Skye may be at the edge of the UK, but it’s certainly worth the journey. One minute you’re driving through misty mountains, the next you’re pulling over to photograph a herd of Highland cows or take a peep in a roadside honesty box filled with homemade bakes. While many visitors base themselves in Portree, Skye is bigger than it looks, with each side of the island very different from the next. Splitting your stay and travelling around the island not only avoids the crowds, but also gives you a much better feel for the island. So, if you’re planning a trip, here’s where to eat, what to do and where to stay in Skye.
Eat
Stein Inn
Set on the shores of Loch Bay on the Waternish peninsula, The Stein Inn is the oldest inn on the island. Low ceilings, quirky artwork, cosy nooks and big windows looking out across the water create an atmosphere that’s hard to beat.
The menu is led by what’s local, seasonal and fresh from the water. Its shellfish menu focuses on produce delivered daily from Loch Bay opposite, including lobster, mussels, langoustines and crab, while cook-owner Charlie Haddock has spoken about taking a “less is more” approach with local ingredients. Past specials include dishes such as chermoula scallops and Thai-style mussels, which sums up the place nicely: fresh and local, but certainly not predictable.
Café Cùil
Tucked away in Carbost, Café Cùil is a must-try for brunch on Skye. Run by Skye native Clare Coghill, the café originally started in Hackney in 2019 before being reborn back on the island during the pandemic, where it now champions Hebridean produce and local, sustainable ingredients. It feels like the sort of place you’d expect to find in East London, but with a much better view and far more Highland touches. You can’t leave without trying Clare’s best seller: the Highland beef brisket rarebit toastie.
The Old Inn
The Old Inn can be found on Loch Harport, offering the perfect mix of relaxed pub atmosphere and genuinely good food. You can expect fresh seafood, hearty Scottish classics like fish and chips, plus live traditional Scottish music on Thursday nights. It’s also a good place to try local drinks, whether your dram is a Skye beer, local whisky or a gin, perhaps from nearby Raasay or Harris.
Do
Visit the Fairy Pools
One of Skye’s most talked-about spots, but still worth it if you can make it earlier on in the day. Set at the foot of the Cuillin mountains, the Fairy Pools are a series of waterfalls and clear blue pools that you follow along a rocky path. The further you walk, the better it gets, and it only takes around an hour or so to get a good feel for the route if you’re not doing it as a major hike.
Explore Neist Point
Right at the western edge of the island, Neist Point is a remote spot on the island, and certainly not something for the faint hearted. The walk down to the lighthouse is steep enough to get your heart going, but once you’re there, the views are incredible. Cliffs, open sea, seabirds overhead and a very specific feeling that there is nothing much between you and the Atlantic.
Walk the Quiraing & Old Man of Storr
Skye is home to a number of incredible walks and viewpoints, but the Quiraing and Old Man of Storr offer some of the most memorable and distinctly “skye” views on the island. They are both built around huge, surreal rock formations and steep, winding paths that make you work for the view. These are not quick pitstops, but they are absolutely worth seeing if you have the time, energy and decent enough visibility. The Old Man of Storr is probably the more famous of the two, but the Quiraing feels especially otherworldly, with landscapes that look almost too strange to be real.
Visit Dunvegan Castle
For something slower, Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland and has been the ancestral home of the Chiefs of clan MacLeod for 800 years. Open from April-October, you can wander the gardens, explore the clan history and take boat trips out onto Loch Dunvegan to see seals if the weather allows. If you happen to share a surname or have a link to the MacLeods, you can also join their registry for meet-ups and clan-related updates.
Sleep
Billy’s Bothy, near Dunvegan
Set near Dunvegan, overlooking Loch Dunvegan, Billy’s Bothy is a private and peaceful cabin.
Inside, it is small but incredibly well thought through, with big windows, an open-plan layout and a focus almost entirely on the view. The bed is a gorgeous king-size iron and brass style, with thick, lavish bedding that makes it feel far more like a boutique hotel than a basic cabin. There is also a luxury bathroom with a huge standalone bath and walk-in shower, plus a kitchen area with all the essentials, including an oven, fridge, microwave and Nespresso machine.
Host Jane lives next door and is genuinely passionate about looking after her guests. The welcome hamper, with fresh bread, homemade brownies, local eggs and pastries, made it feel instantly homely, and the touches throughout, from cosy sheepskin blankets to local toiletries, really immerse you in the destination.
The Minch, Carbost
A small shepherd’s hut overlooking Loch Harport, this is a luxury cabin based within Carbost with unbeatable loch views. It is simple and Scandi in feel, but has all the ingredients for a cosy stay: a comfortable bed, a fully equipped kitchen, an outdoor space for dining if the weather behaves, and an impressive view. You can see the loch even when tucked up in bed. The real highlight is the log fire, which makes evenings in feel like a treat rather than a compromise. Some guests have even spotted dolphins, otters and the Northern Lights from this peaceful and romantic setting.
Flodigarry Hotel
For something a little more traditional, Flodigarry Hotel offers a completely different experience. Set at the foot of the Quiraing, overlooking the ocean, it has more of a classic Highland estate feel, with a sense of history running through the place. The hotel describes itself as a small family-run business, and that does come through in the atmosphere, which feels polished but still personal. Alongside more conventional hotel rooms, the estate is also home to Flora MacDonald’s Cottage, built in 1745. Flora MacDonald is one of the names you hear again and again on Skye, celebrated for helping Bonnie Prince Charlie escape after Culloden, so this offers you the chance to stay somewhere really connected to that history. Rooms feel spacious and indulgent, with lovely grounds and access to a bar with a strong whisky, gin and cocktail list. The restaurant taps into Skye’s natural larder, with dishes built around ingredients such as hand-dived Skye scallops, Highland beef, Skye venison, Kilmuir lamb and Skye seaweed
