Skye is the largest and most northerly island in the Inner Hebrides. It’s about 50 miles long and 25 miles wide and sits just off the north west coast of Scotland. The Skye Bridge and the Malaig-Armadale ferry connect the island to the mainland.

Its name comes from the Old Norse for ‘misty isle’ - and they weren’t wrong. Warmed by the Gulf Stream, it rarely snows, but the weather can change in an instant and is often different on opposite sides of the island. Rain is undeniably a feature. Carried in on wild Atlantic winds, it sweeps the island, clearing within minutes and bringing with it mist and rainbows.

The island is dominated by the famous Cuillan mountain range, which rises to a forbidding height of 3255ft. Iron deposits within the rock cause hikers’ compasses to go haywire, and the heart of the mountains enclose the remote Loch Coriusk, an inky and mysterious body of water, which, legend has it, is home to a shape-shifting kelpie.

Skye has a lighter side too. The main (and technically the only) town of Portree has a pretty harbour of bobbing fishing boats, overlooked by a street of colourful cottages. Here you’ll find warm and welcoming cafes, pubs and restaurants.

Skye is home to some fantastic places to eat and drink with the freshest seafood you’ll find anywhere. The island has several distilleries, including Talisker, producing world-famous single malt whisky since 1830. For a small island there is an embarrassment of wonderful restaurants, each making the most of Skye’s incredible natural larder.

There are basically two ways to reach Skye: via the roadbridge or via the ferry. You won’t find any railway stations or airports here.

By the Skye Bridge

The drive up to Skye from either Edinburgh or Glasgow can take five or six hours. It’s a scenic route and you can motor through Pitlochry, past Loch Ness and past Eilean Donan Castle. The Skye Bridge is only 15 minutes from Eilean Donan Castle. Take the A87 through Kyle of Lochalsh and over the bridge. There’s no toll but the bridge and surrounding roads can get congested at peak times.

Via the ferry

The main ferry to Skye departs from Mallaig on the mainland and lands at Armadale in the south of the island. The crossing takes about half an hour. You can go as a pedestrian or with your car - all tickets must be purchased in advance. The ferry does get pretty busy and makes only a couple of trips each day.

For a more slow travel vibe you can also take a ferry from Glenelg on the mainland to outside the village of Kylerhea on southern Skye. This route became basically superseded once the bridge was built, but people still take it for a chance to travel on the old ferry boat and arrive on Skye in old fashioned style.

Swim in the Fairy Pools

Skye's famous Fairy Pools, with their incredible crystal clear blue water, are located on the north side of the Black Cuillin mountains, where the stream flows down the Coire na Creiche hillside towards the River Brittle.

Don’t worry, you don’t have to swim, you can just come and have a look. But if you do fancy a dip, these stunning pools fed by icy mountain spring waterfalls make a truly magical wild swimming experience. A sturdy wetsuit and a flask of hot tea to warm you up afterwards are advised.

Climb up to the Old Man of Storr

This iconic rock formation sits atop Trotternish Ridge on the east coast a few miles north of Portree. It’s a magnificent basalt pinnacle standing 160 feet high, created by a landslide millions of years ago. It's so named because apparently it resembles the profile of an old man.

The Old Man of Storr is one of Skye’s most popular locations and it can get pretty busy.
The climb to the top is fairly steep. A single path leads there and back. It takes about an hour and 15 minutes in total, but you’ll be rewarded with some truly epic views out to sea towards the islands of Raasay and Rona and the shores of the mainland.

Walk the Quiraing

The Quiraing is a striking formation of rocks on the northernmost tip of the Trotternish Ridge. It’s a vast circle of jagged peaks surrounding a hollow, within which is a raised plateau about the size of a football pitch, called ‘the Table’. The rocks themselves have menacing nicknames like ‘the Prison’ and ‘the Needle’. It’s a striking, mysterious spot, the sort of place you can imagine druids meeting to perform ancient rites. Although these days you’re more likely to find hikers enjoying the fantastic views.

The Quiraing walk is a loop of about four miles long, and takes roughly two hours to complete. The route takes you around the rocky ramparts and involves some rather challenging scrambles, but gives you spectacular views over some of the most awe-inspiring landscapes in the country.

Spend the day in Portree

Portree is the capital of Skye, a pretty town built around a harbour and ringed by cliffs. The town as it stands today is only about 200 years old, the harbour area was built at the start of the 19th century by the then Lord MacDonald, but the original settlement is way older. It’s still a working harbour, with fishing boats coming and going, but it’s also a bustling hub for tourists and visitors.

There’s a cinema, swimming pool and plenty of little independent shops to explore, with some lovely locally-made crafts and homewares to remind you of your trip, and there are plenty of cafes for lunch and a coffee. Afterwards you can take a boat trip from the harbour to see Skye’s magnificent coastline from the water and maybe spot seals, dolphins and sea eagles.

Go wildlife spotting

Skye is a fantastic place to see some rare and beautiful wildlife. A guided trip is your best chance to spot some rare beasts.

Take a boat from the harbour at Portree and you might see the sea eagles which nest in the cliffs. These mighty birds have an eight foot wingspan and were reintroduced here in 1975 after becoming extinct.

In the rich waters surrounding Skye you can see Minke Whale, who visit from May to October, plus many rarer species, including humpback, fin, sperm orca, sei, northern bottlenose, and long-finned pilot whales.

Dolphins are also frequent visitors to the waters around Skye. You can spot a few different species, but usually the bottlenose and common. If you visit in summer you might see a ‘super pod’, where hundreds of dolphins group together - no one is quite sure why!

Inland on the hillsides you can see magnificent red deer, Scotland’s largest mammal, or head into the woods and you might see a little pine marten darting about. Stay still and quiet along the shoreline and you might be lucky enough to spot otters playing in the water, or maybe even a golden eagle soaring above the clifftops.

Follow the whisky trail

Maybe the world’s most scenic whisky trail, the Skye tour covers three distilleries over two islands. You can join one of the expert tours and be chauffeured about in comfort on a minibus, or go under your own steam (just be sure to make sure you’ve got a designated driver).

Mainland Skye has two distilleries: the famous Tallisker founded in 1830 and located on the island’s east coast; and Torabhaig to be found on the Sleat Peninsula to the south. A short ferry journey takes you to the third, Raasay Distillery on the beautiful Isle of Raasay.

The Three Chimneys

One of the most famous restaurants not only on Skye but in the whole of Scotland, the Three Chimneys serves locally caught seafood and game at its very best.

The restaurant’s home is a pretty white crofter’s cottage on the shores of Loch Dunvegan on the north west of the island, a remote and dramatic backdrop. It’s a fine dining restaurant, but the interiors are warm and comfortable, with stone walls, soft lighting and a friendly relaxed feel.

You’ll sample an impeccable menu. Delicate scallops, the freshest langoustine and perfectly cooked monkfish. For a taste of everything the Three Chimneys is about, try their ‘Skye Land and Sea’ tasting menu. People also rave about the bread and butter too - always the sign of a great restaurant.

Loch Bay

A legendary seafood restaurant and holder of Skye’s only Michelin star, Loch Bay might be award-winning but it’s just as welcoming and unpretentious as can be. It’s located in a little fisherman’s cottage in the village of Stein on the Waternish Peninsula and has room for just six tables.

This place is a mecca for seafood lovers and serves the freshest and juiciest that Skye has to offer. The menu has a French twist but it’s the local produce which is the star, with a smorgasbord of shellfish brought straight off the fishermen’s boats at Stein and into the kitchen.

Kilnoch Lodge

Opened over 50 years ago by Claire MacDonald, a pioneer of sustainable, seasonal eating, Kilnoch Lodge is a handsome hotel and restaurant overlooking Loch na Dal on the Sleat Peninsula. It’s a Skye icon and busily serves breakfast, lunch and dinner every day of the year.

When the restaurant first opened, the remote island location made locally found ingredients a necessity and Claire began serving a simple and unfussy menu sourced from Skye's natural larder. Nothing much has changed - except now many other restaurants are doing exactly the same thing.

Talisker Distillery

Not so much a place to eat as to drink, Talisker is Skye’s world famous whisky distillery. It has stood for over 200 years by the sea on the shore of Loch Harport, with the Cuillin Hills as a backdrop.

Talisker produces a single malt with notes of peat, sea salt and citrus. You can book a place on a distillery tour, which takes you through the history, flavour and production process and ends with a three dram tasting session. Or if you can’t get a spot on the often booked-up tour, just head straight to the shop and on-site bar.

And if you need something to soak up the alcohol, the Three Chimneys now has an outpost serving lunch by the water beside the newly built Talisker visitor centre.

Birch

A cool and contemporary coffee house, Birch brings great coffee and minimalist Melbourne cafe vibes to Skye. This popular spot is located in the centre of Portree, with sleek, Scandi style interiors, pale wood tables and low-key, muted tones.

All Birch’s coffee beans are ethically sourced and are roasted in-house for a super fresh brew. They also serve a small but perfectly formed menu of tasty brunch classics including granola, cake and excellent scrambled eggs on sourdough toast.

On Coolstays we’re lucky enough to list some of Skye’s most gorgeous holiday properties. We’ve picked out some of our favourite stays around the island, from Scandi-inspired cabins, to restored cottages, to luxurious coastal homes. Here's just a handful of our favourites, but check out the full Skye collection here.