A Perfect Weekend On The Isle of Skye

This was taken in Portree, the capital of Skye.

When we were "planning" our wedding the only thing I really cared about was our honeymoon. I put "planning" in quotes because I literally did nothing for my wedding and just showed up (my poor mother). Now you know how selfish of a daughter I am - don't hold it against me.

I knew that I wanted to go to Ireland and Scotland for our honeymoon, and the one place I HAD to go in Scotland was the Isle of Skye.

Why?

Honestly, I think because of this:

Oh, have you not seen this piece of cinematic brilliance? Never fear, I have many times and can summarize for you:

Scottish laird is part of a centuries old battle between immortal warriors who can only be killed through decapitation. Plus Sean Connery. Plus 80's special effects and soundtrack. Minus strong plot.

So, because the main character in this movie is from the Isle of Skye, I got it stuck somewhere in the dredges of my mind that I needed to spend at least part of my honeymoon there.

This is an example of bad reasoning that ended up working out for me. This is often not the case.

The Isle of Skye is amaziiiiiiiing. Like no amount of time there is long enough, amazing. So amazing that between 2012 when we first went there and 2016 when we went back it seemed as if the tourism had nearly doubled. It actually probably has.

That is one downside. But the upside? If you book early, avoid peak season and venture on some less popular (but equally beautiful) hikes, you won't feel AS cramped.

So, to be perfectly honest I would actually avoid the weekend (if you can ) when you go to the Isle of Skye. Let's maximize our chances of hiking in relative solitude, shall we?

Getting there:

First things first. The Isle of Skye is easily accessible via the Skye Bridge. You can also take a ferry, which used to be the only way to get there, but since the Skye Bridge opened in 1995 the bridge has been the primary means of accessing the island. There is also bus service, but you really want a car so let's not even consider that for the time being.

Where to Stay:

We have only ever stayed at the Ben Tianavaig B&B which is usually booked up early because it is so fantastic.  Located right in the middle of everything in Portree, this B&B has free parking, fabulous breakfasts, and the owners (Charlotte and Bill) will set you up to have the best time while you are there. I hope that someday we can go back, rent a house with my whole family and pop in to visit them because I can't imagine going to Skye and not seeing them.

Something to know is the Isle of Skye is pretty small - end to end its about 50 miles, with several villages along its length. Portree is the capital and where we have stayed. Staying in Portree just makes it easy to walk into town for dinner or drinks, and there are some cute shops and a grocery store right there. Truthfully, I don't think it makes a huge difference where you stay as long as you choose some place that appeals to you.

What to Do:

Go hiking. Drive around. Get out of Portree and see the island.

When we first went, there was another honeymooning couple that was staying at our B&B for either the same length of time as us or maybe even longer. They never left Portree. They just walked around the town for 2 - 3 days. This literally boggled my mind, but I had to paste a smile on my face and nod like a wooden doll when they would talk about it over breakfast.

Skye is incredible. It's incredible in the sun, in the rain and I imagine it's even incredible in the blustery cold days of winter. If you go with me, strap yourself in because I don't care what it looks like outside, we're hiking. There are so many hikes you can do - some of the most famous are the Quiraing,the Fairypools and the Old Man of Storr. There are many other tracks you can take - some directly branching from any of the main hikes listed. I really don't think you can go wrong with any walk - and this is how I would (and did) spend my time in Skye. Explore some of the main and lesser known treks, spend some downtime in Portree or driving to the nearby villages and just try to immerse yourself in this magical destination in the Scottish Highlands.

On the road to the Quiraing.

Whenever that questionnaire on the airplane pops up and asks me about being on a farm/visiting livestock, it's images like these that flash through my mind.

At the trail start. The last time we were there it was sideways raining and there was a poor bride and groom trying to stage a photoshoot while clouds and fog completely covered the landscape. I hope they at least got a couple good shots.

Headed to the Fairy Pools.

When we went to the fairy pools, it had been raining and the creek you have to cross to begin the hike was flooded above ankle high. I remember there was maybe 1 or 2 other groups of tourists there that were trying to figure out how they could cross (jump, stack logs or rocks, find a different path) without getting their legs soaking wet. I was SO GLAD for my rubber boots - I just literally walked through the creek to the other side. 

The Old Man of Storr is so easily visible and accessible off the side of the main road in Skye. You should go early because the accessibility means everyone and their mama will be going here. This is actually why we skipped it the first time we came to Skye and instead went most recently. 

Shortly after this shot was taken, a couple from the Canary Islands, realizing that Jorge was probably hispanic, singled him out to speak Spanish and were able to ask him to take their picture for him. I'm sure it was a fun transition for him to have to speak Spanish in Scotland.

There are also any number of great restaurants, cute shops and fun pubs in Skye that you can spend some of your days and evenings at. Go try a couple out for yourself while you're there, and when you realize that you want to stay there longer (even forever) - I told you so.