🏴
Photo on PexelsIsle of Skye
Scotland's Most Dramatic Island
Scotland's Most Dramatic Island
The Old Man of Storr (the finest accessible rock pinnacle in the UK; the 55m basalt pillar on the Trotternish Ridge; 10km north of Portree; the 45-min walk from the car park (£3 for 3h) through the ancient landslide cliffs; the finest view of the Sound of Raasay from the base; best at 7–9am in summer) is the finest free rock feature walk in Britain.
Old Man of Storr (free to walk; car park £3 for 3h; 10km north of Portree; the 45-min walk to the base of the 55m basalt pinnacle; the finest view of the Sound of Raasay from the base; best at 7–9am in summer before other visitors arrive).
The Fairy Pools (the finest clear-blue tidal rock pools in any UK island; Glen Brittle; 35km southwest of Portree; the 5km return walk along the Allt Coire na Creiche burn; the Blue Pool (the finest turquoise water in any Scottish burn); the finest wild swimming in Scotland (8–12°C year-round)) is the finest walk on the Isle of Skye.
Fairy Pools (free; Glen Brittle; 35km southwest of Portree; the 5km return walk to the Blue Pool; the finest clear-blue tidal rock pools in any UK island; the finest wild swimming in Scotland (8–12°C)).
Dunvegan Castle (the finest occupied castle in Scotland; £18; daily Apr–Oct 10am–5:30pm; the oldest continuously inhabited castle in the UK; the Fairy Flag (the finest clan heritage object in Scotland); the finest formal island garden) and the Quiraing (the finest mountain landslide landscape in the UK; the finest Trotternish Ridge viewpoint from a road in Scotland; 25km north of Portree; free) are the finest western Skye experiences.
Dunvegan Castle (£18; daily Apr–Oct 10am–5:30pm; the oldest continuously inhabited castle in the UK; the Fairy Flag (the finest clan heritage object in Scotland); the finest formal island garden).
The Sligachan Hotel (the finest pub on the Isle of Skye; the finest Cuillin Ridge view from any pub terrace in Scotland; the Cuillin Brewery ales) and the Sligachan Old Bridge (the finest Cuillin mountain backdrop to any single bridge in the UK; free; 2 min from the hotel car park) are the essential Sligachan and Cuillin experiences.
Quiraing (free; 25km north of Portree on the Staffin to Uig road; the finest mountain landslide landscape in the UK; the finest Trotternish Ridge viewpoint from a road in Scotland).
Skye eating has improved dramatically in the past decade to become one of the finest food destinations in Scotland despite the remote island location: the Three Chimneys (Colbost, Dunvegan; the most celebrated restaurant on Skye; 3 AA Rosettes; the tasting menu of Skye produce £80–110 pp; book 3–6 months ahead at threechimneys.co.uk; the scallops from the Dunvegan loch, the Skye venison, and the Dunlop cheese soufflé), the Edinbane Inn (Edinbane village; the finest budget restaurant on Skye; the slow-roasted Skye lamb; the craft ales; £15–28 pp), the Sea Breezes (Portree; the finest affordable seafood in the island town; the fresh langoustines from the Portree bay boats; £18–30 pp), and the Sligachan Hotel bar (the largest whisky selection on Skye; the 400+ single malts; the post-Cuillin walk dram; the most specifically Skye whisky address). The Skye seafood: the Portree harbour shellfish (the langoustines, the crab, and the mussels from the Portree bay boats; available fresh from the harbour boats in season) and the Dunvegan oysters (the native oysters from the Loch Dunvegan beds; the finest native oyster in Scotland) are the two most specifically Skye food products.
The Fairy Pools (Glenbrittle Road; free; 20-min walk from road) receive 1,000+ visitors per summer day.
The Cuillin mountains and Quiraing ridge appear and disappear through low cloud. Misty Skye is the correct Skye.
Sligachan Bridge (old stone bridge; free; always accessible; on the A87 at the Sligachan Hotel turn) reflects the Cuillin in the river at dawn.
Portree is served by bus from Inverness (3 hours; once or twice daily).
Trotternish Peninsula drive: Old Man of Storr (10km north; car park £3; the 45-min walk to the 55m pinnacle; best before 9am). Quiraing (25km north; the finest mountain landslide landscape in the UK; free). Kilt Rock (free; the finest sea cliff waterfall on the Trotternish coast).
A rental car is essential on the Isle of Skye (from £35/day from Arnold Clark at Portree or from Inverness; the Skye Bridge is toll-free; the Old Man of Storr (10km north), the Fairy Pools (35km southwest), the Quiraing (25km north), and Dunvegan Castle (27km northwest) all require a car).
Fairy Pools (Glen Brittle; 35km southwest of Portree; the 5km return walk to the Blue Pool; the finest wild swimming in Scotland). Sligachan Bridge (free; 2 min from the hotel; the finest Cuillin backdrop photograph). Dunvegan Castle (£18; daily Apr–Oct; the Fairy Flag). Neist Point sunset (32km northwest; the finest Atlantic sunset on any Scottish island; free).
The Old Man of Storr (10km north of Portree) is best at 7–9am in summer — the car park fills by 10am in July–August and the misty morning light on the pinnacles is the best photograph opportunity in the Scottish Highlands.
The Old Man of Storr (£5 parking; the 1h 30min return walk; the most recognisable Scottish landscape), the Fairy Pools (£5 parking; the crystal-clear mountain pools), and the Sligachan Bridge.
The Three Chimneys lunch (Colbost; £40–65 pp; 3 AA Rosettes; the finest Skye produce; pre-book 1–2 weeks ahead for lunch) combined with the Fairy Pools morning (free walk; £5 parking) and the Sligachan Bridge sunset.
Three Chimneys House (Colbost, Dunvegan; the boutique hotel attached to the Three Chimneys restaurant; 6 rooms; the Loch Dunvegan view from every room; full Scottish breakfast; dinner included in the rate; £250–400/night; the)
🛂 Entry rules: you need a UK ETA
Most visitors who don’t need a visa, including EU, US, Canadian and Australian citizens, must have an Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) before travelling to the UK, and airlines and ferry operators refuse boarding without one. It costs £20, allows stays of up to six months at a time and lasts two years or until your passport expires.
Apply in the official UK ETA app or on GOV.UK; most decisions come within minutes, but apply at least three working days before you travel. British and Irish citizens don’t need one, and neither do legal residents of Ireland arriving from Ireland.
Official information: GOV.UK: apply for an ETA · Reviewed September 2026
Download the Isle of Skye area for offline navigation, walking directions and public transport routes.
Free
Book tours, day trips and skip-the-line tickets in and around Isle of Skye.
Free
Explore more of United Kingdom’s extraordinary cities and landscapes.
Planning a wider trip? Our United Kingdom travel guide covers getting there, costs, when to go and more.