Skye’s the Limit!
This will be more of a pictorial and less of ‘blog’, (less reading for you!) but I have some awesome photos to share and as I’m not putting the majority up on FB/Insta, here they will be 😉
Warning- the pictures don’t even remotely do this place justice. Even so, you may want to turn off your computer/put away your credit card to prevent yourself from buying the next flight over!
SKYE
After The West Highland Way, my knees were definitely feeling the 100+ miles they’d logged so I ended up chilling in Ft William for a few days (I have a great AirBNB reco if anyone needs one, thank you Miranda!). I thought they’d return back to normal and I’d get to climb up Ben Nevis Mountain (the tallest peak in the UK!). Although I had the will, I actually decided to listen to my body for once and decided NOT to push myself too hard. Plus, the weather was pretty wet which would have made the trek up even more difficult. Oh well, I have a feeling I’ll be back…
I’d also had aspirations of continuing my walking trek up the Great Glen Way, which connects Ft William and Inverness via a ~65 mile trail which goes right up Loch Ness. Maybe I’d even see Nessie! But again, didn’t want to actually hurt myself for real so this idea too went back on the shelf… next time.
What to do? I had a few friends recommend the Isle of Skye as an ‘amazingly beautiful place to explore for a few days’… Enough said! So I started planning a trip over and this is what happened!
Driving Over
It was about a 3 hour drive over from Ft William (I opted to drive over and ferry back) and the scenery was amazing! I had some good tunes going and life was good…
I read up on several websites/blogs on what to do with ‘2 days in Skye’ so although I definitely left myself some exploring to do, I felt like I had a good agenda! Base would be the town of Portree- I dropped my stuff and was off, had a lot to see!
Exploring Day One
The Quaraig
Portree
A cool little town right on the water. Great to just walk around and take in the vibe. Had a nice dinner accompanied by a nice single malt and got ready for what would be a big next day of exploration!
Exploring Day Two
After a great night’s sleep, I was up early! I wanted to watch the sunrise from one of the recommended viewing points… though the weather wouldn’t be perfect, it still wasn’t too bad 😉
Rubha Nam Brathairean (Brother’s Point)
Kilt Falls and Mealt Rock
Old Man Storr
And then the clouds rolled in… They say Scotland is famous for ‘Four Seasons in One Day’ and this would be the perfect example! I’ve seen pictures of what Old Man Storr is ‘supposed’ to look like, and my experience was definitely a little different. But, still a cold/rainy/cloudy hike, is still a hike and once again, I know I’ll be back again!
but still awesome!
Fairie Glen
Next stop was Fairie Glen. This grassy, hilly area is exactly where you’d expect to find tiny woodland creatures. There was something so magical and cool about it!
Dunvegan Castle
Next stop was a cross-island drive to Dunvegan Castle. Built in the 1200’s as a Norse Fort, it was the original and current seat of the MacLeod Clan!
Neist Point
The last stop on this whirlwind day would be to drive all the way to the western point of Skye to Neist point to watch the sunset. As you can see from the photos, the day is now clear and sunny! A stark contrast from the morning… Four Seasons indeed!
Sunset was amazing. Chilled out, meditated, and enjoyed the show Mother Earth had in store for those who came to watch… Such a beautiful end to a wonderful day!
Day Three Exploring
Day Three would involve a little exploration of the central and southern areas of the Isle before hopping on a ferry back to Ft William. Man, there was so much to see/do! I’d love to spend a full week here trekking around and really getting off the path a bit! Like I said (a few times now), I’ll definitely be back…
Countryside
Part of the draw of Skye is just simply driving around. It was so beautiful everywhere you went. There was always an opportunity to pull over and enjoy the scenery, take a few photos, and just kinda ‘be’…
Fairie Pools
Continuing the Fairie theme- this series of mini falls/pools is where legend has fairies hanging out. Now it’s a popular draw for every walk of life: trekkers, families, travelers and tourists alike. On a sunny day it’s a great place to spend a few hours (and it was surrounded by mountains that were just aching to be climbed!).
Heading to the ferry
Time to make my way to my ferry back to Ft William. Once again, the country side provided an amazing backdrop to just drive around in while listening to good music- oh, and if you happen to drive right past a distillery (especially Talisker!), you have to make a quick pit stop! Right?
Final Thoughts
Skye was everything I had hoped for and more. Though I did it quickly, literally 48 hours total, it exceeded all my expectations and left me with a huge desire to return someday! The have many trekking trails (even some multi-day camping routes!) so I’ll have no problem finding more here to see, do, and discover!
I love Scotland. I truly do. Next stop Edinburg and Stirling to say hi to Uncle William!
Much Love and Bliss,
B
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One Excellent Adventure 