Isle of Skye On a Budget
Isle of Skye, Scotland
Sights
Skye's natural beauty offers incredible, almost magical, sights to see. The first of which is the Fairy Glen; a bit of a hidden gem, this landslip is covered in intriguing rock formations like the Castle Ewan. Down the road from the Fairy Glen is Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls, a beautiful viewpoint where you'll see the Mealt Falls crashing into the ocean on the left and the kilt-shaped rocks on the right. Continue the tour of the beautiful island with a visit to Neist Point, a famous lighthouse situated on a long cliff that juts out into the sea. A visit to Skye isn't complete without a visit to Dunvegan Castle, a medieval castle which has been run by the MacLeod Clan for over 800 years. The castle features stunning rooms, meticulous gardens, and even boat tours on the loch the castle sits on.Islands and Cities
Skye has a few islands, although the big two for tourists are mainland Skye and Raasay Island. On the mainland, the capital city is Portree, where you'll find the majority of accommodation and restaurants. There are many small villages throughout the mainland where the you can find the major attractions and a few small B&Bs. Raasay is a small island off the east coast of the mainland, in between Skye and mainland Scotland. It is home to the Hallaig settlement, an ancient village which offers amazing views of Applecross, Scotland across the bay.Activities
One of the best activities on Skye is a hike to the Old Man of Storr, a pinnacle of rock that stands tall above the surrounding Storr mountain range. The hike to Storr involves a walk through a hilly path then a climb up a set of steep stone steps. From the top, you'll get incredible views of the surrounding Storr range which features landforms from the Jurassic Period. After a hike through Storr, take a cool dip in the Fairy Pools, a series of beautiful waterfalls that create natural swimming pools. If you prefer not to swim, you can still wander around the rocks and paths surrounding the waterfalls. If you want to spend a day like royalty, wander through Inver on Raasay Island, a beautiful wooded area that ends with a secluded beach where the Queen of England would picnic every year.For more information about the area, including some great ideas with photos, check out this guide to an Isle of Sky Road Trip.
Food and Dining
Skye is one of the best places to have a seafood dish in Scotland, with some of the freshest scallops, shrimp, and fish available. The city of Portree is where you'll find many of the restaurants, with everything ranging from fish and chips from the Harbor Chip Shop to delightful cakes from The Granary. There are a few cafes and restaurants scattered throughout the island, most of which are located inside of hotels. Some of the best restaurants outside of Portree are the Islay Restaurant at Toravaig House Hotel and The Three Chimneys Restaurant, both of which feature fresh, local, produce in their dishes.Transportation
Seeing as there are no airports in Skye, there are a few different options for getting onto the island. One of the easiest ways to do so is by renting a car and driving across the Skye Bridge or taking the Calmac car ferry. If you don't want to rent a car, the City Link bus company has routes from Glasgow and Inverness into mainland Skye. As sights and activities are spread out across Skye, it is best to have a car to get around the island with. For local transportation options, the Stagecoach bus company operates throughout Skye, stopping at the majority of villages.Related:
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Train and Bus Prices
The best prices for buses and trains in United Kingdom can be found on Omio (formerly GoEuro). They let you search across all train, bus, and plane routes throughout the region.
