- Isle of Skye is in Inner Hebrides, Scotland.
- Inner Hebrides
- Check access, weather and local guidance before travelling.
About Isle of Skye
The largest of the Inner Hebrides, Skye is a brooding island of jagged black basalt peaks, sea cliffs and quiet sea lochs. The Trotternish Ridge and the Cuillin range draw walkers and climbers from around the world, while coastal villages such as Portree and Dunvegan retain a strong Gaelic identity.
The story of Isle of Skye
Skye was a stronghold of Clan MacLeod and Clan MacDonald, with Dunvegan Castle serving as the MacLeod seat since the 13th century and never having fallen to an enemy. After the Jacobite defeat at Culloden in 1746, Bonnie Prince Charlie was famously smuggled off Skye to France disguised as a maid, aided by Flora MacDonald. The Highland Clearances of the 18th and 19th centuries emptied large parts of the island's interior, and Skye was connected to the mainland by road only in 1995, when the Skye Bridge opened at Kyle of Lochalsh.
Visiting with care
Bring a car or use the Citylink bus over the Skye Bridge, or take the Mallaig–Armadale ferry for a scenic southern approach. Allow several days to do the Trotternish Ridge, the Cuillin and the Talisker distillery justice, and never assume a sunny morning will stay that way.
Interesting facts
- The Cuillin range includes all 12 of Scotland's mountains over 3,000 feet that require scrambling to reach the summit.
- The Old Man of Storr is a 50-metre rock pinnacle left standing after the surrounding landslips eroded away.
- Talisker distillery at Carbost has produced single malt whisky since 1830 and draws its water from Hawk Hill.
- Skye's population of around 10,000 is the largest of any Scottish island after Lewis and Harris.
Getting there
Parking and access details — check locally for the latest information.