Isle of Skye

After leaving Glencoe we had a full day of driving up to the Isle of Skye. Our route took us up the A82 and the A87- through snow and rain- past lochs, villages, and incredible views. We stopped several times for photos and food, including at Eilean Donan Castle (we didn’t do a tour though), Broadford for lunch, and a quick stop in the Co-op store for some groceries.

Staffin

We chose to stay in an AirBnb in Staffin for our two nights on the Isle of Skye. Firstly because it’s one of Nicole’s favorite spots in Scotland, and also because of it’s proximity to the Quiraing, which is the one thing we really wanted to do while we were on Skye. Staffin is a small village on the eastern side of the Trotternish Peninsula in northeast Skye. It’s a beautiful area, with incredible views in pretty much all directions.

When we visited in late February there weren’t very many amenities available. There are a couple of gas stations, a few small grocery stores, and that’s pretty much it. We loved staying here, and absolutely would again, but it would be a good idea to stock up on groceries and gas on your way.

Dining

There aren’t loads of dining options in the Staffin area in high season, and there are essentially none in the winter. This is one of the places we had the most trouble finding open restaurants. Several of them looked open on Google Maps, only to arrive and find out they were closed for the winter. So I highly recommend calling ahead to see if a restaurant is open before you head out. Also, reservations might be a good idea in the high season since the options are a bit few and far between. But there are several ways around this particular problem… First, if you’re staying somewhere where you have access to a kitchen, then just buy what you need on your way and cook. Second, be willing to drive 20+ minutes to a busier area with open restaurants such as Portree or Uig.

On our first night on Skye we stopped at the Co-op in Portree and cooked at our AirBnb. We also had breakfast there in the morning before our hike. For lunch we got lucky and there was a conveniently parked food truck in the Quiraing parking lot- possibly the best hot dog I’ve ever had. For dinner we thought we’d try a restaurant in Staffin, only to find they were all closed. The next closest open restaurant was the Uig Hotel, so that’s where we went! The food was great, so it all worked out well, but we definitely learned from our experience.

Things to Do

The Quiraing

Don’t ask me how to pronounce it, but walking the Quiraing circuit was one of my absolute favorite things we did on our entire trip! The Quiraing is a part of the Trotternish ridge, formed by a landslide, on the northeastern peninsula of the Isle of Skye. It’s probably one of the most famous sights on the island, and with good reason- it’s absolutely stunning.

While you can see the Quiraing from the comfort of your car, the best way to enjoy it is on foot. There’s a network of hiking trails around the Quiraing, several visiting prominent formations like the prison, the needle, and the table. You could walk as far as you like, see what you want to see, and return back to your car. Or if you’re looking for more adventure and challenge you can walk the Quiraing Circuit- a 4 mile (6.5km) loop trail that circles behind and back over the ridge to return you to the trailhead.

We hiked the circuit, and it took us an entire morning. The views were spectacular. We started off with some sunshine, but it snowed on and off the whole hike, which only added to the magic. This is one trail I’d 100% hike again in better weather- I’d love to see the view from the top, as well as the table- a little plateau near the top that we missed.

That being said, this wasn’t an easy hike. And it was made more difficult by the snow that covered the entire top of the ridge, making the trail impossible to follow. Sometimes the walking was easy, but it was frequently snowy, muddy, and slippery and very often steep. I imagine that it’s easier to navigate in the warmer months, but if you’re going to do this in winter, learn from our mistakes! Waterproof boots and outerlayers are a must! Take lots of layers. I’d definitely recommend trekking poles. Take snacks and plenty of water. Use a GPS app, such as AllTrails, that will let you know if you’ve gone off-course (we used AllTrails Pro and I’m not sure how we could’ve found the actual trail without it!). Pay close attention to the weather forecast.

Cost: free

Parking: Paid parking lot at the trailhead off of the single track road linking Staffin and Uig- approximately 3 pounds for all day parking

Sometimes there’s a food truck at the carpark- it was wonderful!

Mealt Falls and Kilt Rock

This is a quick, easy, and beautiful stop for your drive around Skye. Mealt Falls is impressive, flowing off of a cliff close to the viewpoint and into the sea. Kilt Rock is visible in the distance past the falls, it’s a cliff that looks folded like the folds of a kilt- hence the name. There are also beautiful views across the sea back to the mainland. Definitely worth a stop to stretch the legs and take in the views!

The viewpoint for Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls is right off of the A855, the main road that runs north out of Portree towards the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing. There’s a parking area just off of the road, and a very short walk to the viewpoint.

Cost: free

Parking: free

The Fairy Glen

The Fairy Glen is a popular destination near the village of Uig, not far from the Quiraing but on the other side of the peninsula. It is a hilly area known for it’s strange topography. The hills are rounded and grassy, with little valleys and ponds. It’s very pretty and there is kind of a magical quality about it.There’s one particularly popular hill called the Fairy Castle that is rocky at the top, if you use your imagination it looks a bit like a castle. The view looking out from the hillside is really nice, there are several good sized waterfalls visible, and the Trotternish ridge in the distance.

We visited right after our hike of the Quiraing, so we were tired and just took a quick stroll. It was also very muddy and slippery, which probably caused us to cut our visit a bit short and explore less.

Cost: free

Parking: free

Parking was fairly limited here when we visited. The Isle of Skye tourism page recommends parking in Uig and walking to the glen.

Lealt Falls

Lealt Falls is another quick roadside stop right off of the A855 between Portree and Staffin. From the carpark there’s a very short walk to an overlook directly above the falls. At the other end of the carpark there’s a trail up the hill, where you can get a different view of the falls and some gorgeous views of the coast and mainland Scotland. Another pleasant place to stretch your legs and take in some views!

Cost: Free

Parking: Free

The Coo Viewpoint

So what is a coo view, you ask? Well, coo means cow, because sometimes when a Scottish person says the word “cow” it comes out sounding like “coo”- so you’ll see references to “coos” or even “Heilan Coos”. So quite literally, this a view with Highland cattle. A Coo view.

They are kind of the mascot for the highlands, if you stop into a gift shop you’ll see loads of merchandise themed around these shaggy bovines. And while cows aren’t my favorite animal, Highland cattle are really cute with their long shaggy hair and their horns. Seeing them by the roadside can be quite the treat, and a good photo opportunity!

It was a very quick stop. The cattle were right by the fence on the roadside, so I hopped out and snapped a few photos. The cattle you see here are pretty young, but they are still big, strong animals. Use common sense, and obviously interact with them at your own risk. But that being said, this cream colored guy was so friendly! He came right up to me and wanted scratches. He obviously was used to interacting with people. He even gave me a kiss!

Cost + parking: free

Sligachan Old Bridge

Sligachan is an area right on the A87 at the head of the loch of the same name, not far past the Coo View. There isn’t much there- a hotel with a bar, a bunkhouse, and most importantly for us a very picturesque old bridge (aptly named the Sligachan Old Bridge) with incredible views of the Cuillin mountains. It’s well worth a short stop to stretch the legs and take some photos.

If you want to venture further than the bridge, there’s a small waterfall just upstream that looks worth a visit (we didn’t know it was there, and didn’t see it). There’s also the trailhead for Sgùrr na Strì, a long hillwalk that goes up Glen Sligachan between the Black and Red Cuillins. If you’re interested in this walk, I’d recommend reading up on it here. It’s a challenging all-day walk best left for experienced hikers, but it’s said to have some of the best views.

Cost: free

Parking: free

The Isle of Skye was one of my absolute favorite places on our entire trip, and as always my only regret is that we didn’t have more time to spend. It’s one of those places I could pretty easily devote an entire trip to, especially if you factor in hiking. So what would I do differently next time? I’d obviously spend more time on Skye, and I’d probably stay in a few different areas so I could more easily explore all the island has to offer- drive times on those winding single-track roads get long pretty quickly! Here are some of the sights that I’d like to see when I go back someday: