Hidden Scotland
Sign in
Broadford and Surrounds

Elgol

A crofting village at the end of the road on Strathaird, looking across Loch Scavaig into the heart of the Black Cuillin.

Welcome

Elgol is a crofting and fishing village at the end of the B8083, fifteen miles from Broadford on the south-west coast of the Strathaird peninsula.

Visited and photographed by Simon Hird

The road drops steeply to the shore, and from there you look across Loch Scavaig to the Black Cuillin. Glen Brittle and Sligachan are closer to the main ridge, but they sit outside its horseshoe, and only from Elgol do you look into the heart of it.

Boats leave the jetty for the head of Loch Scavaig, a short walk from Loch Coruisk, as visitors have been taken into the Cuillin by boat for centuries. A rough, boggy path follows the cliffs to Prince Charlie's Cave, where Bonnie Prince Charlie ate his last meal on Skye in July 1746. The cave can be reached only around low tide, so check the tide times before you set out and leave it in good time. In summer, arrive early for a place to park.

The Daily

Arrives at 5am every day.

A free morning email to see what’s on this week, catch up on what’s happening in Scotland and find somewhere new to go.

The Daily for 28 October, from Scotland with love. The same waterfall seen closer, its churning white water framed by orange and red autumn foliage.
Before you go

Elgol is open at any time.

The B8083 ends here, and the jetty is where the boats to Loch Coruisk leave.

Where
Elgol, on the Strathaird peninsula of the Isle of Skye, IV49 9BJ, at the end of the B8083.
Open
A village, open at any time. Bella Jane's 2026 boat season runs seven days a week from 1 April to 31 October, and Misty Isle sails Monday to Saturday.
Price
Free to visit. Misty Isle Boat Trips to Loch Coruisk start at £23.50 for an adult one way and £34.50 for the three-hour Standard trip. Children aged 6 to 16 pay £15 one way and £20 for the Standard trip (prices read 21 October 2026).
Parking
Free parking at the jetty, and a second car park as you enter the village, looking down on the harbour. The jetty car park can be full on summer days, so arriving early helps.
Getting there
The single-track B8083 from Broadford takes 35 to 45 minutes by car, and about an hour from the Skye Bridge. Stagecoach bus 55 runs from Broadford Post Office to the Elgol Community Centre in just under 40 minutes; Bella Jane's page says there is no service on Saturday or Sunday.
Access
The road drops steeply into the village and the beach is large pebbles. The path to Prince Charlie's Cave is rough and boggy, with boulders on the shore.
Walks
Prince Charlie's Cave and back is 4 km (2.5 miles), 2 to 3 hours, with 170 m of ascent. The path is boggy and the shore is awkward boulders, and the way up to the cave is a scramble that needs care. The cave can be reached only for a couple of hours either side of low tide, so check the tide times before you set out and leave in time, as the tide can stop you getting back.
Toilets
Public toilets in Elgol, part of the Highland Council Comfort Scheme and open through the winter. There is no disabled access.
Dogs
Well behaved dogs are welcome on Misty Isle's boat trips; at Loch Coruisk there are metal steps that some dogs struggle with.
Booking
Booking is strongly advised for the Misty Isle boat trips, and all sailings depend on the weather.

Been here? Tell others what you know, and the best go on this page with your name.

Add your review

Did you know

A pebble shoreline curves toward a misty bay with mountains rising beyond on the Isle of Skye.
Did you know

The noble dale.

The name comes from the Gaelic Ealaghol, usually read as noble dale or field of wild angelica; other tales tie it to a Viking's lost ship, the Swan.

A pebble beach curves beneath misty mountains, with a cottage perched on the cliff edge on the Isle of Skye.
Did you know

Into the horseshoe.

Glen Brittle and Sligachan are closer to the Cuillin ridge, but they sit outside its horseshoe. Only from Elgol, to the south, do you look into it.

Fishing boats rest on the sand beside a stone slipway beneath a misty hillside on the Isle of Skye.
Did you know

The boat to Coruisk.

For centuries visitors have been taken by boat from here into the Cuillin, to the head of Loch Scavaig, a quarter of a mile's walk from Loch Coruisk.

A white inflatable dinghy sits on rocks beside a pebble shore beneath cliffs and a distant cottage on the Isle of Skye.
Did you know

The Prince's cave.

On 4 July 1746 Bonnie Prince Charlie came to Elgol to seek refuge with the chief of Clan MacKinnon. Boswell wrote that the chief's lady waited in a cave where all were given cold meat and wine. Walkhighlands records the Prince's last meal on Skye as eaten at the cave that now carries his name.

Calm water meets a pebble shore below misty mountains and a cliffside cottage on the Isle of Skye.
Did you know

Walter Scott's cave.

Along the coast at Glasnakille is the Spar Cave, which Walter Scott visited in 1814 and wrote about in his poem The Lord of the Isles. It can be reached only around low tide, and needs planning and great care.

Ben Lerwill

From our guide to Skye

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.

Read more
01 / 07
Where it is

At the end of the B8083, fifteen miles south-west of Broadford, on the Strathaird peninsula.

Close byOn Strathaird.
  1. Misty Isle Boat TripsMisty Isle Boat TripsThere’s no better way to experience Skye’s coastline than by boat.Under a mile 1 min by road
  2. Spar CaveSpar CaveA sea cave on the Strathaird shore near Elgol, reached on foot only around low tide, lined with flowstone and ending in a lake.2 miles 3 min by road
  3. Loch Coruisk running back between the steep walls of the Cuillin ridge under low cloud.Loch CoruiskA freshwater loch lying in a bowl of black Cuillin gabbro, three quarters of an hour by boat from Elgol and ten minutes on foot from the landing.3 miles 5 min by road
  4. Torrin PoolsTorrin PoolsClear pools and small waterfalls on a burn above Loch Slapin, looking across to Blà Bheinn.8 miles 10 min by road
  5. Amy's Place Tea RoomAmy's Place Tea RoomA purple tea room at Torrin, on the road to Elgol, baking its own cakes with Blà Bheinn across the loch.9 miles 11 min by road
  6. Rough grass and pools on the shore at Broadford, the bay and hills beyond.BroadfordSkye's second village, strung along Broadford Bay under the Red Cuillin, a stop for fuel, food and the road south to Elgol.14 miles 19 min by road
Directions
Wooden bistro building with a stag emblem, set against a hillsideCafeElgol Bistro0.4 miles
Fishing boats moored at a stone pier beneath misty hillsAttractionsBella Jane Boat Trips0.5 miles
Coruisk House's white harled exterior shows dormer windows and clustered chimneys against a grey sky.ElgolCoruisk HouseSleeps 4 · 0.8 miles
Winding path leads to a shingle beach beneath cloud-covered hillsAttractionsCamasunary Bay3.3 miles
Bothan Beileag, Isle of SkyeHeastaBothan BeileagSleeps 2 · 12 miles
A timber shepherd's hut with a curved roof stands on a grassy slope, a bench and picnic table in front and hills rising behind.HeastaBothan BuidheagSleeps 2 · 12 miles
A pool table under low lamps in the Gabbro Bar, a ball about to be struck.BarsThe Gabbro Bar14 miles
Shopfront sign for The Selkie Collective, advertising ethical, sustainable products and giftsShoppingThe Selkie Collective14 miles
A walker on a path above a loch beneath a steep mountain on the Skye Trail.WalksSkye Trail with Thistle Trekking14 miles

Recommend to a friend

Stay nearby

Places to stay near Elgol, and when each is next free.

Coruisk House's white harled exterior shows dormer windows and clustered chimneys against a grey sky.Coruisk House
  • Sleeps 4
  • In Elgol
  • Under a mile from Elgol
Check datesGravel path curves through green fields towards mist-covered mountain peaksGlenbrittle Campsite
  • To stay
  • In Glenbrittle
  • 8 miles from Elgol
Check datesA timber shepherd's hut with a curved roof stands on a grassy slope, a bench and picnic table in front and hills rising behind.Bothan Buidheag
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Heasta
  • 8 miles from Elgol
Free 28–30 OctBothan Beileag, Isle of SkyeBothan Beileag
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Heasta
  • 8 miles from Elgol
Free 31 Oct – 2 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay in Broadford and SurroundsAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
Hidden Scotland, the magazine

Scotland, in print.

We want to show you the best that Scotland has to offer. The makers and the creatives, the enduring experiences, the evocative tales, the concealed corners. The roads less travelled that take you to places that matter. The adventures that gather you up and sweep you away. The blend of the wild and the artistic that makes Scotland what it is. We’d love for you to join us.

Get Issue 13Read it here
Read on

What we have written about it, the collections it is in and more in Broadford and Surrounds.

From the magazine10 Unmissable Walks on the Isle of SkyeFrom the magazineSkye Activities & ExperiencesCollectionWalks, Wildlife and Nature in SkyeCollectionSkye's Hidden Side
More in Broadford and Surrounds
Find out more

For further reading, before you go. The details on this page were checked on .