Isle of Skye

STAY & EAT

Cuillin Hills Hotel is a dream property with a grand view of Portree Bay, and a cozy vibe. It’s worth the splurge.

Check out my full review here.

The hotel has a homey feel complete with a crackling fire place in the evenings.

Visitors can play board games after dinner or enjoy some wine while reminiscing about the sites around Isle of Skye.

Breakfast is exclusively for hotel guests, and has a view of the bay from the giant windows.

The hotel is mentioned in the Michelin Guide, and that makes perfect sense to me because after finishing each meal, I immediately wanted a repeat.

If I wasn’t busy touring Isle of Skye all day, I’d happily sit outside in these chairs and look out at the bay.

DO

Give yourself time to explore the town of Portree, pictured here, with the colorful houses reflected in the water.

Quairing is a landslip on the Isle. No hike required, it’s a short walk from the parking lot to get this view.

This is what I think of when I reminisce about Isle of Skye.

Staffin Beach

The black sand beach along the cliffs is worth a stop. It’s a mix of sand and rocks and dramatic cliffs.

At low tide, you can see dinosaur footprints (as long as the sand doesn’t cover them). The prints are over 165 million years old!

These particular footprints were discovered in 2002. They’re among the largest dinosaur footprints in Scotland, and are in the original strata of rock they were formed in.

Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls Waterfall

On a sunny day, you can see a rainbow from this panoramic viewing point. The waterfall is 55 meters (90 meters) tall, and the rock formations are named after pleated kilts. You can see the resemblance.

Fairy Glen is a mystical place with an other worldly vibe. Geologically it was formed by a landslip, but locals believe it is home to fairies.

There are round topped grassy hills, rocks, and mysterious formations in the area. The drive to the Fairy Glen is windy and narrow, but well worth the trek.

On a clear day, you can see Neist Point Lighthouse. On a windy day, instead of the water flowing off the edge, it flows up, like here.

It’s a stunning view at the tip of Isle of Skye, regardless of the weather.

Fairy Pools are another rumored home of the fairies on Isle of Skye.

The blue and green water, flowing pools and moody background also feel like something out of Jurassic Park.

You can’t go wrong with any coastal view on Isle of Skye.

And even if the weather is rainy or misty, it could change in a few hours - this day turned out to be sunny for the afternoon, and rained again in the evening.

On a sunny day you can clearly see Old Man of Storr, a jagged landscape. Legend goes that the old man was a giant who lived on the ridge, and when he was buried, his thumb was left out and still juts out of the ground today.

You can also hike up to the peak if you have time. Or just walk in the open road. You do you.

Keep your eyes peeled for the local Hairy Coos. This one was spotted right outside of Staffin Beach, enjoying the sun.

DRINK

Stop at Talisker Distillery for a whiskey tasting. Bring home some bottles for friends, kissed by the sea.

It is the oldest working distillery on the Isle of Skye, located on Loch Harport.