scenery; friendly islanders Disadvantages: Wet and windy or Midgies - take your pick!
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 ...
