NorahThe Isle of Skye is easily one of the most photogenic places I have ever visited. This area is truly stunning, with majestic mountain views, quaint villages, and a rumbling ocean that simply takes your breath away. I recently returned from three days on the Isle of Skye, and it was one of the most incredible places I have ever seen. However, there were definitely some things I did not prepare for, and things I would have liked to know before visiting. In this post, I will be going over all sorts of things I wish I knew before beginning my trip to Skye.
To be clear, I did a LOT of research before my trip, but it was clearly not enough! These are all things that did not drastically affect my trip, but are definitely things I wish I had known before embarking on hikes and adventures.
Note: If you are interested in exploring more islands, I have a whole guide to exploring the Greek islands as well!
There are very few facilities on Isle of Skye.
Isle of Skye is not a national park-it is a populated town. Because of this, there were very few facilities available for public use on the island. There was not a visitors center on the island, and there were very few public restrooms. We found one at the Old Man of Storr hike, and there were really no other public restrooms on the typical tourist route.
While there were no restrooms, there were many different restaurants and food options. I would recommend Bog Myrtle or Gasta Pizzeria.
There are parking fees.
Most of the popular hikes in Isle of Skye have parking fees. The fee price can vary depending on the hike. Our cheapest parking cost as three euros, and the most expensive was about eight euros. There are card machines available at the parking lot.
Single track roads are gnarly.
This is perhaps the single most important thing I wish I had known before traveling to Isle of Skye, because it definitely added some additional stress to the trip.
Basically, many of the roads on Isle of Skye are single track, which means that only one car can be on the road at a time. There are plenty of passing spaces, but sometimes a driver will have to reverse to make room for passing cars.
Not all, but several of the roads in Isle of Skye are beside cliff edges, which can add some interesting elements to the road trip. Add in the fact that everyone is in rental cars, and it is sometimes a real mess!
We especially had trouble traveling to the Quiraing, which is a busier road that also traverses an edge.
Please don’t let the single track roads deter you from you your amazing road trip, but make sure you are prepared for them.
Crowds were manageable early in the day.
Isle of Skye is definitely a popular spot, but we found the crowds to be way more manageable earlier in the day. I would recommend thinking about what your top priority hikes are the day before, and going to do those hikes as early in the day as you can to ensure quiet trails and a parking spot!
Sheep are everywhere-watch out for them.
The sheep are given free reign on Isle of Skye, which made it so fun to run into them throughout the trip. They are very friendly, but make sure to watch out for them on roads. They will walk in the roads, they will sit in the middle of the parking lots, and they will not be too concerned with your cars. Please be careful when seeing them in the roads.
There are no coos.
Coos are Scottish Highland cows. They are absolutely adorable, but we saw exactly 0 of them on Isle of Skye. If you really want to see them, I would recommend looking up some coo farms to visit before or after going to Isle of Skye.
There is camping everywhere.
This was one of my biggest surprises when visiting Isle of Skye, especially coming from the rule ridden United States. There is plenty of wild camping on the island, and there will be plenty of camping on your hikes. If you want epic adventure, claiming a campsite at an epic location would be a very fun way to have a unique experience.
There is a complete community on Isle of Skye-respect it.
Despite the caravan of RVs, buses, hikers, vans, and bikers, there is a whole community on Isle of Skye. If you visit this amazing place, please be careful to respect private property and the people that call Isle of Skye home. This can look like staying on designated trails, supporting local businesses, and not littering on the trails!
The weather can change very quickly.
We were very blessed during our three days in Isle of Skye, but the weather can change quite frequently. Because of this, I would recommend packing multiple layers when you head out for the day. I would also recommend having a flexible schedule. This will ensure that you do not miss out on anything due to weather.
Don’t forget about the water activities!
Isle of Skye has some amazing hikes, but I would also recommend getting out on the water! There are a variety of different ways to experience the water while on the island. There are several wonderful beaches where you can hunt for dinosaur footprints, and there are also boat tours that leave from various ports each day. We did a puffin tour, as this is one of the only guaranteed ways to see them. I highly recommend a boat tour; you will be able to see so much from the boat and will gain a different perspective of Isle of Skye.
If you visit Isle of Skye, please remember to leave no trace and be super respectful of the native land. We did not see too much trash around the island, and we need to keep it that way!
I hope you enjoy this beautiful place as much as I do. This island is truly special and I highly recommend visiting and experiencing this amazing natural beauty. Happy adventures!
