Creative Content Writer & former Tour Guide at HAGGiS Adventures. Scottish travel blogger and adventure lover. Kay enjoys travelling Scotland solo, and has visited 42 Scottish Islands. She loves to live up to stereotypes by dying her hair ginger, and regularly consuming haggis and whisky. A Scottish history geek and all-around chatterbox, she can literally talk for Scotland.
Skye takes its name from the Norse for ‘misty isle’, and we can confirm that this description is absolutely spot on. The island is famed for its mental microclimate, which regularly pops out double rainbows, diagonal rain, and atmospheric shrouds of mist. Safe to say the Vikings were a say-it-as-you-see-it bunch of lads!
These awesomely atmospheric conditions are what makes Skye so special. Oh, and let’s not forget the enchanting waterfalls, insane geology and crazy coastline. When you take a tour on Skye, you’ll quickly understand why tales of faeries and giants are as common as those of clans and royalty. Skye is a magical land unlike any other. Here are six enchanting sights you can expect to see along the way.
The Cuillin Mountains
Some things just get better with age and the Cuillin are a prime example. These epic mountain ranges were formed by raging volcanos and insane glaciers, over millions of years. The ancient red and black rock dominates the landscape on Skye, and will have you feeling like you’ve just ventured into Middle Earth – or onto another planet!
Kilt Rock
Kilt Rock is one of the most iconic sights on Skye’s awesome coastline. Geologists have their theories on how the crinkly cliffs were created, but everyone here at HAGGiS knows that the rock was shaped by the kilt of a famous Scottish giant – obviously! Just to add to the magic, Mealt Falls cascade from the clifftop down to the translucent water which hugs the shore below.
Portree Harbour
Portree is the capital of Skye, and the cute harbour is the most Instagrammable spot in the town. You’ll discover it’s not just rainbows which bring a splash of colour to the island. The vibrant facades on the wee waterfront buildings look bonnie and bright, even when the elusive blue sky fails to make an appearance.
The Old Man of Storr
The Old Man of Storr is a natural wonder and the picture of awesomeness! The perfect pinnacle is perched dramatically on the steep Trotternish Ridge; an ancient landslip which overlooks Skye’s otherworldly landscape. Once again, we would like to dispel the geological explanations on how this unique rock was formed. It was the faeries who did it!
Skye Bridge
We can’t give Mother Nature the credit for this one, but it’s a magical sight nonetheless. Skye Bridge stretches over Loch Alsh with Skye’s epic mountains in the background. Before its construction in 1995, the only way to the island was on a wee five-minute ferry. Nowadays the bridge is an easy access route for our bonnie buses to reach the enchanting island on our extended tours. The views from the bridge are awesome!
Sligachan River
Sligachan is only a wee settlement, but the location is truly magical. It is one of the best spots on the island to view the insane mountain ranges, with the Red Cuillin on one side and the Black Cuillin on the other. A beautiful old bridge arches over the river, which some will tell you has mystical properties. If you bump into any locals who look suspiciously youthful for their age, you’ll know where they’ve been washing their faces!
About the author
Kay Gillespie
