Scottish Family Adventure (Part Two) - The Isle of Skye
We headed straight to our accommodation, a cosy wooden pod on a small strip of land next to the post office in Dunvegan. Apart from a lack of storage space the pod had everything we needed and was perfect for a 3-night stay. The kids absolutely loved it. A small stream ran just outside our pod which you could follow down to one of the many sea lochs.
Now Skye isn’t renowned for its amazing weather, it’s not called The Misty Isle for nothing, so with it being the beginning of April we weren’t very optimistic. We were however willing to don our waterproofs and wellies in order to visit at the start of the season when it is quieter and the infamous midges have not yet come out to bite. Imagine our surprise when we awoke on the first morning to blue skies and sunshine. In fact, the only time it rained during the 4 days we were there was on the bridge on the way back to the mainland.
Public transport on Skye can be unreliable and some bus routes don’t run at all in the Scottish school holidays so the best way to get around is by car. Car parking on Skye can be an issue, especially during the months of July and August. To reach some of the most famous sightseeing spots you have to park at the roadside. The roads are very narrow and windy in places so you wouldn’t want to meet someone coming the other way.
On our first day on Skye we visited Dunvegan Castle, the only Highland fortress to have been continuously occupied by the same family for 800 years. The kids loved running amok in the castle gardens and from here you can catch a boat for a seal trip out into the Loch. Our next port of call was the Talisker distillery at Carbost where we were able to sample some of the local whisky. I’m not a whisky drinker (I much prefer gin) but I really liked the peaty flavour of the whisky they produce on Skye, especially with a splash of ginger. We then drove up the hill to the famous Oyster Shed which sells fresh seafood and as the name suggests specialises is locally caught oysters. It’s not a restaurant and doesn’t have any toilet facilities or alcohol licence but has an outside eating area where you can enjoy some freshly cooked seafood and the amazing views over the loch. Kevin opted for the scallops which were absolutely huge whereas I risked the oysters which were fried in garlic and served in a bun with lettuce and mayonnaise. Unfortunately, we couldn’t persuade the kids to try any of the seafood on offer but luckily they also served chips.
On day two of our trip we visited Coral Beach, a short 20-minute drive north of Dunvegan. We parked the van by the side of the road as there was no car park and embarked on a 30-minute walk to a beach that would not look out of place in the Caribbean. From there we drove to the northern peninsula of Trotternish to visit the Skye Museum of Island Life, a township of preserved thatched cottages and artefacts which show what life was like on Skye as a crofter 100 years ago. The museum was good value for money and very informative. Just a short walk up the road is the Kilmuir Cemetery where Flora MacDonald (a member of the MacDonald clan famous for helping Bonny Prince Charlie evade government troops after the Battle of Culloden) is buried. We then made our way to SkyeSkyns where we were treated to a free private tour of the tannery. We didn’t escape without spending any money however as the kids insisted on buying a sheepskin rug from their showroom. From there we drove to the ruined church of Trumpan on the Waternish peninsula, the site of a revenge attack on the MacLeods by the MacDonalds in 1578. The road to Trumpan is not good for the car suspension but the church is peaceful and there are abundant information boards explaining its troubled history.
The weather on our third day was perfect for a hike up the Quiraing, a circular walk along a massive landslip on part of the Trotternish Ridge. It has some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland. The walk took a couple of hours and involved scrambling over a bank of scree until we reached the rock structures known as the Prison and the Needle. The path is very narrow in places with shear drops - definitely not for the feint hearted. We witnessed a few people turning back and some sheep who had met their death by falling over the edge. William was apprehensive but James was like a mountain goat. Afterwards both boys admitted to the hike being their favourite part of our trip to Scotland, even beating the Cocoabean chocolate factory in Newton Stewart! Skye is also home to the Cuillen mountain range which is suitable for more experienced climbers. On the drive back to our pod we drove past the famous rock formation The Old Man of Storr and stopped at Kilt Rock, a sea cliff made of vertical basalt columns that are said to resemble the pleats of a kilt, and the nearby Mealt Falls, a 60m high waterfall.
The next day, on route back to the mainland, we visited the Fairy Pools at the foot of the Black Cuillen range. The first of the pools is 2.4km from the car park. They attract visitors from all over the world and are great for wild swimming however as it was a bit chilly to brave a dip, we just admired the view and crystal-clear pools.
One route to Oban, our final destination, we stopped for lunch at café Sia in Broadford before crossing the Skye bridge back over to the mainland. The café served amazing artisan coffee and wood fired pizzas and is highly recommended. We were sad to leave the rugged beauty of Skye behind and vowed to return one day but were looking forward to what Oban had to offer.