Walks, Wildlife & Nature in Skye

BROADFORD & SURROUNDS

The Plock 
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Easily missed just before the Skye Bridge, The Plock in Kyle of Lochalsh is a hidden gem. This community-owned park may be small in size but here you’ll discover a variety of habitats buzzing with a diverse range of flora and fauna. Look out for roe deer in the woodland, otters at the coral beaches and seals just off the craggy rocks of the peninsula.

Elgol
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Getting to this hamlet on the southern Strathaird Peninsula is a joy in itself, with the road sweeping beneath the Cuillins before curving towards the sea. Wander the stony beach, gaze out to the Small Isles from the pier, and follow a footpath to Spar Cave.

Kylerhea Otter Haven 
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The slim but spectacular road towards the Glen Elg ferry leads to a car park signed ‘Wildlife Hide’, from where a 20-minute walk takes you to one of the best places in Scotland to see otters. Spotting these notoriously elusive creatures is never guaranteed, and the hide itself is fairly high on the slopes, but the views are rewarding regardless.

Spar Cave 
///shredding.allows.essays It’s not straightforward to visit this well- concealed cave – reachable only when low tide allows, and even then requiring a steep descent and a rocky scramble – but it has a magic of its own. History and legend are thick in the air here, and on a more modern note, it’s where Bear Grylls brought an overawed Ben Stiller for his TV show.

Plockton 
///magically.shoebox.wonderful 

A picturesque fishing village on the shores of Loch Carron, six miles north of the Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland. With its cabbage palms, sheltered situation and big views, it has long attracted artists and film-makers.

Waterloo 
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East of Broadford, mere seconds down a side road, you’ll come to the little waterfront settlement of Waterloo, which boasts big views across the bay with the Red Cuillin visible in the distance. 

Boreraig 
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Not to be confused with the crofting settlement of Borreraig (with three ‘r’s) in the far north, the deserted township of Boreraig (with two ‘r’s) stands as testimony to the injustices of the Highland Clearances. Census archives show that in 1851 some 120 villagers lived here – today all that remains are stones, stories, and deep windswept views.

PORTREE & CENTRAL SKYE

Sligachan Gorge Pools 
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A short wander up Glen Sligachan from the car park at the bridge will take you to a series of pretty turquoise plunge pools set deep within this hidden gorge. To find them, follow the path past the statue with the river on your right. Keep left, passing through a gate at the halfway point, until you begin to hear the musical sounds of the waterfalls. 

Oronsay Tidal Island 
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Impossible to miss if you’re travelling along Skye’s west central coast, this huge hunk of grassy rock can be reached via a tidal causeway. Naturally, the walk should only be attempted if you’ve clued up on the tide times.

The Lump 
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Forget its unlovely name (and its unlovely past, which saw it stage public hangings). Looming above Portree Harbour is this easy-to-reach hilltop, which offers fine views, walking trails and an old watchtower.

Tianavaig Bay 
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Between Sconser and Portree – shortly after the scenery begins to get supersized for those arriving from the south of the island – you’ll find a turn-off to Tianavaig Bay. Sitting at the foot of the slanting Ben Tianavaig, the bay is a suitably ravishing (and surprisingly quiet) spot to take in the surrounds.

Scorrybreac 
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Clan history hangs thick on this wild spit of land just outside Portree. It was the stronghold of the Macneacail (Clan Nicolson) for more than eight centuries, and still hosts various gatherings and memorials.

Ben Tianavaig 
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Topping out at 413 metres above sea level, Ben Tianavaig stands within walking distance of Portree but feels a world away. The views from the top are superb, and it’s a good option for eagle-spotting.

TROTTERNISH

Lealt Falls 
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As the River Lealt approaches the Sound of Raasay, it reaches a series of drop- offs that tumble down towards the sea. The result is the gushing torrent of Lealt Falls, thundering step by step through a narrow gorge. A viewing platform close to the road gives an impressive perspective from above. Historically this peaceful location was a hub of industry, the ruined buildings on the shore below are the last remnants of what was once a busy diatomite mining business

An Corran Beach 
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The dark, sandy An Corran beach might be small but it packs a big punch. The seaweed-covered rocks here are famous for their dinosaur footprints, dating to the Jurassic Period. Only visible at low tide, the three-toed prints were made when Skye was close to the equator!

Loch Fada 
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One of the two so-called Storr Lochs – the other, Loch Leathan, lies directly to the north – this dreamily photogenic body of water is surrounded by the rumpled green topography of the Trotternish Peninsula. Come, look, and linger.

Loch Langaig 
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Another well-concealed loch lying a short distance from the roadside, Loch Langaig is ringed by slopes and makes for a photogenic sight. It’s also an alternative setting-off point for reaching the trailhead for the nearby Quiraing. 

Idrigil Bay Viewpoint 
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On the west coast of Trotternish, high above Uig Pier, this viewpoint is another that catches the breath on a fine day. You’re looking out across the sea loch of Snizort towards the cliffs of the Waternish Peninsula.

Old Man of Storr 
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Produced by an ancient landslip, the ‘Old Man’ is the tallest of several spearing pinnacles of rock on the rugged Trotternish ridgeline. Its outline is visible from many kilometres distant, helping it to become Skye’s most famous slab of basalt. The walk up to reach it is arguably the most popular on the island – expect the parking area at its foot to be busy – but the views from the top, looking back towards the mainland over a fantasy of rocks and lochs, are unbeatable. 

Kilt Rock
///bypasses.decently.unfilled Could it be possible that geology has a sense of humour? Skye is full of remarkable natural landmarks, but few are so recognisable as the aptly named Kilt Rock, a 90-metre-high row of basalt columns above a limestone ‘skirt’, the whole scene resembling a pleated kilt. Some even claim the colours of the rocks give it a slight tartan hue. From the cliff- top viewpoint you also get a great view of Mealt Falls, a waterfall that plummets 328 feet over Kilt Rock.

Quiraing 
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The swerving, slanting landscapes of Skye are at their most ravishing on the Quiraing, up in the north of Trotternish, where airy cliffs and rock-towers backdrop one of the most celebrated walks on the island.

Brogaig Beach 
///loved.rainwater.chestnuts 

On the east coast of the Trotternish peninsula, Staffin Bay is an area surrounded by natural beauty. The sandy beach is squeezed between the impossibly dramatic landscape of the Quiraing and spectacular views out to sea across tiny Staffin Island.

Fairy Glen 
///brings.novelists.amaze 

Not to be confused with the 30-miles- distant (but similarly enchanting) Fairy Pools, the remarkable Fairy Glen is a little world of its own – a grassy cluster of lochans, rounded hills and basalt outcrops. There’s minimal parking, so it’s a good idea to walk from Uig.

Bearreaig Bay 
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Outspread below the hulking contours of the Storr, Bearreaig Bay provides a glorious panoramic view across a host of different islands and headlands, from Raasay and Rona in the foreground to Wester Ross on the mainland. To appreciate it from road level, head slightly north of the Storr parking lot to a smaller car park and coffee stand located on the right.

Brothers’ Point 
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If you’re looking for one of those iconic Skye views – a geologically spectacular green headland reaching out into the blue wilds of the sea – follow the track to this remarkable point, also known as Rubha nam Brathairean, on the Trotternish peninsula.

Dun Skudiburgh 
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The remnants of this prehistoric fort still sit on a rise in the land on the coastline north of Uig, granting deep views offshore.

The Needle 
///whistling.poem.recorders 

If the Storr has the Old Man, the Quiraing has the Needle. Best seen on the Quiraing walk itself, where its tall, jagged shape becomes truly apparent, it brings an extra element of Tolkien-esque drama to the Trotternish scenery. From top to toe, it measures close to 40 metres.

The Lookout Bothy 
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Sitting at the northernmost tip of Skye, the Lookout Bothy at Rubha Hunish was once a watch station for the coastguard but now provides hikers with a basic, yet beautiful, shelter to rest their heads with spectacular views across to the Outer Hebrides.

WATERNISH, DUNVEGAN & DUIRINISH

Harlosh Point 
///mysteries.rift.remit Only a mile southwest of the town of Harlosh, the headland of Harlosh Point sits at the end of a peninsula, separated by a narrow channel from Harlosh Island. A walk to the headland sees the Cuillin rising dominantly to the south, MacLeod’s Tables and the Maidens to the north, and the Isle of Rhum to the west. Seals gather on Harlosh Island when the tide is out, while the area is also rich with caves, ruins, and plenty of sheep.

Coral Beach 
///tempting.meatballs.bandstand 

There’s more to this Caribbean-esque pairing of white beach and turquoise sea than meets the eye. The deeply photogenic pale ‘sands’ of the tucked- away beach aren’t sand at all, or even coral, but actually tiny pieces of sun- bleached maerl, a coral-like algae. Nearby rock pools make it family-friendly, and at very low tides it’s possible to walk out to the tiny island of Lampay. 

Neist Point 
///radically.baffle.dare Famed as one of the best sunset-viewing points in Skye – if not the whole of the UK – this rampantly lovely headland projects into The Minch and is also the site of Neist Point Lighthouse, now well over 110 years old.

Milovaig 
///conqueror.reaction.palms If it’s remote, scattered crofting settlements you’re after, head to this peaceful spot on the Duirinish Peninsula, where only grazing sheep and whitewashed cottages break up the soul-lifting view out across the coastline.

Day trips to St Kilda 
///cyber.blank.reform It’s not every day you get the chance to visit St Kilda, but from mid-April to September an operator named Go To St Kilda runs day trips from Skye, departing early in the morning from Stein Jetty on the Waternish peninsula. Journey time is around four hours each way, with four hours on St Kilda itself.

MINGINISH & THE CUILLIN HILLS

Camasunary Bay
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Home to little more than a bothy and a remote self-catering cottage, the grassbacked beach that crowns Camasunary Bay is a real heart-breaker. Two lively burns tumble down from the hills to reach its sands, which are reachable only on foot or by sea. 

Talisker Bay
///sprinter.motored.smiled It’s a devilish job to pick out scenic highlights on Skye – they’re everywhere you look – but this glorious bay, midway along the island’s west coast, is undoubtedly one of them. Hefty cliffs, a huge waterfall and a fine-looking beach contribute to making it a draw for everyone from families to hikers. 

Glenbrittle Beach
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At the head of Loch Brittle – and towered over by a cluster of mountains – this wide sandy beach is one of the most attractive on the island, with a campsite and café on site. 

Loch Coruisk
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Locations don’t come much more filmic than the one enjoyed by Loch Coruisk, a deep, inky-blue loch at the foot of the Black Cuillin. It’s a place shrouded in folklore: a shape-shifting kelpie, or water-horse, is said to live here, while Sir Walter Scott was moved to write that ‘Rarely human eye has known/ A scene so stern as that dread lake’. Take a boat trip from Elgol to enjoy it from the water, or follow the soggy hiking trail that snakes around the shoreline from Camasunary Bay – although note that this requires negotiating the notorious ‘Bad Step’. 

Fairy Pools
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It’s not hard to see how this series of postcard-pretty waterfalls got its name. Surrounded by hills – and a perfect option for a bracing wild swim – the clearrunning pools are reached via a walking track from the nearest road. 

Dun Ardtreck
///generated.relief.hotels The stepped, hilltop location of this Iron Age ‘semi-broch’ was chosen for good reason, giving a wonderful vantage point out to sea from the cliffs at the top of the peninsula. To reach it from the road, follow a white arrowed sign down a stony track, marked ‘To Broch and Lighthouse’. 

Ardtreck Point Lighthouse
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A short walk beyond Dun Ardtreck stands this decommissioned lighthouse. The structure itself is less of a draw than the panorama from the point itself. A good bet for sunset on a fine day.

Carbost
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This popular little village on Loch Harport is chiefly known for being home to the Talisker Distillery, but also has a friendly, tin-roofed community shop, amazing coffee shop, Caora Coffee and a good pub, The Old Inn. 

Climb the Cuillins
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This iconic, razor-backed range – generally divided between the roundtopped Red Cuillin and the more jagged Black Cuillin – contains no less than 12 Munros. Serious climbers and mountaineers are drawn here in numbers. The rewards are superb, but you should be aware that many routes are very challenging. Mountain guides and climbing instructors can both be hired if needed.

SLEAT 

Point of Sleat
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The hike to Skye’s southernmost point is a manageable and deeply rewarding walk of two hours or so, passing a handsome white beach and serving up cracking views of the Small Isles: Rum, Canna and Eigg. 

Camas Daraich
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Another well-concealed gem that reveals itself to travellers who make the effort, this stunner of a sandy beach has a holiday-brochure colour scheme and a hidden-away feel that makes it truly special. It’s reached on foot, and lies not far from the Point of Sleat. 

Tarskavaig
///discouraged.batches.perused The old crofting village of Tarskavaig is scattered across a swathe of Sleat shoreline. It’s a pretty sight in its own right, but the views that it affords back across to the Cuillins are downright spectacular. 

RAASAY 

Raasay
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Reachable via a short ferry crossing from the Skye township of Sconser – and playing home to a mere 160 people – the 14-mile-long Isle of Raasay is known for its rugged beauty, its whisky distillery, and its multi-layered history. The distinguished Gaelic poet Sorley MacLean was born here in 1911, and it’s easy to see how the place would have nurtured a creative mind. 

Temptation Hill
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Close to the walled garden and directly above the Pictish Stone, a short, sharp (and yes, tempting) climb brings you to the summit of Temptation Hill, which gives cracking views down towards a hidden beach, and across the Sound of Raasay to Skye. 

Hallaig
///drip.elsewhere.cadet Immortalised in the Sorley MacLean poem of the same name, this one-time crofting community has been deserted since the Highland Clearances but retains a special, stirring sense of place.