The Perfect 3-Day Isle Of Skye Road Trip Itinerary

Discover the spellbinding landscapes and raw magic of this alluring Scottish island on a 3-day Isle of Skye road trip.

Rugged, dramatic and irrepressible, Scotland’s Isle of Skye has a knack of weaving its way into your soul and taking hold. Even as it soaks your shoes, showers you with freezing rain, and does its best to cast you out into the Atlantic on a high wind.

There’s something about the place, beyond the blockbuster scenery and the epic full Scottish breakfasts. It’s an ancient land, infused with myth and legend, tales of fairies, selkies and giants, and great clan battles.

If you’re an all-weather hiker, this is prime trekking country. For the rest of us mere mortals though, there’s no better way to explore this spectacular place than on an Isle of Skye road trip.

With three full days on Skye, you’ll have the chance to spend quality time at the island’s top sights. You can explore corners of the island that fewer people get to and experience places without the day-tripping crowds. You can discover Skye at your own pace.

Skye is an island like no other and we’ve fallen completely under its spell. We reckon you will too.

3-Day Isle of Skye Road Trip Snapshot

Start & Finish: This itinerary starts and ends at the Skye Bridge near Kyleakin, crossing from the mainland at Kyle of Lochalsh. However, you can just as easily make your start and finish point Skye’s car ferry gateways at Armadale or Kylerhea. Or start at one and finish at another.

Distance: Around 520km (325 miles).

How long do you need? 3 full days on the Isle of Skye.

Overnight stops: This itinerary assumes you will be on the island for an early morning start on Day 1 so you might consider arriving on Skye the night before. We’ve used Portree as a central overnight base for the itinerary but you could base yourself anywhere on the island or move around as suits – see where to stay on the Isle of Skye below.

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What’s the Route?

Our Isle of Skye road trip focuses entirely on the island itself. Over three days, you’ll hit up Skye’s most epic sites, with decent time in each place to get out and immerse.

This is an active itinerary – there’s plenty of drive touring through the island’s spectacular scenery, but you’ll have lots of opportunities to walk, hike, scramble, explore, spot wildlife and get out on the water.

Our itinerary spends Day 1 exploring the top sites of the Trotternish Peninsula via Sligachan Old Bridge and Portree. You’ll hike at the Old Man of Storr, explore Lealt Falls, stop for pics at Mealt Falls & Kilt Rock, search out dino prints on An Corran Beach, take in the views from the ruins of Duntulm Castle and search for elvin folk at the Fairy Glen.

Head back to the Trotternish Peninsula first thing on Day 2 to hike the famous Quiraing before the crowds arrive. From there, head to the Waternish and Duirinish Peninsulas to explore Dunvegan Castle, walk out to sparkling Coral Beach, and wind up the day spotting whales and basking sharks as the sun drops over the sea at Neist Point.

Day 3 is an immersion in the magic of the Cuillin mountains with a boat trip out of Elgol and time at Loch Coruisk, whisky tasting at the Talisker Distillery, and a late afternoon walk (maybe an icy swim) at the famous Fairy Pools.

Planning A Self-Drive Isle Of Skye Itinerary

How long do you need?

Skye is at least a couple of hours’ driving from the nearest airports, and many people will visit as part of a longer Scotland road trip.

Once you’re on Skye, you could rally-car your way around the main sites in half a day, or cherry-pick a couple of highlights. You’ll absolutely wish you had longer.

Having visited a couple of times now, we reckon three full days is the perfect amount of time for an Isle of Skye road trip. If you can stay longer, even better, but three days lets you spend quality time at all of the top spots, explore some of the more remote and spectacular parts of the island, and get out of the car often to immerse in the Skye’s mind-blowing landscapes.

If you’re visiting Skye over the busy warmer months, there’s even more reason to linger on the island. You’ll have time to visit the popular sites before or after the crowds of day-trippers and coach tours have left.

For us, another key benefit of a self-drive Isle of Skye itinerary is having the flexibility to change plans if the weather turns. Which it does, regularly and with gusto.

If you have less than three days to explore Skye, here are some suggestions for one or two days on the island:

1-Day Isle of Skye Itinerary

My first visit to Skye, some twenty years ago, was for less than a day and it felt exactly like the flying visit it was. If a day is all you have to play with though, better to taste a dram than miss out altogether. If you’re self-driving, focus your energies on the spectacular Trotternish peninsula. The sites here are epic and will give you a real feel for the natural drama of Skye.

Take in the mountain views from Sligachan Old Bridge, check out charming Portree, take a short walk at Old Man of Storr and visit Kilt Rock. Head up to the Quiraing for the sweeping views, cross over to Uig and wander the Fairy Glen, then make your way back to the Skye Bridge or the ferry at Armadale.

2-Day Isle of Skye Itinerary

If you have a second day up your sleeve, follow Day 1 above and head to the Fairy Pools first thing on Day 2. Then make your way to Carbost for a tour of the Talisker Distillery, followed by lunch at the Oyster Shed. Visit Dunvegan Castle and get out on the loch to see the local seals, then head out to Niest Point for sweeping views at Skye’s most westerly point.

Guided tours to the Isle of Skye

If for whatever reason driving the Isle of Skye yourself just isn’t an option, there are plenty of companies offering guided tours of Skye, from half-day and full-day to multi-day experiences. See our suggestions at the end of this post for some highly-rated day tours.

Top tips for planning an Isle of Skye trip

• Book your Isle of Skye accommodation as far in advance as possible, especially if you intend to travel over summer: Skye is one of the most popular destinations in Scotland and accommodation can easily book out 6 to 9 months (or more) in advance.
• Plan your itinerary according to the time of year you visit and the amount of daylight you have: summer days are very long (up to 18 hours) while winter days are very short (as little as 6.75 hours). Some visitor sites, restaurants, stays and experiences also close down between late October and early April.
• Be ready for four seasons in a day and pack accordingly. Also, expect rain, it’s a given. Wait a bit though and it often passes.
• Follow local forums and social pages for latest updates on weather warnings and road closures.
• Give yourself more time when driving anywhere: peak season congestion, parking limitations, sheep on the road, pot holes, adverse weather conditions…all can lead to a longer-than-planned journey.
• Beware the midges: these savage little biting flies can ruin all the fun; if you’re coming in the warmer months, cover up and have repellent handy.
• Be flexible: your visit to Skye (and this itinerary) will be influenced by any number of variables, from time of year and hours of daylight to weather conditions, visitor numbers and more. To have the best trip, plan ahead but be prepared to change things around at a moment’s notice if needed.

Best time to visit Skye

Skye is spectacular year-round, but the weather is famously changeable no matter when you go. Generally though, April to October is the best time to visit in terms of weather and longer daylight hours. This is also the tourist season, when most things are open and running.

June, July and August are the busiest months on the island. In practice, ‘busy’ means you can still find corners of Skye where sheep are the only signs of life, but you will likely encounter serious crowding at some of the island’s major sites, like Fairy Pools and the Quiraing. Accommodation over peak books out far in advance.

Summer is also when midges come out to play. These wee flying, biting beasties love humid, overcast days and launch their attack the moment you stand still. On the plus side, they hate wind and Skye has plenty of that.

Best months for an Isle of Skye trip: To get the best of the island’s weather, with fewer crowds but most sites and facilities still open (check ahead just in case), consider visiting on the edges of the peak period – in May or October.

Our experience: We’ve visited Skye in late summer, early autumn and mid-winter and each time, we’ve experienced four seasons in a day, every day.

During our September Skye visit, we would drive long stretches without seeing another soul, but then found it so busy at the Fairy Pools that we decided to leave it for another time. January was far quieter, but there was still a reasonable number of people at the main sites.

One of the most striking visual differences is the island’s natural colour palette as it changes throughout the year – from vivid greens to rusty reds and golden hues. No matter when we’ve visited, we’ve dressed in layers, carried wet weather gear with us, and worn sturdy walking shoes.

Getting to the Isle of Skye

Skye is one of the largest islands in the Inner Hebrides, located in Scotland’s north-west. Although an island, it’s considered part of the Scottish Highlands.

If you’re planning to road trip to Skye by car from the mainland, the island is accessed via a couple of mainland routes:

• Skye Bridge between Kyle of Lochalsh on the mainland and Kyleakin on the island
• Car Ferry between Mallaig on the mainland and Armadale on the island. This is a 30-45 minute ferry to the Isle of Skye and you must have a ticket before you travel. Tickets can be booked online (book well ahead if travelling in peak)
• Skye Turntable Car Ferry between Glenelg on the mainland and Kylerhea in Skye’s south. This 15-minute journey on the world’s last manually operated turntable car ferry is an experience in itself. It runs every day from 10am-6pm (weather permitting) between April and mid-October. No need to book ahead; turn up and pay on board with cash or card.

Airports near Isle of Skye

The closest airport to the Isle of Skye is at Inverness. If you’re travelling to the Skye Bridge via Loch Ness and Eilean Donan Castle, you can drive direct from Inverness to the Isle of Skye in around 2 hours. Alternatively, it’s 2.5 hours to the car ferry at Mallaig via Loch Ness, Fort William and the Glenfinnan Viaduct.

You can also travel to Skye from Edinburgh and Glasgow airports via several spectacular driving routes through the Scottish mainland, taking anywhere from 3.5 to 5+ hours.

Hiring a car for a road trip to Skye

If you need to hire a car to explore Skye, there are a handful of car rental companies on the island itself (you just need to get there first). But if you’re planning to drive from Inverness, Edinburgh or Glasgow, it’s very easy and relatively low-cost to hire a car at these airports.

As with accommodation, we recommend booking your car hire in Scotland well in advance, especially if you’ll be travelling in peak season.

A tip from us: Opt for a smaller car. The roads on Skye – and in the UK more broadly – aren’t made for big vehicles. Our most recent trip to Skye was in a big SUV (an unexpected upgrade) but it felt like a tank on Skye’s single-track roads. We definitely prefer a smaller car when driving in the UK.

One other thing to note is that manual cars are far more common than automatics in the UK, and you can expect to pay a bit more for an auto hire car than a manual.

We’ve always found the best deals at DiscoverCars and they’re our go-to car hire provider these days, with great rates and free cancellation should your plans need to change. Booking in advance will get you the best rates and widest choice of vehicle.

Isle of Skye driving tips

In our experience, having your own wheels is the very best way to explore Skye. But tootling around the island’s narrow roads does come with its own set of quirks and challenges. Here are some of our top tips for driving Isle of Skye safely and enjoyably.

• Take it easy and keep an eye out on the road for walkers, sheep and cattle, potholes, narrow verges and drop-offs, and road closures.
• Take extra care in poor weather and high winds, especially if you’re in a motorhome.
• Always give yourself more time to get somewhere than the online map is telling you.
• Use the dedicated Passing Places on single-track roads to give way to oncoming drivers and let vehicles behind you pass if needed.
• It’s etiquette for the driver closest to a Passing Place to give way to the oncoming driver. Only pull into a Passing Place on your left though. If the nearest Passing Place is on the opposite side of the road, slow down or stop and wait for the oncoming car to reach it and pull in.
• Acknowledging other drivers with a small wave as you pass by or to say thanks for giving way goes a long way.

Parking on Skye

Pack patience if you’re visiting Skye in the busy season, especially when it comes to parking. You may find you need to park a little further away at some places. Always check local signage for parking restrictions both during the day and overnight, to avoid being fined.

Many parking areas on Skye are pay-and-display and have pay machines accepting cards and coins. We found it helpful to register with RingGo, which lets you search and pay for your parking online or with their app, and also extend parking sessions remotely where allowed. If you’re using global roaming and have issues registering with an international phone number, check for RingGo parking signs, which usually have a number you can call to pay by phone.

Petrol Stations

There are petrol stations at Kyle of Lochalsh and Mallaig before you head onto the Isle of Skye, as well as a handful of petrol stations on the island itself, including at Broadford, Portree, Uig and near Dunvegan Castle.

Electric Vehicle Charging

If you’ve hired an electric vehicle, the ChargePlace Scotland app will help you find EV charging stations on the island.

Where to stay on Skye

Given Skye’s popularity and the fact that many places book out far in advance, the first thing you should do once you’ve decided to visit Skye is book your accommodation.

You’ll find a wide range of accommodation types all over the island, from B&Bs, pub stays, hotels and historic lodges through to hostels, self-catered cottages, pods, and renovated bothies and byres (traditional huts and barns).

If you don’t mind the changeable weather, you can wild camp. Motorhomes and caravans are a hugely popular way of exploring the island. There are also a number of highly rated camping and caravan parks across Skye, where you can pitch a tent or hook up to the grid.

To help you plan, find and book your accommodation on Skye, we’ve put together a dedicated, in-depth guide to Skye’s regions and accommodations, with area profiles, answers to questions like ‘is it better to have a base or move around’, and a selection of highly-rated stays to suit all budgets.

Check out our comprehensive guide on Where to stay on the Isle of Skye.

3-Day Isle of Skye Road Trip Itinerary

Day 1: Trotternish Highlights

Highlights: Sligachan Old Bridge | Portree | Old Man of Storr | Lealt Falls | Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls | Fairy Glen
Total driving distance: appx. 140km (90 miles) if starting at Skye Bridge and finishing in Portree
Total driving time (without stops): appx. 2.5 hours

We recommend arriving on the island the night before our Isle of Skye road trip itinerary starts as it assumes you’re already on Skye on the morning of Day 1, or will arrive on the island early.

Sligachan Old Bridge

As introductions to Skye go, you really can’t go past the scene of Sligachan Old Bridge backed by the brooding peaks of the Cuillin mountains. Even on the moodiest of days, when the mountains are black smudges, the clouds look rageful and the wind wields invisible daggers, the views here are epic.

Sitting at the crossroads of Skye’s main A87 north-south road and the A863 west, Sligachan is a popular launchpad for hikes into the dramatic Cuillin landscape. The historic Sligachan Hotel across the road is a mountaineering hub with its own microbrewery.

Make your way to the 19th-century stone bridge over Sligachan Burn. On the way, check out the Collie and Mackenzie statue, a tribute to the mountaineers who mapped, climbed and named many of the Cuillin peaks.

If you feel compelled, stick your face into the icy river water for seven seconds then let it air dry. Legend has it the fairies will grant you eternal beauty. I can attest to the fact that, if nothing else, it will almost certainly grant you several seconds of tingly, burning skin.

Parking at Sligachan: There’s a small, free carpark on the left side of the A87 shortly before the bridge (if coming from the south). Earlier is better as the carpark can fill up quickly.

Portree

Around 15 minutes north of Sligachan is the charming harbourside town of Portree, Skye’s largest settlement and the island’s ‘capital’.

As the gateway to some of the most popular Isle of Skye attractions, and with the broadest selection of accommodation, shops, and eating and drinking establishments (plus a range of wildlife watching boat tours in season), the majority of visitors and tours to the island will stop in Portree at some point during their trip, so be warned it can get pretty busy here.

That said, the town and surrounding area does make a solid base for exploring the rest of the island. Just aim to book accommodation, and any restaurants you’re keen to visit, well ahead of time – especially if you’re visiting over the summer months.

The heart of Portree, where most of the shops and eateries cluster, is tucked between Portree Square and the harbour. Here you’ll find a range of craft and artisan shops, a distillery store, cafés, restaurants and pubs.

Be sure to wander down to the harbourfront at some point for the classic Portree scene – a row of colourful buildings overlooking a calm bay with gently rocking boats. This is a particularly pretty picture in the late afternoon and first thing in the morning. Head up to Boswell Terrace for the best view.

Aim to spend around an hour in Portree. You’ll have the opportunity to stop for lunch in Staffin today, but options are limited so if you’d rather take a packed lunch with you, Portree is a good spot to stock up.

Depending on where you’re staying over the next couple of days, consider heading back to Portree tonight or another night of your stay for dinner in one of the town’s restaurants and a drink in one of the local pubs. We reckon it’s definitely worth experiencing the town after the daytrippers have moved on.

Some pubs, like the Portree Hotel, have occasional live music (check ahead). If you happen to be in town on a Tuesday evening in summer, the Isle of Skye Pipe Band fires up at 8pm in Portree Square.

In Portree, we’ve stayed at the Rosedale Hotel, which has cosy rooms by the harbour. The restaurant serves pretty decent food, and the service during our stay was excellent.

Parking in Portree: Parking can be a challenge in Skye’s little capital. There are several pay-and-display parking lots around town which can fill up quickly. There’s also some street parking with short time restrictions. Be prepared to park a little further out and walk in if necessary. Overnight parking is allowed in some car parks; check signage for restrictions. We always check with our accommodation on best places to park.

Old Man of Storr Hike

Another 15 minutes up the road from Portree is Skye’s Old Man of Storr, one of the island’s most iconic sites.

Legend says the huge pinnacle is the thumb of a buried giant, and while it’s visible for miles around, it can also be seen up close on a hike.

The main hike at Old Man of Storr is a 3.9km out-and-back trail (2.4 miles), a steep and at times strenuous climb, mostly along a packed dirt path. It’s a heart-pumping walk and the winds at the top are ferocious but the panoramas over the rugged landscape and the Sound of Raasay are seriously spectacular.

If you’re extra keen, you can extend the hike to make it a 5.3km (3.3 mile) loop trek. Wear sturdy shoes and take layers. Aim to spend around 1.5-2 hours here (we ended up giving this breathtaking place around 2.5 hours).

Parking at Old Man of Storr: There’s a lay-by on the inland side of the A855 in front of Storr for motorhomes/campervans, and a long stretch of off-street parking for cars and motorbikes up behind the road. Both are pay-and-display between 8am and 8pm (£5 up to 6 hours or £7 up to 12). There are also free public toilets here.

Lealt Falls

From Storr, continue driving north along the speccy A855 Trotternish loop road for around 7 minutes until you see a parking sign pointing to a lay-by with marked car spaces on the right-hand side of the road. This is the stop for Lealt Falls.

Walk the path to the upper falls viewing platform. Lealt Falls is an impressive 90-metre-high cascade of peat-stained water, the last hurrah of the River Lealt before it crashes down into a ravine and runs out to the sea.

The views from the upper platform are lovely, but if you have the time and energy, there’s another viewpoint over the Sound of Raasay and a steep and narrow path down to the beach, where you can track the stream to the base of the falls. Look out for the remnants of the clay and salmon fishing industries that once took place on this shore.

If you’re content with the views from the upper falls, aim to spend around 30 minutes here. Give yourself an hour or so if you want to hike down to the beach (it’s a steep climb back up). We also found a great little coffee truck just past the carpark – a very welcome heat infusion.

Parking at Lealt Falls: Parking here was free last time we visited; there’s a donation box near the upper viewpoint for care of the site. If the small roadside layover is full, pull in anyway and continue on through to the far end where there’s a narrow road up to an area with more spaces (cars only).

Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls

Just a further 5 minutes up the A855, you’ll find the impressive waterfall-and-seacliffs combo of Mealt Falls and Kilt Rock. The plunging cascade here is fed by Loch Mealt, which is to your left as you approach the right-hand turn for the site.

There’s a short loop walk from the carpark out to the panoramic viewpoint over the cliffs, the waterfall and the Sound of Raasay.

The 90-meter-high freefall of Mealt Falls is drama enough on its own, but the cliffs beyond are a sight in their own right. Pleated and folded over millennia, the volcanic basalt and sandstone here skirt the land in what looks like a rocky kilt – hence the name. This is a photo stop so give it around 15-20 minutes.

Parking at Kilt Rock: There was a nice new, decent-sized carpark for Kilt Rock on our most recent visit, which makes parking easier though you now have to pay to park (£3 up to 2 hours).

Staffin

As you continue making your way north on the Trotternish Peninsula, Staffin is the next settlement you’ll pass. There are a couple of cafés here where you can stop for lunch: Columba 1400 and The Hungry Gull both get great reviews. Alternatively, hold out for lunch at the beautifully-sited Flodigarry Hotel further up the road.

An Corran Beach Dino Detour

If you’ve brought lunch with you, why not head down to Staffin’s An Corran Beach and enjoy a pitstop with a view.

An Corran Beach has another little drawcard up its sleeve: dinosaur tracks. Stamped into a slab of sandstone on the beach are the prints of a three-toed Megalosaurus, a fearsome Jurassic beastie. The prints are only visible at low tide and you’ll need a keen eye – but if you’re a dino-enthusiast (or just curious), check it out.

If you’re particularly interested in Skye’s Jurassic past, before Staffin and shortly after you leave the Mealt Falls & Kilt Rock carpark, look out for Staffin Dinosaur Museum on the left, a small but fascinating collection of fossils and artefacts found in the area. There’s a £5 entry fee for adults.

Parking at An Corran Beach: Take the single-track Staffin Road off the A855 (look out for signs to Staffin Slipway and the beach) and drive for a little over a kilometre until you reach a long, free parking stretch where you can stop and make your way down to the beach. There’s signage in the parking area about the dino tracks.

Duntulm Castle Ruins

Continuing north from Staffin, you’ll get your first proper views to the dramatic ridge of the Quiraing.  

Resist the pull as you near the turn-off. As one of Skye’s most iconic destinations, the Quiraing is also one of its busiest, especially over the middle of the day. On this itinerary, we intend to explore the Quiraing more fully on a hike, so you’ll be visiting first thing tomorrow when there are fewer people. This is also a better option if you’re visiting Skye at a time of year when there are less daylight hours to play with.

That said, if it’s bright and clear, you might want to head up to the top briefly for views (Skye’s weather will keep you guessing even with the best-laid plans).

Carry on along the A855 around the top of the Trotternish Peninsula for around 18-minutes to Duntulm Castle. Park up and make your way across the green fields around 400m to the castle ruins, which perch precariously on the exposed clifftop.

For several hundred years from the 14th-century, this was the stronghold of the MacDonald Clan. Little remains of the castle today (and there’s a sign asking visitors not to cross the boundary fence as the ruins are unstable), but this is a wild and evocative place and the scenery is beautiful. On a good day you can see to the Outer Hebrides. Worth a 20-30 minute pause.

Parking for Duntulm Castle: There’s a free roadside parking lay-by on the A855 beside the field where the ruins are.

Fairy Glen

The last stop today is Skye’s unusual Fairy Glen, around 25 minutes’ drive from Duntulm Castle.

Make your way south along the A855, which will join up with the A87 a little north of the port town of Uig. Just past the Uig Hotel, take Sheader Road to the Fairy Glen parking area.

From the carpark, there’s a looping trail of around 1.4km (0.87 miles) through the enigmatic landscape of the Fairy Glen, a quirky valley of grassy hillocks, tiny lochans (ponds), the ruins of stone cottages, and a high basalt outcrop called Castle Ewen. Fairy folklore looms large in this mysterious little dale, though no elfin sightings for us, alas.

Sunset is said to be a lovely time at the Fairy Glen. We arrived at the right time but the sun was in hiding. Still, we enjoyed our wander here among the enchanting knolls. Thirty to 45 minutes should be plenty.

Parking at Fairy Glen: There’s a small carpark and roadside parking at the Fairy Glen. Both are pay-and-display and you can pay with cash or card (£3 up to 4 hours). RingGo can be used in the roadside parking area.

That’s it for Day 1 of our Isle of Skye road trip. We suggest making your way back to Portree for dinner and a drink or head to your Skye accommodation and get ready for another epic day tomorrow.

Day 2: Quiraing, Dunvegan & Neist Point

Highlights: Sunrise/early hike at Quiraing | Dunvegan Castle | Coral Beach | Neist Point
Total driving distance: appx. 175km (110 miles) with Portree start and finish
Total driving time (without stops): appx. 3.5 hours

Day 2 of our Skye itinerary starts back on the Trotternish Peninsula with an early, pre-crowds hike at the Quiraing. Fuel up this morning at breakfast – if you haven’t tackled it yet, we highly recommend at least one Full Scottish breakfast during your stay, it will definitely set you up for the day! Then head directly to the Quiraing. Daylight allowing, aim to be parked up and on the trail by 8am.

The Quiraing

Skye’s most famous natural site is reached via the Quiraing Road, which travels over the Trotternish ridge, linking the A855 on both sides of the peninsula.

Coming from the east, Quiraing Road travels through a rolling landscape speckled with sheep that slowly sweeps up towards a ridge of dramatic cliffs. Carefully drive the winding road to the top, park up and take in the magnificent vista at your feet.

The Quiraing is a 60-million-year-old escarpment formed by a massive landslip and shaped over time into a spectacular geological showcase. Its name comes from Old Norse and means ‘round fold’, which figures when you see the curving sweeps of the ridge from on high.

It can get very busy up here so arriving first thing will give you a head start to appreciate this spectacular place with fewer people around.

There’s an all-access viewpoint just 50-metres from the parking area which serves up views across the Quiraing and out to Staffin Bay. There’s also a short, relatively easy walk along a gravel path and up a short, steep rise to views across the ridge.

To really immerse in this otherworldly place though, we highly recommend – weather permitting – getting out into the heart of the escarpment’s formations. In fact, we think this is one of the best things to do on Skye.

There are a couple of trail options for hiking the Quiraing: a moderate out-and-back hike of up to 8km (5 miles), and a challenging 6.9km (4.3 mile) circuit, a looping extension of the out-and-back trail.

Set aside around 2 hours here. Depending on your fitness, pace and the conditions, this may be enough to do the full out-and-back hike or the circuit. If, like us, you want to take a more leisurely approach and stop often, 2 hours is plenty to do part of the out-and-back trail as far as ‘The Prison’, a castle-like rock formation, and the towering pinnacle of ‘The Needle’.

This trail winds a route beneath the Quiraing cliffs, with the ground sloping away below. It’s narrow, rough and muddy in places, and requires some scrambling across loose rocks and a stream.

We absolutely love this hike; it’s spectacular and utterly invigorating, even when Skye is throwing its best all-seasons-in-a-day barrage. That said, stay safe and don’t attempt to hike if the weather is particularly poor, the wind is up, or visibility is low.

Parking at the Quiraing: There’s a decent-sized carpark as well as roadside parking at the top of the Quiraing. Both are pay-and-display between 8am and 8pm (£3 up to 3 hours or £5 up to 6), with card and coins accepted in the machines and RingGo available for online payment. Resist the temptation to go for a ‘quick’ wander without paying for parking: we’ve seen people getting parking fines up here.

Uig Pit Stop

From the carpark at the Quiraing, continue west along Quiraing Road across the Trotternish ridge to the village of Uig. This is a single-track road, so take your time.

Down by the ferry terminal in Uig, you’ll find a public toilet, a couple of cafés, and a fuel stop with a small shop and takeaway where you can pick up lunch-to-go. The Isle of Skye Brewing Co is also located here; they brew out the back and sell their beer in the shopfront. Sadly, they don’t offer tastings but you can buy the full range to take away, or head around the bay to the Uig Hotel at some point for a paddle of their beers.

From Uig, it’s a 35 minute drive to Dunvegan Castle & Gardens along the A87 and the A850.

Waternish Detour: Loch views, a historic pub and Michelin dining

As you travel west from the Trotternish Peninsula to Dunvegan Castle, there’s a turn-off to the right called Lochbay (the B886), which will take you up into the Waternish Peninsula. Take note as this could be an option for a special dinner tonight and/or an overnight stay.

Not far from the turn-off is a layover on the left at a small stone bridge over a stream. This is the Fairy Bridge and it has mythical ties with the MacLeod Fairy Flag at Dunvegan Castle.

Further along the B886 is the pretty, waterside crofting village of Stein, home to the 18th-century Stein Inn, Skye’s oldest. We spent a night at the Stein Inn and absolutely loved the tranquil, loch-side location here. We were treated to a cracker sunset too. Plus the food in the pub is great. 

A couple of doors down is Loch Bay, Skye’s only Michelin-starred restaurant (open for dinner Tuesday to Saturday). Both places need to be booked well in advance.

Dunvegan Castle & Gardens

Dunvegan Castle is the stately, 800-year-old seat of Clan MacLeod. Unsurprisingly, the castle has undergone a couple of renos and expansions in that time. But the current MacLeod chief still calls it home, making this the oldest continually inhabited castle in Scotland.

Head inside for a glimpse into the expansive residence of a modern-day clan chief. Among the several hundred years’ worth of antique furniture, gilt-edged family portraits and ancestral knick-knacks, keep an eye out for the MacLeod’s most precious treasure: the Fairy Flag. Legend says this 4th-century silk banner, believed to hail from the eastern Mediterranean, would carry the clan to victory if unfurled in battle.

The loch-side castle and gardens are open between April and October, though there are some open days outside of these months – check the website. There’s a €17 entry fee to visit both (it’s less to visit the gardens only).

Twenty-five minute seal watching boat trips also depart from the castle jetty throughout the day in season (weather permitting) – just rock up, pay and join the next available trip. We haven’t had a chance to do this but it if the weather is nice, we reckon it’d be a great way to get out on the water, spot some of the loch’s wild residents, and get a feel for the castle’s stunning waterside setting.

Parking at Dunvegan Castle: There’s free parking on-site and loos in the car park.

Coral Beach Detour

Another potential side trip today is Coral Beach. You’ll find parking and the trailhead to the beach around 15 minutes’ drive north of Dunvegan Castle.

We’ve yet to get to this little spot ourselves (the weather hasn’t been onside), but from everything we’ve heard and the pics we’ve seen, on a sunny day the azure waters and sparkling white shoreline here (not sand but a crushed, coral-like seaweed) make this one of those unexpected Scottish beaches that look like they’ve been transplanted from Australia’s Whitsundays. Except for the biting wind and arctic water temps.

Coral Beach is a 20 minute one-way walk from the carpark. With time at the beach, you’ll need at least an hour for this visit.

Parking: There’s free parking at Claigan Coral Beach Car Park. The road to the carpark is narrow and potholed so take care.

Neist Point

Neist Point is Skye’s most westerly point, a dramatic and windswept stretch of cliffs and coastline on the Duirinish Peninsula. This spectacular location is another of our favourite places on the island, and while it can get very busy, it’s absolutely worth a visit.

However you roll today, the goal for this final stop is to arrive with enough time to walk out to the lighthouse and – if time of year and weather allows – take in sunset here. We recommend checking the sunset times during your visit and plan accordingly.

It’s a drive of around 30 minutes from Dunvegan to Neist Point, mostly along the single-track B884 road and an even narrower strip of bitumen out to the headland. If you need a rest stop, swing by the Glendale community toilets en route; there aren’t any facilities at Neist Point.

Once you’ve parked up, make your way down the steep path and out to Neist Point Lighthouse. The walk is along a paved path but is considered moderately challenging, and takes around 30+ minutes each way. We took longer as we stopped often to take in the views.

If you’re up for a climb, head off the main path and up the high crag to Neist Cliff Viewpoint about halfway out on the headland; you’ll find incredible panoramas over the lighthouse and the coast from up here. You could watch sunset from this viewpoint, or make your way back up to the parking area and head to one of the viewpoints around there.

If you’re visiting between May and September, bring binoculars and keep a sharp eye on the waters around Neist Point for dolphins, whales and – our fave – basking sharks! Peak minke and basking shark sightings are over June and July.

Parking at Neist Point: There’s a very small parking area at the end of the road out to the point, as well as roadside parking on the way in. Parking is free.

If you’re making your way back to Portree for the evening (or to dinner or a stay on the Waternish Peninsula), head back the way you came along the A850 and A87.

There is an alternate route to Portree through the very heart of Skye along the B885, however this is an extremely narrow single-track road and should really only be attempted if you’re comfortable with this kind of driving (and have plenty of daylight).

Day 3: Seals, Firewater & Fairy Pools

Highlights: Scenic drive to Elgol | Boat Tour to Loch Coruisk | Talisker Whisky Distillery | Fairy Pools
Total driving distance: appx. 175km (110 miles) with Portree start and Skye Bridge finish
Total driving time: appx. 3 hours 15

Day 3 of our Isle of Skye road trip serves up some of the island’s most epic scenery yet as you fully immerse in the mind-blowingly beautiful landscapes of the Cuillin mountains by car, boat and foot.

There are a couple of experiences that require advance booking today, and to ease time pressures, we recommend starting with those. Depending on your personal preferences though, and the weather, you could just as easily flip the order today and start with an early morning walk out to the Fairy Pools.

Just note that Elgol and Carbost are separated by the Cuillins and to travel between them, you’ll need to drive around the mountains via Broadford and Sligachan, so give yourself plenty of time to make this trip, whichever way you’re going.  

Elgol & Loch Coruisk Boat Tour

Today’s itinerary kicks off with a scenic drive to the remote village of Elgol, on the western side of the Strathaird Peninsula.

To get to Elgol, take the B8083 road from Broadford. The drive between Broadford and Elgol is renowned as one of the most beautiful on Skye, offering spectacular views of the brooding Cuillin mountains. It totally lives up to the hype.

While Google says it’s a 30 minute drive, we say give yourself at least 40 minutes or more to take in the scenery, and just in case it’s busy on the single-track road in.

We weren’t really sure what to expect when we rocked up for a boat trip to Loch Coruisk, but it turned out to be one of our favourite things to do on Skye.

There are a couple of companies running boat trips out of Elgol: Bella Jane/AquaXplore and Misty Isles. All get great reviews and tours range from 1.5 hour sightseeing trips, to 4-hour wildlife and island tours, to all-day explorer tours.

We booked a 3-hour Lock Coruisk boat tour with Bella Jane. After cruising across beautiful Loch Scavaig and past rocky islets draped in lounging grey harbour seals, we were dropped off near to where the fresh waters of Loch Coruisk plunge over smooth boulders to the sea.

We then had 90 minutes to explore around Loch Coruisk, taking in the spectacular mountain scenery at the very heart of the Cuillin range. Best of all, we had this remote and tranquil place almost entirely to ourselves.

Elgol itself can get busy during the day, but if you’re interested in seeing a corner of the island that relatively fewer visitors get to, a spot that gets our vote as one of the most beautiful places to visit in Skye (a big call given just about every place on Skye is a contender for us), then do visit Loch Coruisk; it’s a truly special experience.

Parking in Elgol: Parking is limited in tiny Elgol; another reason to get there with plenty of time. There’s a free carpark by the harbour. If this is full, there’s the donation-based village hall carpark back up the hill (where you’ll also find a small shop/café and public toilets).

Low Season Alternatives

Boat tours from Elgol typically run between April and October. If you’re visiting outside of these months, or if the weather is being particularly uncooperative (or you’re just not a boat person), you can still enjoy the beautiful B8083 drive out to Elgol and explore the village and Strathaird surrounds.

Alternatively, you could hit up Skye’s most southerly region, the Sleat Peninsula. Called the ‘Garden of Skye’, this is a landscape of rolling green hills, woodland walks, picturesque villages and castle ruins.

Highlights include the ruins of Dunscaith and Knock castles, the pretty harbour village of Isleornsay, and the remote crofting villages of Tarskavaig and Tokavaig. Armadale Castle and the Museum of the Isles are also here, and open from April to October. The village of Armadale is where the ferry from Mallaig on the mainland comes in.

Carbost & Talisker Distillery

From Elgol, make your way back to Broadford then up to Sligachan via the A87 and west to Carbost via the A863 and B8009. It’s a drive of around an hour to 90 minutes.

If you haven’t picked up something to eat in Elgol, make your first stop in Carbost one of the village cafés or eateries. Fish and chips with water views at The Oyster Bar gets our vote (it has on-site parking).

This picturesque wee settlement by Loch Harport is best known as the home of the famous Talisker Distillery, which has been around since the 1830s.

Whisky is believed to have its origins in Scotland and it goes without saying Scotch is something of a national treasure. So it’s definitely worth doing at least one distillery tour while you’re in the country; why not make it Skye’s oldest operating distillery?

We aren’t particularly fond of the firewater, but we found our tour of Talisker to be a fascinating experience in history, tradition and chemistry.

If you’d like to stay in this peaceful area tonight after visiting the Fairy Pools (which is also nearby), there are a couple of accommodations in and around Carbost.

We’ve stayed at the Old Inn, a little loch-side pub with an attached B&B and hostel. Rooms were simple, clean and comfy (though oddly, no door locks). Booking is direct. The pub is a lively spot for a beer and dinner in the evening, you may even be regaled with bagpipes or other live music.

Parking in Carbost: There’s free on-site parking at Talisker Distillery and limited street-side parking along the road through the village.

Fairy Pools

Today’s last highlight is just 10-15 minutes down the road from Carbost. Take the turn-off to Glenbrittle and make your way along the single-track road for around 7km (4.3 miles) to the Fairy Pools car park.

If you’re planning a trip to Skye, there’s a fair chance you’ve heard of the Fairy Pools. As Isle of Skye attractions go, it’s one of the most highly visited. While it is an incredibly beautiful scene and worth seeing at least once, the sheer number of visitors you may find here can take some of the gloss off the experience. In fact, we vetoed our first attempt to visit the Fairy Pools because it was just too busy (mid-morning on a sunny September day).

For this reason, we highly recommend visiting the Fairy Pools either later in the day or first thing in the morning. Time of year will have a hand in determining what that looks like for you, but if you’re visiting during the island’s busier months and you want to go in the morning, aim to be here well before 9am.

The waterholes and cascades of the Fairy Pools are the enchanting natural design of a rushing stream fed by the spectacular amphitheatre of Black Cuillin mountains here. There’s a wonderful mystical quality about the place, especially when mists swirl down from the surrounding peaks.

The trailhead to the Fairy Pools starts across the road from the carpark entryway. A gravel path travels down into the glen and alongside the stream to the pools. The further you walk, the fewer people you’ll have as company. It’s a 4.2km (2.6 mile) round trip, there are some stepping stones across the stream in places, and the path back up to the carpark is a steep and steady climb.

Ice-cold immersions also beckon…or is that the call of the mythical selkies? Visiting in the middle of winter, we passed on a dip in the pools (who are we kidding though, we’d probably pass in summer too). Aim to spend around 1.5-2 hours at the Fairy Pools.

Parking at Fairy Pools: There’s a large, dedicated parking area at Fairy Pools. It’s pay-and-display (£8 for cars and £10 for motorhomes/campers) and you can pay with card or coins. There are also decent toilet facilities (open 9am-5pm in summer and 10am-3pm in winter).

That’s a wrap on our 3-Day Isle of Skye road trip! From the Fairy Pools, it’s a drive of around an hour back to the Skye Bridge near Kyleakin and just over an hour to the ferry at Armadale (give yourself plenty of time though if you have a ferry lined up).

Tours to the Isle of Skye

Road tripping Skye independently is a wonderful way to experience this beautiful island. But if time is limited, you’re not keen on driving, or you’d just rather have someone else sort the logistics so you can sit back and take it all in, then there are plenty of options for an Isle of Skye tour. The selection of day trips we’ve outlined below get great reviews from other travellers.

Local pick-up

• Hit up the main sites of the Trotternish Peninsula on this half-day Isle of Skye Sightseeing Highlights Minibus Tour, which picks up from locations in the mainland Kyle area as well as Broadford and Portree on Skye.
• The full-day Best of Isle of Skye Full Day Tour picks up from Portree and visits the Fairy Pools, Talisker Distillery, Neist Point or Dunvegan Castle, The Quiraing and Old Man of Storr.

Full-day Inverness to Skye

• The highly-rated Isle of Skye and Eilean Donan Castle Day Trip serves up a Skye entrée with stops at Portree, Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock, Quiraing and Sligachan Old Bridge. It’s a long day and your time on Skye is relatively short, but it will give you an unforgettable taster.
• If you’d rather spend more time out of the mini-bus in Skye’s speccy landscapes, this tour out of Inverness, the Skye Explorer Full-Day Tour with 3 Hikes, gives you time to stretch your legs on trails in the Cuillin mountains, the Fairy Glen, the Quiraing and Old Man of Storr.

We’ve been lucky enough to visit Skye several times now and it takes our breath away every time, even as we’re waving away clouds of midges or being lashed by freezing rain. This rugged, ethereal landscape is entirely captivating and it’s well and truly captured our hearts.

After 3 days road tripping through one of the most beguiling islands on the planet, there’s a very good chance you’ll have left a little piece of your heart on Skye too.

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Drop us a message below if you have any questions, thoughts or feedback on our 3 Day Isle of Skye Road Trip itinerary.

If you’re looking for more great road tripping itineraries and adventures, check out our bucket list of 100 ultimate road trips around the world.