Surveying Scotland: What to do on the Isle of Skye (Part 2)

We spent four nights in Skye, but I would have happily spent more. It really is the type of place where one can just enjoy taking their time and exploring. I covered the first half of our time there in my last post; here are a few other things we found worthwhile.

Random walks and hikes

There are a lot of well known hikes on the Isle of Skye. One of the most famous ones cuts from the Fairy Pools through the Black Hills and ends at the Sligachan Hotel. That looks like an amazing hike and the only reason why I regretted (for a split second) bringing my kids on the trip. It takes 4-6 hours and there is cold beer waiting for you at the end if you stop by the hotel restaurant. I plan to return someday.

Skye holds many other shorter hikes and walks, including one that we were able to take from our house. We took about an hour walk behind the house and along a hillside with picturesque views of Fiskavaig Bay. We were looking for a lighthouse but were not able to find it. There must be hundreds of similar walks all over the island – the Scots love their walks so if you love walking in nature you’ll love Skye. Here are some pictures from our little walk.

Sights on the Trotternish Peninsula

Skye’s largest peninsula is called Trotternish. It hosts the main town, Portree, and a host of other sites. There is a single lane road running around the entire peninsula with plenty to do and see along the way.

We started our day at the Isle of Skye Baking Company and then proceeded to drive clockwise around the peninsula. We stopped at the Museum of Life, which provides a picture of what life was like on the island back in the day. That actually proved more interesting than I expected, though it’s not must see by any means.

At some point we had to yield for sheep:

The Quiraing

To me, one of the true highlights of the Trotternish Peninsula is the Quiraing. Up on the top of the hills is an area that just looks breathtakingly carved out. There are weird cliffs, plateaus, you name it. It’s a rough drive on a steep one lane road on the way up, or you can hike it. Either way the views are fairly dramatic.

There are hours of hiking trails to be found on the Trotternish Peninsula: if you’re up for hiking, make sure the footpaths of the Quiraing are on your list.

The Old Man of Storr

One of the most famous sights on the Trotternish Peninsula is the Old Man of Storr. The best views are found by, you guessed it, hiking. Jess and I visited with H on a day when my parents took M, so we managed to hike quite a bit with H in a carrier. It was tough work but the views were worth it.

The Oyster Shed

There supposedly are great places to eat in Skye, but we didn’t get a chance to try many (plus we cooked a lot). We did make it to the Oyster Shed which deserves special mention. Freshly shucked oyster and some great lobster bakes. It gets crowded and closes at 5, but worth scheduling around!

Final Thoughts

Hopefully the last three posts have convinced you the Isle of Skye is worth visiting. When we were done, we still had over a week left in Scotland, and found there was still a ton the country had to offer. Stay tuned!

Other Posts in this Series

Introduction

Preparing to travel with two children under four

Handling kid jetlag and other potential disasters

Getting around London with young kids

Free activities for young kids in London

Hyatt Regency London The Churchill Impressions

The Isle of Skye – 11 Photos that will hopefully make you want to visit

What to do on the Isle of Skye (Part I)