Isle of Skye

The Fairy Flag at Dunvegan Castle Arrived on Skye by Unknown Means and Is Made of Eastern Mediterranean Silk

The MacLeod clan’s seat at Dunvegan has been occupied continuously since the 13th century, making it the oldest inhabited castle in Scotland. Inside, on display, is a piece of silk of eastern Mediterranean origin – the Fairy Flag – whose presence on a Hebridean island has never been satisfactorily explained. The mythology that accumulated around it (clan victory if waved in battle, three times, after which it will disappear) is precisely the kind of thing that makes Dunvegan worth the GBP 15 entry rather than just looking at the castle from outside.

Skye is a large island – 50 miles long – connected to the Scottish mainland by bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh. Three days is a reasonable minimum. A week is not excessive.

The Trotternish Ridge

The northeastern peninsula contains Skye’s most distinctive geology: a long escarpment of landslip terrain where basalt has collapsed over older sedimentary rock into formations that don’t look entirely geological. The Old Man of Storr, 8km north of Portree, is a 50-metre basalt pinnacle at the escarpment’s southern end. The walk from the car park takes 45 to 60 minutes; the view on the descent is better than the approach.

The Quiraing at the northern end of the ridge is a longer and more complex version: collapsed columns, grassy terraces, and rock pinnacles over a 2 to 3km circuit. The single-track road to the car park from Staffin involves passing places; go early to avoid meeting tour buses.

The Cuillin

The Black Cuillin is the main mountain range – 12km horseshoe of gabbro ridges with 11 Munros. The full ridge traverse is considered the hardest mountaineering challenge in Britain and requires roped climbing. Most visitors do individual peaks or lower corrie walks.

The Fairy Pools on the western side of the Cuillin are linked pools and waterfalls at the mountain base, 3.5km return from the car park. The site is heavily visited – the car park fills by 10am on clear days. See the separate Fairy Pools post for timing advice.

Eating

The Three Chimneys at Colbost (Michelin-starred, set menus approximately GBP 90 to 130 for dinner) requires booking months ahead. The Stein Inn at Waternish (the oldest inn on Skye, 1790s) serves local seafood with tables overlooking the loch. The Isle of Skye Distillery in Portree opened in 2017; Talisker at Carbost is the established Skye single malt (distillery tours approximately GBP 15 including a dram).

Practical Notes

Rain is frequent year-round; waterproofs are not optional. Midges are severe from May through September in still, humid conditions at dawn and dusk in sheltered areas. Midge repellent with DEET is effective; midges cannot fly in wind above about 7mph. The ferry from Mallaig to Armadale is an alternative approach and more scenic than the bridge crossing.