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 Scavaig to Sligachan, as well as to the iconic Old Man of Storr, the Suisnish peninsula and sweeping landscapes of Trotternish ridge and the Quiraing.
Itinerary
Day 1: Arrive Broadford
Arrive in Broadford, the second largest town on the Isle of Skye, in the shadow of Ben na Caillich. Take the time to stroll through James Ross Park on the seafront, or enjoy a Drambuie at the Broadford Hotel where it was first served in the 1870s. Broadford is your base for the next three nights.
- Accommodation: Hillview or similar in Broadford
Day 2: Suisnish and Boreraig coastal walks | 17.1km
Today’s coastal walks include Suisnish Peninsula cliffs and the abandoned villages of Suisnish and Boreraig, the latter being a victim of the Highland Clearances, part of Skye’s darker history. Take in fine views of Blà Bheinn to the north before returning to Broadford for the evening.
- Walking for the day: 17.1km, ↑302m ↓336m
- Accommodation: Hillview or similar in Broadford
- Included: morning transfer from Broadford to the start of the walk in Kilbride
Day 3: Skye Coast to Coast | 17km
Start the day with a transfer to Kilmarie before continuing on to Loch Scavaig, a sea loch, passing Camasunary beneath the Cuillin Mountains. This is among some the finest walks in Scotland, short but challenging, with varied terrain and stream crossings through Glen Sligachan. Please note that after rain this water can have a speedy flow, so care must be taken.
- Walking for the day: 17km, ↑275m ↓301m
- Accommodation: Hillview or similar in Broadford
- Included: morning transfer from Broadford to the start of the walk in Kilmarie
- Optional extra: evening transfer from Sligachan to Broadford (Private transfers package). Alternatively take the public bus (30mins, payable locally).
Day 4: The Fairy Pools | 18.1km
Walk from Sligachan into the heart of the Cuillin Mountains. At the foot of the Black Cuillins near Glenbrittle are the Fairy Pools, crystal clear 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. Continue on past more spectacular waterfalls before circling back to Sligachan and on to Portree. With its fishing harbour lined with rows of colourful houses, Portree is a great place to stay for the rest of the tour.
- Walking for the day: 18.1km, ↑633m ↓631m
- Accommodation: Erisco or similar in Portree
- Optional extras: a morning transfer from Broadford to Sligachan, and an evening transfer from Sligachan to Portree (Private transfers package). Alternatively take the public bus (Bradford-Sligachan: 30mins, Sligachan-Portree: 20mins, payable locally).
- Reduce the walk to 10km with a morning transfer directly to the Fairy Pools car park and walk back to Sligachan from there (enquire for price and booking).
Day 5: The Quiraing | 12km
At the northern tip of the Trotternish Ridge, Quiraing was formed by a massive landslip which created high cliffs, hidden plateaus and pinnacles of rock. Take in jaw-dropping landscapes from these fantastic rock formations named aptly as The Prison, The Needle and The Table. Today’s walk begins and ends in Flodigarry, and can be walked in a clockwise or anti-clockwise loop. Flodigarry Hotel has links back to Bonnie Prince Charlie, and a bar overlooking the bay that’s perfect for a refreshing drink before heading back to Portree.
Please note, buses to this part of the Isle of Skye do not run on a Sunday. If day five of your trip falls on a Sunday, an additional transfer will need to be arranged (additional fee).
- Walking for the day: 12km ↑568m ↓568m
- Accommodation: Erisco or similar in Portree
- Optional extra: morning and evening transfers between Portree and the start and end of the walk (Private transfers package). Alternatively take the public bus (48mins, payable locally).
Day 6: The Old Man of Storr and Storr summit | 4.7km/6.6km
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. Forming part of the Trotternish Ridge, it was created by a massive ancient landslide, and it is now considered to be one of the most photographed landscapes in the world. Today’s walk offers two options: explore the rock formations around the Old Man of Storr, or venture further to Storr summit (the highest point on northern Skye at 719m), which offers phenomenal views from above the Old Man along Trotternish Ridge and requires some minor scrambling.
Please note, buses to this part of the Isle of Skye do not run on a Sunday. If day six of your trip falls on a Sunday, an additional transfer will need to be arranged (additional fee).
- Walking for the day: 4.7km, 3-4h, ↑317m ↓317m or 6.6km, 4-5h, ↑527m ↓527m
- Accommodation: Erisco or similar in Portree
- Optional extra: morning and evening transfers between Portree and the start and end of the walk (Private transfers package). Alternatively take the public bus (17mins, payable locally).
Day 7: Departure
Departure after breakfast.
What to expect
Accommodation
Accommodation on this tour is in two small, locally-owned hotels, B&Bs or traditional 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
Accommodation is subject to availability. In the event of a particular guesthouse 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 to strenuous, with daily distances ranging from 5-18km and although not long, the routes feature considerable ascent and descent at times. Please note that the Storr Summit is regarded to be more strenuous as there is the need to scramble at times. This longer route is optional and guests can opt for the lower route if needed.
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 only follow marked trails and never try to shorten the path through 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 information on route navigation will be included in your holiday information pack.
When to go
This trip is available to commence every day from 03 April until 30 September, in alignment with local bus schedules. Please note that local bus timetables are subject to change* until the start of the season, so please bear this in mind when booking.
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. For detailed info, see our blog on the Best time to go to Scotland.
*Due to the nature of public transport and occasional unforeseen circumstances with timetabling and logistics, we can’t guarantee buses will run to their scheduled timetable. For this reason, we highly recommend booking the private transfers package, even during the months when it is not mandatory. See details below.
Getting there
Up-to-date travel advice on the United Kingdom is available here (for Canadian citizens) and here (for US citizens).
Click to view travel options and route planner
By plane
Our recommended airport for this tour is Glasgow Airport (GLA).
By train or bus
- Arrival in Broadford: several buses run daily from Glasgow to Broadford (5h 41mins)
- Departure from Portree: several buses run daily from Portree to Glasgow (6h 42mins)
- If you are able to travel to Scotland without flying, this holiday is reachable by train and bus/ferry with train stations in Mallaig or Kyle. Take the train from Glasgow to Mallaig then a ferry over to Skye before a local bus to Broadford. Alternatively take a train from Inverness to Kyle and then a bus on to the island.
- For bus or timetabling information see the Citylink website or use the Omio planner above. Another great website useful specifically for public transport planning within Scotland is Traveline Scotland.
UK Visa and entry requirements:
IMPORTANT: from 2025, the UK is implementing a new Electronic Travel Authorisation (ETA) for many countries around the world. Up until 08 January, the ETA requirement only applied to nationals from Bahrain, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and UAE.
On 08 January 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to visitors from eligible non-European countries, including Australian, Canadian and US nationals. Then, on 02 April 2025, the ETA requirement was extended to eligible European countries, referring to most of Europe.
You can view the full list of countries that this applies to here and apply for your ETA here, or on the UK ETA app. The ETA usually takes up to three working days to be processed, although we advise applying as early as possible, in advance of your travel dates. People travelling with an Irish passport don’t need an ETA.
You can read more about the UK entry requirements on our blog.
Inclusions
Included
- 6 nights accommodation
- 6 breakfasts
- Morning transfers to the start of the walks where public transport is not available
- Luggage transfers between Broadford and Portree (one piece per person, max 20kg)
- Access to your digital pre-departure information (accommodation list, GPS map of the route, baggage transfer information, itineraries, route information of cafes, restaurants, local bus timetables, etc.)
- 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, public transport and entry fees (payable on-site)
- Any items not specifically mentioned as included in the programme
- eSIM data for international travel (get an eSIM)
Options, extras and supplements
- Private transfers package: private return transfers from the accommodations to the trails on all walking days as an alternative to public transport – highly recommended as public transport on Skye can be unreliable. The private transfer package is currently mandatory for trips beginning in April and May as the local buses are not scheduled to run during these months.
- 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 available for solo travellers. However, a supplement will be charged as the cost of rooms and also luggage or private transfers (when applicable) is not shared. Please note that solo travellers are always accommodated in their own room. For logistical reasons, we don’t offer an option for solo travellers to share rooms with other solo travellers.
- Extra nights are available upon request
