Overview
A glorious, wild week of walking on the Isle of Skye, the largest island of the Inner Hebrides archipelago. Based in two traditional B&Bs, in Broadford and Portree, take on a variety of walks on the doorstep of each. These include the Cuillin mountains, perfectly tranquil beaches, deserted villages and remote cliff-tops. Walk along part of the Skye coast to coast trail from Loch Coruisk to Sligachan, as well as to the iconic Old Man of Storr, the Suisnish peninsula and sweeping landscapes of Trotternish ridge and the Quiraing.
Click to view map
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Broadford
Arrive in Broadford, the second largest town on the Isle of Skye, in the shadow of Ben na Calliach. This is your base for the next three nights.
- Accommodation: Hillview B&B or similar in Broadford
Day 2: Suisnish and Boreraig coastal walks | 18km
Today’s coastal walks include Suisnish Peninsula cliffs and the abandoned villages of Suisnish and Boreraig, the latter being victims of the Highland Clearances, part of Skye’s darker history. Take in fine views of Bla Bheinn to the north.
- Walking for the day: 18km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hillview B&B or similar in Broadford
Day 3: Skye Coast to Coast | 18km
Walk from Loch Coruisk to Sligachan through the heart of the Cuillin Mountains. The mountains rise dramatically from the sea creating formidable, enclosed sea lochs, with the absence of foothills enhancing their vast scale. This is among the finest walks in Scotland, short but not easy, with steep slopes and some hard terrain on the ascent from Loch Coruisk over into Glen Sligachan.
- Walking for the day: 18km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Hillview B&B or similar in Broadford
Day 4: The Fairy Pools | 18km
Walk from Sligachan into the heart of the Cuillin Mountains. At the foot of the Black Cuillins near Glenbrittle are the Fairy Pools, beautifully crystal clear blue pools on the River Brittle. These famous pools are world-renowned and you can even swim in them if you dare to enter the cold water. Your walk continues past some spectacular waterfalls before circling back to Sligachan and on to Portree for your next accommodation, where you stay for the rest of the holiday.
- Walking for the day: 18km, 5-6h
- Accommodation: Duirnish Guesthouse or similar in Portree
Day 5: Quiraing walk | 10km
Today’s walk takes in some fantastic rock formations on the cliffs at the far north of Skye. As part of the Trotternish ridge, Quiraing was formed by a massive landslip which created high cliffs, hidden plateaus and pinnacles of rock. This is an essential walk for any keen photographer as it passes through some of the most spectacular landscapes in Scotland. Some of the most spectacular rock formations include those named aptly as The Prison, The Needle and The Table.
- Walking for the day: 10km
- Accommodation: Duirnish Guesthouse or similar in Portree
Day 6: The Old Man of Storr | 5km
This is the most celebrated walk on the Isle of Skye and with good reason. The Old Man of Storr, also known locally as The Old Man, is a large pinnacle of rock that can be seen for miles around. As part of the Trotternish Ridge, it was created by a massive ancient landslide, and it is considered to be one of the most photographed landscapes in the world. Today’s walk takes you up to the Old Man, with an option of walking up to the Storr itself (the highest point on northern Skye at 719m) and along the Trotternish Ridge.
- Walking for the day: 5km, 3-4h
- Accommodation: Duirnish Guesthouse or similar in Portree
Day 7: Departure
From Portree, you can take the Citylink bus back to the south of the island or further south on the mainland.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is in two different local guesthouses. They have been carefully selected based on a variety of criteria including their location, warm hospitality, fine local food or commitment to responsible tourism. All rooms have en-suite or private bathrooms.
Click to view our default accommodation for this trip
- Hillview B&B in Broadford
- Duirnish Guesthouse in Portree
Hotels are subject to availability. In the event of a particular hotel being fully booked for your chosen dates, we will replace it with a hotel of equal value and quality level. We will provide exact accommodation details to you upon booking confirmation.
Meals
Breakfast is included on all days. When no restaurant location is available on the route, lunches and snacks should either be bought from local shops, or packed lunch can be pre-ordered from your hotel the night before. You can have dinner at the guesthouse you are staying at or at the village pubs and restaurants.
Difficulty and terrain
This route is graded moderate as it passes through remote country. Although part of the route is on good paths and minor roads much of it is on rough ground which can be wet underfoot and completely trackless in places. Some days will be more challenging than others and the terrain will be varied with some rough and rugged footpaths (read more about difficulty grades). We strongly advise you to follow only marked trails and never try to shorten the path through the unknown and unmarked terrain. We will provide you with detailed route notes and maps, and you can call our 24/7 local assistance phone number anytime. More detailed info on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
Using public transport*, this trip is available to commence every day from 1 June till 30 September as the bus timetable does not come into force until the end of May. If you book the private transfers option, you can do the walk in April and May, too. The flexibility of self-guided holidays means that there are no fixed dates, and you can start your trip on any date during the season.
*As the bus service on Skye can be unreliable and we can’t guarantee buses will run to their scheduled timetable, we highly recommend that you book our private transfers package.
Getting there
Up-to-date travel advice on the United Kingdom is available here (for Canadian citizens) and here (for US citizens). Some funny but useful travel advice about Scotland is available here.😊
Click to view travel options and route planner
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Glasgow.
By train or bus
- Glasgow: There are excellent air, train and bus services, allowing easy access from anywhere in the UK and overseas.
- From Glasgow, several buses run daily to Broadford operated by Citylink, including two which run via Glasgow Airport.
- From Portree, you can take the Citylink bus south.
- A great website useful specifically for public transport planning within Scotland is Traveline Scotland.
Inclusions
Included
- Pre-booked accommodation as per the itinerary
- 6 Breakfasts
- Door-to-door luggage transfers on all walking days – 1 piece per person up to 20kg
- Maps and road books (one set per booking)
- Info on transport and local services
- 24/7 phone assistance by our local office/representative
Excluded
- Airfare and connecting land transfers
- Lunches, dinners, drinks and snacks
- Travel insurance (required – get a quote online)
- Personal expenses
- Local tourist taxes and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
Options, extras and supplements
- If you’re travelling in a group, a supplement applies to group members who would like to have a room of their own.
- This holiday is NOT available for solo travellers
- Private return transfers from the accommodations to the trails on all walking days where such transfers are needed as per the itinerary – highly recommended as bus service on Skye is not reliable
- Extra nights are available upon request
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