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The Shore Station, a grey timber café and shop with picnic tables outside, on a sunny day at Glenelg.
Broadford and Surrounds

Shore Station Café

The Glenelg ferry's own café and shop on the hillside above the mainland slipway, with coffee, handmade cakes and a view across Kyle Rhea to Skye.

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Welcome

The Shore Station stands on the hillside above the mainland slipway, a timber café and shop run by the community company that sails the Glenelg ferry across Kyle Rhea to Skye.

The menu changes all the time, but there are always quality teas and coffees with handmade cakes and pastries, and you can sit outside and watch the Glenachulish, the last manually operated turntable ferry in the world, come in to the slip below you. Stay a while even if you're not crossing. Through the ferry season the café opens every day from 10am to 5pm, and in winter it keeps going at weekends, 11am to 4pm. Dogs are welcome, parking is free, and the shop sells the ferry's own Skye Ferry jumper.

A short drive awayGlenelg InnA traditional Highland inn in Glenelg looking over the Sound of Sleat to Skye, with log fires, a cosy bar and local food.5 min by roadSee itPicnic tables in the Glenelg Inn's garden, the Sound of Sleat and the hills of Skye beyond.
Before you go

Open every day from 10am to 5pm through the ferry season, and on Saturdays and Sundays from 11am to 4pm in winter.

No need to book. Dogs are welcome and parking is free.

Where
Above the Glenelg ferry slipway, IV40 8JZ.
Hours
Daily 10am to 5pm in season; winter weekends 11am to 4pm.
The ferry
Sails every day, April to mid-October.
Phone
01599 522700

Opening hours

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

Shore Station, Glenelg by Kyle, IV40 8JZ, on the hillside above the ferry's mainland slipway.

Close byAround Glenelg.
  1. Kyle Rhea seen through bare trees from the path to the otter hide, the mainland hills beyond.Kylerhea Otter HavenA forest hide above the narrows of Kyle Rhea, on an easy trail, for otters, seals, porpoises and sea eagles; free.Under a mile1 min by road
  2. The Glenelg FerryThe Glenelg FerryThe last hand-turned turntable ferry in the world, carrying cars across Kyle Rhea from Glenelg to Skye in summer.Under a mile8 min by road
  3. The roofless stone ranges of Bernera Barracks standing in rough grass with a hill behind.Bernera BarracksThe substantial ruins of redcoat barracks built near Glenelg after 1715 to guard the crossing to Skye, for up to 240 soldiers.2 miles3 min by road
  4. Drystone broch walls rise beside a wooded hillside under grey cloudsDun Telve and Dun TroddanTwo of the best preserved Iron Age brochs in Scotland, 2,000-year-old drystone towers standing just 500 metres apart in Gleann Beag by Glenelg.6 miles14 min by road
  5. The stone cairn at the Ratagan Pass viewpoint, the Five Sisters of Kintail rising above Loch Duich beyond.Ratagan Pass viewpointA car park high on the pass between Loch Duich and Glenelg, with one of the great views of the Highlands: the Five Sisters of Kintail above the head of the loch.8 miles10 min by road
  6. Eilean Donan CastleEilean Donan CastleThe castle on a tiny island where three sea lochs meet, blown up in 1719 and rebuilt between 1912 and 1932, reached by an arched stone bridge.18 miles24 min by road
Directions
WalksOtter Hide1.2 miles
Picnic tables in the Glenelg Inn's garden, the Sound of Sleat and the hills of Skye beyond.RestaurantsGlenelg Inn2.6 miles
The view through a ruined window of Caisteal Maol to the water and hills.AttractionsCaisteal Maol3.9 miles over the water
The blue hull of Seaprobe Atlantis at her mooring, GLASS BOTTOM BOAT TRIPS along her side.AttractionsSeaprobe Atlantis4.2 miles over the water
Skye Bridge arches over the strait, with a lighthouse beside its pierAttractionsSkye Bridge4.7 miles over the water
Stone-walled cottage interior with wood-burning stove, leather sofa and kitchen tableBroadford and SurroundsLusa BothyPlace to stay · 8.1 miles
Whitewashed stone cottage ruin with open doorway and log bench in gravel yardCafeLean to Coffee8.2 miles
The Misty Bottle, a white cottage with an orange roof, a red phone box and an old green van outside, Breakish.ShoppingThe Misty Bottle Shop9.0 miles
Cloud-capped mountain above a coastal village on the sea loch shoreAttractionsWaterloo Beach11 miles
Stay nearby

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

Stone-walled cottage interior with wood-burning stove, leather sofa and kitchen tableLusa Bothy
  • To stay
  • In Broadford and Surrounds
  • 6 miles from the Shore Station
Check datesKinloch Lodge, Isle of SkyeKinloch Lodge
  • To stay
  • In Broadford and Surrounds
  • 7 miles from the Shore Station
Check datesA dark timber-clad cabin with a corrugated metal roof sits on a gravel drive amid moorland scrub.Stonechat Bothy
  • Sleeps 2
  • In Broadford and Surrounds
  • 8 miles from the Shore Station
Free 2–5 NovEilean Sionnach Lighthouse Cottage
  • Sleeps 8
  • In Broadford and Surrounds
  • 8 miles from the Shore Station
Check datesPlaces to stayEvery stay in Broadford and SurroundsAll our places to stay nearby, to search by date and by who is coming.See them all
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