Where We Be
Eilean Donan Castle is the #1 attraction in the
Scottish Highlands. For Robin it was a must-see
since it was the stronghold of her ancestors,
Clan McKenzie, from 1263 to 1719. Situated just
before Skye Bridge, it's incredibly picturesque.
We crossed Skye Bridge and visited Fairy Pools
on the way to Minnie's Rooms in Dunvegan. We
instantly liked the feel of Minnie's Rooms with
its delightful loch views. Dunvegan is on the
quiet side of the Isle of Skye, which we liked.
Next morning we drove to Neist Point. This spot
is breathtaking -- the peninsula juts out into the
Atlantic like the snout of a hammerhead shark.
Far below, the ocean rolled in against the cliff
face and seagulls wheeled. We hiked steeply
down to the lighthouse and back up again.
The Old Man of Storr was the highlight of the
next day. It's the most famous and iconic hike
on the Isle of Skye. This is a steep hike, no two
ways about it. You climb and then climb some
more, but the reward is spectacular views.
We also made time for the Skye Museum of
Island Life, as well as Portree, the main town on
the island. All in all, a wonderful three-day visit.
The views of Elian Donan Castle from the
parking lot are nothing short of spectacular
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On the single-track drive in and out, we saw so many
little lambs right by the road, or sometimes in the road!
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Neist Point is as far west as you can go on the Isle of Skye
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The lighthouse was built in 1909 by David Stevenson, a cousin of author Robert Louis Stevenson
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Neist Point Lighthouse feels oh-so-remote. It is now
completely automated and operated remotely from Edinburgh.
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Far below, the ocean rolled in against the cliff face,
and seagulls wheeled effortlessly on the updrafts
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This spot is breathtaking, with a “headland” that juts out
into the Atlantic like the hammer of a hammerhead shark
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Most folks stay in Portree when visiting the Isle of Skye, but we
think Minnie's Rooms in Dunvegan offers an attractive alternative
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The views at sunset were gorgeous
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Scrumptious croissants, fresh fruit, OJ and coffee -- all wheeled to our room each morning
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Dunvegan Castle -- the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland
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We detoured some 5 miles on a single-track road
to reach Fairy Pools and were frankly underwhelmed
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The setting is dramatic, but water levels were low when we visited
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The ruins of Castle Moil overlook the town of Kyleakin near Skye Bridge.
This was once the home of Clan McKinnon, another of Robin’s Scottish ancestors.
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Skye Bridge connects the mainland to the Isle of Skye
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The formidable main gate to Eilean Donan
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The castle was blown up in 1719 during the Jacobite
uprising and lovingly rebuilt in the early 20th century
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Here you can see the bridge leading to the castle
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Robin was especially excited to see the stronghold of her Clan McKenzie ancestors
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The castle sits at the confluence of three different sea lochs,
so it's strategic as well as picturesque (even at low tide)
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Skye Bridge & Castle Moil
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Dunvegan (and Minnie's Rooms)
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Our slightly more humble abode at Minnie's Rooms
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Isle of Spice Indian restaurant was right next door
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Portree is downright bustling compared to the quiet escape of Dunvegan
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Our last stop was most people's first -- the town of Portree. The
waterfront features a row of brightly colored houses along the harbor.
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At Skye Museum of Island Life, you can visit 7 or 8 thatched huts filled with informative poster boards
and relics of a different age. You'll learn a lot about how crofters lived back in the day. So much hard
work -- cutting and drying peat, shearing sheep, working wool. Just reading about it made us tired!
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Our next stop was Kilt Rock -- a dramatic overlook with
sheer cliffs, a slender waterfall, and basalt rocks at the base
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In this image you can see the Old Man of Storr,
the Needle, and the towering cliff faces to the right
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From this viewpoint you get the "classic view" of the rock
formations against the backdrop of Loch Leathan and the sea
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This is the high point of the hike
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The Old Man of Storr -- an impressive
160-foot basalt rock pinnacle
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The whole hike is only about 1.25 miles one-way,
but you'll gain nearly 1,000 feet in that short distance
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The beginning of the hike isn't too steep, but it gets steeper as it goes
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After a short climb you can see two lovely lochs below, Loch Fada and Loch Leathen
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That afternoon we did a local hike near Dunvegan called
McLeod’s Maidens -- but only the first easy part to the beach
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Skye Museum of Island Life
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Donan was a bishop martyred by a Pictish queen
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To see the lighthouse itself, you have to hike steeply downhill --
then do the whole thing in reverse on the way back up
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Needle Rock (or The Cathedral)
is a dramatic sight on the hike
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The hike continues to climb beyond the Old Man of Storr. Looking
back, you'll see the Old Man and the Needle from different angles.
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This is a super-popular hike, so you'll be sharing the summit with plenty of others!
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From Eilean Donan we crossed Skye Bridge and saw Fairy Pools and Neist Point to the west (the "quiet side" of the Isle of Skye).
On our last day we did the "loop trip" shown above -- the Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock, Skye Museum of Island Life, and Portree.
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