If you’re planning an Isle of Skye itinerary, you’ve already made a wonderful decision. The Scottish island is located nearly 5 hours from the capital Edinburgh. And whilst the Edinburgh to Isle of Skye journey is packed with sights, the Isle of Skye is a dreamy and rewarding end destination.
Skye is not a secret from the Scottish who during the summer months make haste to visit this special part of Scotland. In fact, Skye has long been a favoured destination as fans of Outlander will be able to attest from the opening credits.
Sing me a song of a lass that is gone, Say, could that lass be I?
Merry of soul she sailed on a day, over the sea to Skye
You don’t need to be a local however to enjoy the sights and scenes. And you sure don’t need to enjoy it like those in the 18th century. But some planning for your visit, particularly during the busier months, does go a long way to making sure your trip goes off without a hitch.
We’ve pulled together what we think is a special 2 day Isle of Skye itinerary.
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How to get to Isle of Skye
By car
For our visit to the Isle of Skye, we hired a car in Edinburgh, spending a night in Fort William on the way up. This formed part of a larger Scottish road trip. Those that read our blog regularly know that we are very partial to a road trip. The freedom and flexibility that this allows is unrivalled. And in a destination like Scotland, and indeed the Isle of Skye, it’s the simplest and easiest way to get around.
Another alternative for car hire would be to arrive in Inverness. The Isle of Skye is located around 2.5 hours from Inverness, so depending on your route, this may make more sense for you. We departed the Isle of Skye to Inverness as we were looping back in the opposite direction.
By train
If you’re not keen on driving, a train will take you to the mainland side of the Isle of Skye from Inverness. You can then link with a bus that will take you onto the Isle of Skye proper.
A word of warning in using public transport on the Isle of Skye, particularly for a 2 day itinerary is that your options may be limited. Services are regular, but not ‘city regular’ and distances between sights can be quite long. It wouldn’t be our recommendation, but it is an option nonetheless.
Getting around the Isle of Skye
As you may have gathered from the above, we’d highly recommend hiring a car. The Isle of Skye is not like a metro area, and whilst public transport exists, it is limited for a short itinerary like this.
Where to stay on the Isle of Skye
We spent a few days on the Isle of Skye during May. We booked a few weeks out and really struggled to find anywhere that had more than 2 nights accommodation available. We ended up staying for three nights in total, and needed to split that across two properties.
So before considering where to stay, be sure to give yourself maximum time to book. In high season demand outstrips accommodation, so book ahead and early.
The first property we stayed at was Skeabost View B&B. A lovely little property with sprawling views of the countryside. You’ll be waking up to sheep baaing and cows mooing. The owners, Hamish and Josephine are incredibly hospitable and very happy to offer recommendations for what to do, and importantly what to avoid.
Rooms here are compact and cosy.
The second property we stayed at was Canowindra. The Australian name got us, and it turns out one of the owners is a cricket loving Aussie. This is more of a premium stay, with a much larger and modern room. The property itself is well decorated and maintained, best described as boutique.
When staying at many properties, it can be difficult to remember certain details. One I’ll never forget here though was the extensive and delicious breakfast that was provided.
I’d happily stay at either property again, and indeed I hope to!
Day 1 of your 2 day Isle of Skye itinerary
Uig for puffin spotting
Take a drive to the north west of the Isle of Skye. The small fishing town of Uig is home to a small village and importantly, a port where you can take a boat to visit some local puffins.
Having missed the opportunity to see puffins in other parts of the world, we were excited to see some puffins in their local habitat.
You can take a boat out towards the Ascrib Islands. North Ascrib is home to a colony of puffins who nest from late April until July/August. You can get up close and check out these guys on a boat tour.
The puffins are most recognisable for their colourful beak. They come to the Ascrib Islands to breed where a female will lay just one egg for the year.
Once the breeding months have concluded, they shed their iconic beak and head out to the Atlantic Ocean. They spend around 9 months of the year including winter living in the harshness of the ocean. That’s one resilient bird.
Check out the Puffin and Whales website to book your trip. And like all things on the Isle of Skye, do book ahead online.
Once you’re finished your puffin tour, you’ll find a handful of restaurants, a petrol station and the Skye Brewery here. Be sure to try out some of the beers on offer.
For reasonable eats, the Hungry Gull is a good option with well priced, tasty fare including toasties and fish and chips. Ella’s Café also do a great cup of tea.
Strolling the Fairy Glen
You’ll think you’re driving down the wrong road when you head towards the Fairy Glen. It won’t be your most confident drive with the road only taking one car. Prepare to drive slow, back up and give way. And exercise patience, because it’s a popular destination and the roads don’t reflect that.
It’s only a short but muddy hike if it’s been raining, like it had been on the day of our visit. You’ll feel like you’ve walked into the set of some ancient movie. Part Game of Thrones set, part Stonehenge, the lush green grass and hills provide an other worldly view. The rock formations here aren’t historic, but do add a mystical theme to the stunning geography.
Take a step back in time at the Skye Museum of Island life
Continuing your journey north, you’ll find the Skye Museum of island life. This museum offers a fascinating insight into what it was like on Skye many moons ago. A basic farm and sea faring arrangement, and lots of traditional farming taking place.
Lunch at the Flodigarry Hotel
After a full morning on exploring and sight seeing, you’ll want to grab a bite to eat. The Flodigarry Hotel is a great option to stay for those with a little extra to put towards accommodation. If that’s not for you, grabbing lunch here is still a great option.
The bar area is well lit with natural light and a cosiness that makes you want to crack out a pipe and sit by the fire. Which I am pretty sure is off limits these days, but hey, it’s the vibes the place lets out.
Grab a meal, and maybe a nice nip of local whiskey to go with your lunch.
Admire natural beauty at the Quairang
With a full belly and a spring in your step, your next stop is the Quairang. Don’t let the Scottish Gaelic put you off. The scene here is far more stunning than any attempt this Australian can make pronouncing it. Mossy, green and like the Fairy Glen, a bit other worldly.
You’ll also arrive here via another one lane back road, so the usual caveats apply here of caution with driving. It makes for an excellent hike, but from a pure view perspective, the look out 5 minutes walk from the car park does it plenty of justice.
The scenic drive back to Portree
On your drive back to Portree, you’ll be confronted with a range of pit stops. The coastline of Skye is simply stunning. The weather can make wandering about a little trepidatious, but I’d encourage you to not let that stop you.
Popular spots to drop in from here are Kilt Rock, Mealt Falls, Brothers Point, Rigg Point Lealt Falls to name a few.
You’ll also find these spots home to a number of sheep hanging off cliffs, living with something of a death wish. They hang on to the side of the green cliffs, when food is plentiful on safer flat plains elsewhere. Maybe they just enjoy the thrill?
Fish and chips in Portree
A recurring theme of this article will be to ensure you book ahead for your meals. Particularly during busy periods. We failed that test personally on our first night, but were lucky enough to find a viable option. The Lower Deck which sits along the row of pastel coloured buildings in Portree do take away, but also turn over their tables very quickly.
We failed to get a reservation anywhere, and ended up here and were very glad that we did. After a 15 minute wait, we didn’t even need to do take away, and managed to get a table.
With friendly staff and high quality, fresh seafood it’s worth a visit. The perfect end to your first day on Skye.
If you’re battling for an option, there is a Co-op supermarket in town if you’re looking to self-prepare.
Day 2 of your 2 day Isle of Skye itinerary
Visiting Old Man of Storr
You would have driven past the Old Man of Storr yesterday on your southern drive. These rock formations are the most well known on the Isle of Skye. And you’ll know you’ve arrived with the road dotted with cars on either side. Parking isn’t great, but you should be able to find some off road space to leave your car.
There are no facilities here, so you may want to determine how much of the hike you’re looking to do.
The hike has some steepish parts upwards before providing respite with some plateaus. Take your time to stop and enjoy the 360 degree views including out over the sea.
As you get closer, the path becomes a little less reliable. There are stones and worn paths to help direct you.
We skipped this on our first day due to poor weather. Our advice would be plan to visit when you have the best weather. So if your first day is a belter, consider doing this first. This helps ensure you can grasp a view of the Old Man of Storr. Secondly it’s quite a muddy path and I imagine a lot less fun in the wet. So if you’re tramping up in the rain, you’re going to need proper boots and be a reasonable hiker.
Head to Dunvegan Castle
The attraction with the most generous parking. Some small elation from worrying if you’re off the road enough or your bumper is going to be buried deep into the mud and Earth..
£14 entry gets you into Dunvegan Castle and Gardens. You can visit the gardens for £12 only, but we’d suggest spending the extra 2 quid. The castle continues to be inhabited by MacLeod clan to this day and is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland. How long? Try over 800 years!
The Gardens have a lovely array of flowers and walking tracks to take a stroll in.
Inside the castle, you’ll find some amazing relics from those 800 years. Swords, shields and cups amongst other items all kept in pristine condition. You can explore the dungeon, bedrooms and dining rooms which have walls adorned with the Chiefs of the MacLeod clan and family members over the years. It’s an impressive interior.
Sligachan Bridge
It could be more originally named, but the old Sligachan bridge was built in around 1810. It stands in front of the Cuillans. On a clear(ish) day, you’ll get a wonderful view out to the mountains in the distance. It’s another one of those breath taking sights that makes the Isle of Skye worth the visit.
Seamas’s Bar for lunch
Across from the bridge, the Sligachan Hotel and Seamas’ bar stand side by side. We grabbed lunch at Seamas’ and I’d recommend the haddock. Whilst you’re here, and apologies to the designated driver, why not try one of their 400+ malts they have behind the bar? Seamas’ is the perfect pit stop.
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A wander to the Fairy Pools
An easier walk rather than a hike, this track takes you along a stream which culminate in the Fairy Pools. Crystal clear pools of water that are deceptively deep. We watched one guy backflip off the edge in horror- he made it!
There’s a £5 parking fee here before 6pm. Bring your swimmers and a towel too if you like a fresh dip.
A taste of Skye at the Talisker Distillery
The one and only distillery on Skye, pay a visit here to sample some of the finest whiskies from one of the most remote distilleries in the world.
You’ll be overcome with a scent of vegemite/marmite on your way in, and want to curl up in a corner and sip whiskey all day. The Talisker Distillery runs tours to take you behind the scenes, or alternatively you can sample a few of the different varieties at the public bar.
Talisker is now my whiskey of choice at home, bringing back all those wonderful memories of our visit to Skye.
Head back to your accommodation to freshen up for dinner.
Dinner at the Isles Inn in Portree
Head back into Portree for your last evening. The Isles Inn has a fantastic pub and great restaurant fare. The langoustines are the calling card here, and caught fresh off the coast. The staff and atmosphere is warm and friendly and is the perfect place to wind down and reflect on an excellent 2 days in Skye.
A few other notes for your Isle of Skye itinerary
- Some of our very best views of Skye were not at key attractions or following the crowds. Skye is chock full of wondrous views, and some of the best will appear in your rear vision mirror when you least expect it. Be prepared to pull over and take your time.
- Take the B roads and explore the roads less travelled. Whilst they might take you a little longer, we found they presented some impressive sights along the way. Be sure to be mindful on roads wide enough for just one car.
- The weather on Skye can be rainy one minute and clear the next. In our view, there is no such thing as bad weather, just poor clothing choices. Prepare yourself for the worst type of weather and your expectations will be managed.
We hope you enjoy your stay on the Isle of Skye. Have you been? What have we missed? Let us know below!
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A great article. One point I’ll make , the Scots spell whiskey differently than the Americans, no e in Scotch Whisky.
This is true, and the same for us in Australia! Sloppy autocorrect! Thanks Orville!