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White tower buildings on a rocky headland above the sea
Isle of Skye

Sabhal Mòr Ostaig – Gaelic College & Culture Centre

The national centre for Gaelic language and culture at Sleat, a working college where a visitor can buy a book, take a coffee, and sit in on a conversation circle if the day is right.

Visit website
Welcome

A working college rather than an attraction, and the only one in the world that teaches entirely through Gaelic.

Sir Iain Noble founded it in 1973 in the old farm steadings at Ostaig, and a village is now being built around it, the first planned village on Skye in nearly a century.

There is no ticket and no admission. Park, walk into reception at Arainn Chaluim Chille, and the College Shop beside it sells books, postcards, gifts, and tea and coffee and cake to anyone who wants them. Walking the teaching spaces needs a tour arranged by email first, and they are glad to give one.

Better still is to time it. Monday evenings there is a free Gaelic conversation circle in the cafe, beginners at six and fluent speakers at seven. Thursdays bring a knitting club at lunchtime and a reading circle in the library.

A short drive awayAn CrùbhThe community hub up the peninsula, with food and a cash machine.8 min by roadSee itAn Crùbh
Before you go

This is a working college rather than an attraction.

There is no admission and no ticket desk. Make for reception in the main building, Arainn Chaluim Chille; the College Shop beside it is open the same hours and sells books, postcards, gifts and college merchandise, along with tea, coffee and something sweet. Parking is free and plentiful at the three buildings. What you cannot do is wander the teaching spaces: a tour has to be arranged by email beforehand, and they are glad to give one. What is worth timing a visit for is the free community sessions, which anyone may join.

Where
Sabhal Mor Ostaig, Teangue, Sleat, Isle of Skye, IV44 8RQ.
Reception
Mon to Thu 8am to 6pm, Fri to 5pm, Sat 8am to 10am, Sun 2pm to 7pm.
The shop
Open the same hours. Books, postcards, gifts, and tea, coffee and cake.
A tour
By arrangement. Email through the Visiting page before you come.
Parking
Free, and plenty of it, at the three buildings. Blue badge bays.
No cash machine
There is none. The nearest is Armadale Stores, two miles away.
Worth collecting
The free Gaelic poetry path pamphlet and map, for seven places across Skye.
Free to join
A Gaelic conversation circle on Monday evenings, a reading circle on Thursdays.

Opening hours

Their website
Monday
8am–6pm
Tuesday
8am–6pm
Wednesday
8am–6pm
Thursday
8am–6pm
Friday
8am–5pm
Saturday
8am–10am
Sunday
2pm–7pm
Where it is

At Teangue in Sleat, on the A851 about two miles from the Armadale ferry terminal, looking east over the Sound of Sleat. The campus is three buildings: Arainn Chaluim Chille, where reception and the shop are, Ionad Iain Nobail, and the older Arainn Ostaig.

Close byThe rest of Sleat.
  1. Yellow kayak passes through a narrow rock cleft towards open waterSouth Skye Sea KayakPaddle the clear waters of the Isle of Skye with South Skye Sea Kayak.Under a mile 3 min by road
  2. Armadale Castle GardensArmadale Castle GardensGardens, museum and a cafe, two miles down at the ferry end.2 miles 3 min by road
  3. Knock CastleKnock CastleThe MacDonald ruin on its knoll above the Sound of Sleat.2 miles 5 min by road
  4. The road sign for Tarskavaig above the bay.TarskavaigThe township on the west side, for the view across to the Cuillin.6 miles 9 min by road
  5. Small white lighthouse on a grassy headland surrounded by grey seaPoint of SleatThe southernmost point of Skye, beyond Armadale and then on foot.6 miles 10 min by road
Directions
Whisky barrels on grass before the Torabhaig distillery and pagoda roofAttractionsTorabhaig Distillery2.3 miles
Café tables beneath a vaulted ceiling hung with hessian sacks and hills beyond the windowsCafeAn Crùbh4.8 miles
IsleornsayEilean Sionnach Lighthouse CottageSleeps 8 · 5.8 miles
A table set under a brass chandelier in a bay window over the sea loch at Duisdale.RestaurantsDuisdale House6.1 miles
A watercolour of the Quiraing under a stormy sky.ShoppingAird Old Church Gallery6.3 miles
Camas Daraich from the air: a crescent of pale sand and turquoise water below dark headland, a boat moored offshore and the sun setting over the Small Isles beyond.AttractionsCamas Daraich6.3 miles
Two walkers on the path above Camas Daraich, the bay and its white sand below them.WalksPoint of Sleat Walk6.3 miles
Grass-topped rocky islet with a natural arch, misty hills beyondAttractionsDunscaith Castle7.9 miles
Kinloch Lodge, Isle of SkyeSleatKinloch LodgePlace to stay · 8.4 miles
The Daily for 17 October, from Scotland with love. A wide waterfall churns over rock ledges, autumn trees lining the gorge.

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Stay nearby

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

Eilean Sionnach Lighthouse Cottage
  • Sleeps 8
  • In Isleornsay
  • 5 miles from the college
Check datesA dark timber-clad cabin with a corrugated metal roof sits on a gravel drive amid moorland scrub.Stonechat Bothy
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Drumfearn
  • 6 miles from the college
Free 2–5 NovKinloch Lodge, Isle of SkyeKinloch Lodge
  • To stay
  • In Sleat
  • 7 miles from the college
Check datesBothan Beileag, Isle of SkyeBothan Beileag
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Heasta
  • 7 miles from the college
Free 31 Oct – 2 NovPlaces to stayEvery stay on SkyeAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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For further reading, before you go.