What to see on the Isle of Skye, the most beautiful landscapes and towns in Scotland

If you have the opportunity to plan a car route through the Highlands Highlands from Scotland, Isle of Skye It must be an essential stage in said journey.

It is said that the Isle of Skye It is the one that will show us the most beauty among the islands that surround it. Scotland for the North.

Located at northwest scotland, Isle of Skye is the largest of I Eastern Hebrides.

Brianda Western Hebrides Islands or external, as the best known is isle of lewis, since it is the annual headquarters of the Celtic Festival of the Hebrides.

This is what the landscapes of Scotland are like on the Isle of Skye

To get an idea of ​​the type of landscape you are going to see on the isle of skye, if you have had the opportunity to travel to the fjords of norway, I can tell you that you will find quite similar places.

Although yes, the mountains of skye They are not as high nor as steep as the Norwegian ones.

In the Isle of Skye is the Cuillins mountain range, of volcanic nature, one of the highest and steepest in Britain, although its highest peaks barely exceed 900 meters in altitude.

Therefore, when you travel through the narrow, winding roads on the Isle of Skye, You won't get the sensations of driving through the steep Norwegian fjords, but you will enjoy a greenish landscape, but without forests.

This scotland landscape It is a reflection of the harsh winter conditions on this island.

En Skye You will always be surrounded by mountains and areas of sea between small islands, which will make you doubt whether they are lakes or really the sea.

And this is because only in the northernmost areas of the island will you be able to see panoramic views of the open sea.

How to get to Isle Skye

For get to the isle of skye You can do it in the southernmost area, in Mallaig, crossing with a ferry.

Or also on the southeast side, access that I used on my trip since I came from the inhospitable and wild Wester Ross region.

In the small town of Kyle of Lochalsh There is a bridge that allows you to cross to Skye.

What to see and do on the Isle Skye

On your tour of the Isle of Skye you will enjoy the landscapes of the aforementioned mountains of the Cuillins.

The most prominent corner of them is the large rock monolith 55 meters high known as Old Man of Storm, whose base you can reach by hiking through the mountains.

Portree, pretty town on the Isle Skye

You should know that the must-see point to visit on the island of Skye is the only important town and “capital” of it, Portree.

A Portrait you will get there if you enter the Isle of Skye to the southeast, across the bridge Kyle of Lochalsh, as if you do it from the south, by ferry from Mallaig,  from where you will have to head north along the eastern route, bordering the coast.

With its 2.500 inhabitants, it is the only place on the island that we can consider as a true town, since the rest of the towns form very small communities, almost villages.

Its name of Portrait it means "The King's Port«, and refers to a visit in 1540 of the King James V of Scotland.

Once you have arrived, it is advisable to park your car in the car park that is almost in front of the coast, where precisely the Tourist Office.

From there you begin your walk through the central streets of the town in the direction of its charming fishing port, of which you will have a first panoramic view from a viewpoint, since the town is located at the top of a hill.

From this viewpoint you must go down a steep street until you reach the seashore.

At Portree fishing port you can enjoy the beautiful contrast between their brightly colored houses occupied by restaurants and B&B establishments, and fishing boats.

Right here, if you feel like it, you can hire a boat excursion to spot dolphins, seals and birds on the nearby islands.

If you do trip through Scotland and the Isle of Skye In August, you can check the tourist atmosphere that exists in Portree in that month.

Well, it is in this small town where almost all the small hotels and restaurants that you can find on your trip to the western island of Scotland are concentrated.

In sum, Portrait It shows us what would be the closest thing in Scotland to, for example, a fishing village in the Cantabrian Sea in Spain.

Kilt Rock Cliffs

Another highlight of your visit will be the Kilt Rock Cliffs located to the north of the island, and where there is a viewpoint to see to see the best panoramic view of these rock structures.

As you travel from south to north Isle of Skye along the east coast highway, once you have seen the aforementioned Storr monolith, you will reach a point with a parking lot where you can leave your car.

That is where the viewpoint is located where you can look out to see the landscapes that make up these cliffs.

I'll tell you what rock kilt It is actually almost at the northernmost geographical point of the Isle of Skye.

In this place the panoramic tours from the coast of the Isle of Skye and from the Scottish mainland they are really beautiful.

You will see that it is a wild nature landscape, in which green mountains and lakes mix, which are actually tongues of sea that extend between multiple small islets.

At Kilt Rock Lookout You can also see a plaque with dinosaur footprints which remind us that fossilized rocks with this type of vestiges have been found not long ago in this area.

In short, here you find the scenes that now arise in your mind thinking about what the landscapes of Scotland must be like.

Dunvengan Castle

Another notable corner is the Dunvegan Castle.

It is reputed to be the oldest Scottish castle that has not ceased to be inhabited and, indeed, for 800 years this castle has been the home of the Scottish clan of the MacLeod.

Although the castle was built in the 13th century, its current structure dates back to the 19th century, as throughout its history it has undergone various renovations.

El Dunvegan Castle you will find it northwest of the Isle of Skye, on a small hill on the very shore of the sea, and if you want to go directly to visit it, from the aforementioned town of Portrait, you must take the road that heads west.

Of its compact architectural structure, the part that will catch your attention the most is its tower 32 meters high located right on the edge of the rocky promontory.

What to see when visiting Dunvengan

At Dunvegan Castle You can visit several rooms, except those where the members of the historic still live today. Clan MacLeod.

In the successive rooms of these rooms of the castle, you will be able to see various relics of Scottish history, perhaps the most notable being Fairy Flag.

This is the name given to the remains of a flag that is supposed to have originally been made of silk, a relic of Scottish history of whose origin there are several theories, as it is related to both the Cruzadas as with Vikings.

Other antiques that can be seen in the castle are currency of MacLeod clan, dating back to the 14th century, the Dunvegan Cup, from the year 1493, made of wood and decorated with silver, and the Sir Rory Mor's Horn, an ox horn used for drinking, which could be from the 10th century.

At Dunvegan Castle You can also walk through the grounds that surround it and, likewise, boat excursions depart from it to see a colony of sea lions that is located nearby.

Dunvengan Castle visit times

El Dunvegan Castle It is open for visits from 10 a.m. to 17,30:15 p.m., but only from the Friday of Easter until October XNUMX.

If you would like to visit on other dates, it is only possible to pre-arrange a visit for groups of ten people or more.

El entrance fee to visit the castle and gardens (2024) is £16,50 for adults, and gardens only, £14,50, with discounts for children, seniors, students and large families.

Boat trips on the Isle of Skye

Finally, comment that, in addition to the Hiking, another of the activities you can do on the isle of skye in Scotland it is a boat excursion by the coastal area that surrounds it.

These excursions allow you see a variety of wildlife, such as sea lions, birds, dolphins and, at certain times of the year, even whales.

To do the aforementioned boat excursion, we have, for example, the possibility of taking a excursion from Portree Harbor to the nearby islands of Rona and Raasay, which take place from the end of March to the beginning of November.

The excursions to the island of Raasay They leave at 10 and 12 in the morning, with a two-hour round trip by boat, and a three-hour stay on the island to contemplate wildlife.

The excursions to the island of Rona They leave at 10 in the morning, and in this case the round trip travel time is three hours, and the stay on the island is two and a half hours.

You also have the option of a Portree Bay Cruise and its surroundings, which starts at 17,30:19 p.m. and ends at XNUMX p.m.

Alternatively take the cruise from Kyle of Lochlash, the small town located opposite the Isle of Skye, which is crossed by a long bridge.

About us Seaprobe Atlantis organizes excursions to see colonies of sea lions and birds, with the added possibility of see otters and flotsam (remains) of a minesweeper sunk in World War II.

Throughout the days, different excursions are made, the duration of which varies between one or two hours, with prices from 22 to 36 pounds for adults (discounts for children, families and students)

And a different option is to see the marine fauna that is concentrated near the Dunvengan Castle.

From mid-April to the end of September, from 10 in the morning until 5 in the afternoon, we have the possibility of making a small boat excursion on Loch Dunvengan to see the colonies of sea lions.

Map: where is the Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye lies west of Scotland