The Isle of Skye is the second largest of the Hebridean
islands lying of the north west coast of Scotland. Skye is famous for the
wide variety of geology that can be found so small an area. That same geology
has given us magnificent mountain ranges, sparkling lochs and of course outstanding
views. In the early morning these are draped with mist. It will therefore
come as little surprise that the island is commonly known as the misty isle.
Skye is an island of kings, legends and romance. Famed for modern day hospitality
from the 14,000 occupants it is little wonder that it so popular with tourists
today.
Visible spectrum image of the Isle of Skye captured by the US
Landsat 7 remote sensing satellite from a height of 705km (440 miles)
The island is approximately 80km (50 miles) long and varies between 12km
(7 miles) to 40km (25 miles) wide with an area of approximately 1,812sq
km (700 square miles).
The coastline is so indented that Skye could be described as five peninsulas
radiating from a central point. Indeed no point on Skye is more than 8km
(5 miles) from the sea. Each of the five areas has a unique character which
is further enhanced by the contrasting adjacent areas. This all contributes
to the magic of Skye. Four of the five peninsulas Duirinish, Minginish,
Trotternish and Waternish have Norse names. The fifth, Strath, is parish
name and is centred on Broadford but including the islands of Scalpay and
Pabay. It is in Strath that Blaven lies.
There are many wildly differing opinions on the derivation of the name of
the island. The oldest form of the name is Scetis or Scitis,
as mentioned by Ravenna. In Adamnan’s ”Life of St Columba“ it is referred
to as Scia. In the Dean of Lismore’s book it appears as Clah Sgith - the plain of the Scots. The Norse wrote variously about Skyd, Skyda and Scaia. The Rev Dr John MacPherson of Sleat believed
that the name comes from the Norse words sky and ey meaning cloud island but others think that it comes from another Norse word
meaning shield. Pennnt and Jameson both thought it came from the
Norwegian Ski, a mist. James Buchanan in his ”Defence of the Scots
Highlanders“ claims that the origin is Celtic, from Skia - a shield,
skian, dirk or a sword, and neach, a people. Pinkerton however agues
that Skia, corruptly called Skye, is named after Skua, one
of The Faroes.
This map of the Isle of Skye is reproduced from Atlas Novus,
the first complete atlas of Scotland. Published in 1654 by famous
Dutch mapmaker Joan Blaeu (1596-1673) with the help of Robert Gordon
(1580-1661). The atlas is based on an 18-year survey of Scotland and
the islands made in the 1580s and 1590s by Scottish minister and
cartographer Timothy Pont (1565-c1614). Compare the shape of the
island with modern day maps and the satellite image above
There is a further theory that the name is derived from the Celtic work Skeitos or the Gaelic word sgiath meaning wing. This view
may be supported by looking at the amoeba-like shape of the island on a
map. Dean Monro writing in 1549 first advanced this theory though quite
how the early inhabitants knew this before the days of accurate mapping
is unclear. Other derivations include the Celtic word sci meaning
cut and indented, a perfect description of Skye’s coastline, the Gaelic
work sgith meaning Scots, Celtic skia and neach meaning
sword people or the Norse skit, a tablet or log used during their
occupation. Others reckon that the winged temple of Apollo had among the
Hyperboreans lain in Skye - hence winged isle. Ossian always referred to
Skye as Eilean a’ Cheo - the Isle of Mist.
Archaeological evidence suggests that Skye was first populated around 4,000
BC by Neolithic farmers from Europe though there are suggestions that Mesolithic
nomads reached the Western Isles 2,000 years earlier. The early Celtic occupants
have left behind many castles and brochs (a type of Scottish fort).
The rocky knoll of the ancient broch at Dun Diarmaid nestling on
the shores of Loch Beag by Struan. It is one of the best preserved
Iron Age sites on Skye and survives to a height of 3.5m (12 feet).
The broch features the remains of an intramural staircase and the
small cell believed to have housed a guard dog
The Vikings were early tourists to the island in 794 AD though they did
overstay their welcome by several hundred years! In 875 Norwegian settlers
fled from the revolution in their native land to the islands of north and
west Scotland. Over the next 30 years Norway and the settlers frequently
clashed before something resembling peace was achieved.
In 1098 King ”Magnus Barelegs“ of Norway, attacked and took control of
the islands quelling an uprising in which the Norse viceroy had been killed.
Olave the Red was appointed viceroy and named ”King of Man“.
In 1263 Olave the Black appealed to King Haco of Norway for help in repelling
the attacks from the Scottish mainland. The King sent a fleet of 120 ships
from Bergen mooring at Kyleakin (Kyle of Haco). The fleet, joined by the
barons and princes of the isles, set sail intent of invading Scotland. The
fleet was defeated in August at the Battle of Largs.
Skye remained independent of the Scottish Parliament until the signing
of the treaty of Perth in 1266.
It was following the Battle of Culloden in 1746 that the most famous
visitor to the isle arrived - in disguise. Following the battle, Prince
Charlie Stuart was in hiding and dressed as a maid was smuggled in to the
island by Flora MacDonald. You can still toast ”Bonnie Prince Charlie“ with
a glass of his Drambuie liqueur. He gifted the recipe to the then owner of the Broadford Hotel -
at the junction of the road to Blaven. Sadly Drambuie is now made just outside
Edinburgh.
The capital of Skye is Portree which literally means Kings Port following a visit by King James V. Broadford is the second largest community
on the island.
Skye suffers from the stigma Scotland and particularly the
Highlands carries for continuous rainfall and mist punctuated only by
gale force winds and heavy snow falls. Cynics will point out that the Skye is not known as the misty isle for
purely romantic reasons.
Broadford Bay on a typical summer day. Note that this
photographic montage has been digitally enhanced to remove the
horizontal rain, flocks of sabre-tooth midges, thick winter clothing
and the winkle collectors. The beach, sea and sky have also been
replaced. Dolphins, submarines, whales and seals are not however
uncommon occurrences in Broadford Bay
Much of Skye’s weather is moulded by the North Atlantic depressions
that pass near or over the island. Inland temperatures are influenced by the
sea temperatures and the strength and direction of the wind. With a heavily indented coastline and changing
terrain it is not surprising to find that at any given point in time the weather can vary
significantly across the island.
Metrological records indicate that Skye averages 1,200 hours of
sunshine per annum, more than many areas of the Scottish mainland. Average
rainfall is around 120cm (47 inches) per annum whilst on the mountains
it is a significantly higher 300cm (118 inches) per annum. The latter
emphasises the importance of checking the local weather forecast before
heading for the hills.
The climate is cool rather than cold. The north the island is drier than south whilst the east is warmer than
west. The driest weather occurs
during the spring with summer being slightly wetter, but not always.
Average summer temperatures of 16°C (59°F) whilst the winters are
mild and wet, again not always!
One of the best ways to travel to the misty Isle of Skye is by train. Although
Skye itself does not have any railway lines (it once had three freight-only narrow-gauge lines) ScotRail operate
regular rail services to two mainland stations which are only a short hop
from the island itself.
During the summer months the ”The Jacobite“ steam hauled
train service runs between Fort
William and the ferry terminal at Mallaig. The train hauled by a
LNER Class B1 is photographed crossing the curved 21-arch Glenfinnan
viaduct, the first viaduct in the world to be built from concrete. Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry
is nearby (if the Harry Potter movies are to be believed!)
From Glasgow you can travel the West Highland Line to Mallaig.
In summer you can travel in nostalgic style on The Jacobite, a
steam hauled train service running between Fort William and Mallaig. From Mallaig make the one hour ferry crossing ”over the
sea to Skye“ by Caledonian
MacBrayne (affectionately known as CalMac) ferry to Armadale.
A longer but worthwhile alternative route is to travel from Glasgow to
the capital of the Highlands, Inverness. From Inverness take the train along
the Kyle Line to Kyle of Lochalsh. The views from the train on the
last section of the line are stunning. If you are interested in knowing
more about the history of the Skye railway visit Ewan Crawford’s excellent
site on the Dingwall and Skye Railway.
If traveling by road from Central Scotland you have two popular routes to choose from; the scenic route via the A82 road through Crianlarich and the slightly less interesting A9 road from Perth.
The route via Crianlarich slightly shorter at 296km (184 miles) from Glasgow to the Skye side of the Skye Bridge. Highlights are undoubtedly Loch Lomond and the domminace and proximity of the mountains through Glencoe. The Perth route feels faster because there is less to look at on the A9. This is a good thing because you will need at least two eyes to avoid the drivers beaking the legal speed limit and indulging in reckless overtaking manoeuvres. The drive from the distillery town of Dalwhinnie towards Fort William is more sedate, skirting Loch Laggan with its views across to Ardverikie House, better known as Glenboggle House in the long-running BBC TV drama series ”Monarch of the Glen“. Both routes meet around Fort William where you face a difficult choice.
Follow ”The Road to the Isles“ from Fort William to Mallaig and you will pass through Glenfinnan with its famous, curving railway viaduct (pictured above), the monument to the 1745-46 Jacobite rebellion, the white sands of Morar (whistling the theme from the film ”Local Hero“ is mandatory at this point) before arriving at Mallaig to catch the ferry over the sea to Skye.
Alternatively enjoy the A82 as it climbs away from Thomas Telford's Spean Bridge, past the bronze Commando Memorial before dropping back down to hug the shore of Loch Lochy. At Invergarry you turn left on to the A87, regarded as one of the best "drivers roads" in the United Kingdom. The road climbs up to 360m (1,200 feet) rewarding the driver with spectacular views of the lochs of Glen Garry. Passing the artificially enlarged Loch Clunnie, the five sisters of Kintail, Loch Duich and the elegant Eilean Donan Castle (have you ever seen a tin of shortbread that does not have a picture of this castle on the front?) you arrive at Kyle of Lochalsh and the Skye Bridge.
The modern way of arriving on to the island is by shuttle bus
over the Skye Bridge which bridges the narrows between Kyle of Lochalsh and the island . Before
1995 it was different and Skye truly was an island.
As an island the only way of making the crossing from the mainland of
Scotland to Skye was by boat. In the early 17th century Lauchlan
MacKinnon was granted charters in 1616 and 1627 to place a ferry in the
water.
The controversial Skye Bridge opened in October 1995 connecting
the Isle of Skye to the mainland of Scotland for the first time
since the ice age
From 1841 until October 1995 you could hop on a ferry and enjoy the short
crossing to Kyleakin on the Isle of Skye. Sadly this is now a distant memory.
In 1968 a study proposed bringing the narrows by suspension bridge. With
a central span of 1,200 feet and costing £2.9m (US $4.8m), it was estimated
that the bridge would take only three years to build and be operation by
1974. It was October 1995 before a swept arch concrete bridge was finally
built, not with public money but with private money from Britain, Germany
and America. Kyleakin is now completely bypassed.
The small island of Eilean Bàn acts as a stepping stone for the Skye
bridge. The six-acre island was bought in 1963 by Gavin Maxwell
(1914-1969), author
of Ring of Bright Water. He planned to turn the island into a zoo
for indigenous west highland wildlife. He lived there for a short time in
1968 after his house at Sandaig was destroyed by fire, but ill health prevent
him realising his dream and he died at Broadford hospital in September 1969.
Maxwell’s otter Teko is buried on the island which since 1998 has been managed
by the Eilean Bàn Trust.
The trust comprising of the local communities of Kyle and Kyleakin plus
the Born Free Foundation,
have turned the island in to an otter and wildlife sanctuary. Leaving the
island to the right is a lighthouse built in 1857, now fully automatic.
Castle Moil from Kyleakin harbour. Legend has it that it was
built by a Norwegian Princess who came to be known as ”Saucy Mary“
Next off to your left you’ll spot the ruins of Castle Moil behind Kyleakin.
At night the ruins are easy to spot thanks to the floodlighting installed
a couple of years ago. It is reckoned that the castle was built some time
in the 15th or 16th century though legend has it that
it was built by a Norwegian Princess who became known as ”Saucy Mary“. She
strung a large chain across the straits and demanded a toll from passing
ships - except Norwegian vessels which passed free of charge. How she overcame
the engineering difficulties of moving such a large chain, and keeping it
taught is lost in the mists of time and legend.
The castle, abandoned in the early 1600s fell in to a state of disrepair
and was badly damaged by a storms in 1949 and 1989. Recent work has ensured
that the remains of the castle have been stabilised.
Despite the economic importance of the bridge to the area it has been
surrounded in controversy with the highest toll charges in the United Kingdom.
You can read about the Skye and Lochalsh Against Tolls (SKAT) campaign on the web site
maintained by Kyleakin resident Ray Shields. Ray also maintains the Kyleakin website.
In June 2004 it was announced in the Scottish Parliament that tolls
would be abolished by the end of the year and, to the surprise of many,
they were finally abolished on 21st December 2004.
There are still three ferry alternatives to the bridge over the sea to Skye
though with the abolition of the bridge tolls the viability of these
services is now in doubt so use them while you can!
The Glenelg ferry still goes over the sea to Skye. ”Glenachulish“
arrives at Kylerhea on the Isle of Skye after making the five minute
crossing from Glenelg on the Scottish mainland
Heading south there is the vehicle and passenger carrying Glenelg Ferry. The ”Glenachulish“
used to operate on Loch Leven south of Fort William until displaced by
the opening of the Ballahullish bridge in 1975. It is capable of
carrying up to six cars and swinging them through 180 degrees on a
manually operated swing deck, believed to be the only ferry of its type
left in the world. The ferry makes the five minute crossing between the
palindrome village of Glenelg and Kylerhea during the summer months only. This stretch
of water is the narrowest point between Skye and the mainland creating a
vicious tidal race like a river in spate. Despite this hazard it was
traditionally the main crossing point to Skye and was used for hundreds
of years for cattle drives to the mainland. This was the route that Dr
Samuel Johnson and James Boswell took in 1773. From Kylerhea a hilly and
winding single-track road takes you on to the island and is an interesting challenge for car drivers used to city and motorway driving. Not recommended for caravans!
Handbill for the 1951 summer sailings between Mallaig and Armadale by the ”twin-screw MV Blaven“
Further south is the popular Caledonian MacBrayne Mallaig to Armadale
ferry. This service carries vehicles and passengers throughout the year, taking around 25 minutes to make the crossing.
If you have time available, it is well worth spending a day experiencing a small
isle cruise from Mallaig to the islands of Canna, Eigg, Rum and Muck. Timetables and fares can be found on the CalMac website.
A new seasonal Skye passenger ferry service started on 1st June 2004, taking 1½ hours to travel the 50km (31 miles) from Gairloch to Portree. Unfortunately the Skye built ”MV Spirit of Skye“ operated by 6° West -
named after the line of longitude crossed by the ferry - proved unsuitable for the sea conditions and the service was suspended after three months. The vessel now operates the Loch Ness Express but 6° West hope to re-introduce the Gairloch to Portree service with a new vessel in the spring to 2007. The latest news on this service can be found on the OverTheSeaToSkye website.
Special care should be taken when driving around the island. Some visitors
(and locals) are apt to treat the twisting and narrow roads as a northern
extension of an urban motorway and drive in an inappropriate manner. At
the other end of the spectrum, Skye attracts tourists who drive at excruciating
low speeds whilst watching the passing scenery, stopping unexpectedly
in the middle of the road. While the main routes on Skye are double carriageway,
large areas of the island are still single-track road. Using passing places
for parking and not allowing faster vehicles to overtake on single track
roads is guaranteed to get you removed from Christmas card lists.
Driving hazards are further compounded by the weather. It can rain in
Skye. Really rain. Heavy rain and low cloud. Heavy rain, low cloud,
wind, snow and sleat. All can combine to make driving conditions treacherous.
Drive appropriately for the conditions.
Although based on the mainland at Kyle of Lochalsh, the fascinating collection
of photographs of wayward vehicles, large and small on the Central Garage website graphically demonstrate what can happen when
things go wrong.
The other major road hazard is sheep, all 100,000 of them. That is 55 of the woolly brained creatures per square kilometre (140 per square mile).
Sheep are inordinately stupid and apt to amble, sheepishly, on to fenced
and unfenced roads with little or no warning. The most common breed of sheep
on Skye is the blackface, originally from Central Asia and introduced to
Scotland in the 16th Century. There are over 100,000 sheep on
Skye with other breeds such as the Cheviot and Border-Leicester being
found on the island.
Sheep are a constant road hazard. Woolly chicanes lurk around
every corner waiting to catch out unsuspecting motorists
Skye has a special breed of sabre-toothed midges than seemingly overrun
the island during the summer months. Despite the variety of ointments
and potions that visitors cover themselves in, the only way to avoid the
Skye midge is to leave Skye!
Back in 1824 geologist John MacCulloch (1773-1835) anchored in the
Sound of Soay wrote:
”It is the toss up of a die whether the world shall be possessed
by midges and gnats, or by man. That their teeth are sharp, is too well
known, and I can answer for the goodness of their noses. We had anchored
about a mile and a half from the shore; yet they scented us; and in about
quarter of an hour, the vessel was covered with this ’light militia‘ of
the lower sky. There are not many things more ingenious than the snout
of a midge“.
Compared to the major towns and cities found on the mainland,
Skye is peaceful and relaxing with a civilised pace of life.
During June and July there is over 17 hours of daylight to enjoy
between sunrise and sunset. This reduces to a depressing short seven
hours of daylight in December.
At the height of summer there is plenty to do in the evenings however
you should bear in mind that as far as nightlight is concerned, Skye and
Ibiza are at opposite ends of the cultural and evolutionary scale.
When it comes to top quality restaurants Skye is spoilt for choice. The best restaurant
island, and indeed one of the best in
the United Kingdom, is undoubtedly the prestigious and multi
award-winning Three Chimneys. They also offer 5-star accommodation at ”The
House Over-By“.
Hotels and pubs across the island lay on live entertainment in the evenings with an eclectic range of English
and Gaelic music. Audience participation does not get much better than a
cèilidh (pronounced kay-lee). This is traditional Scottish
dancing at its best, occasionally performed solo, frequently in pairs or
entertainingly in sets of eight people. Exhilarating and exhausting in
equal measure it is a socially acceptable way to discuss the The Gay Gordons and to swap partners all night long.
Stationary stars and a rotating planet Earth have painted
the circular paths on this 30 minute exposure of Blaven
The Aros Centre on the outskirts of Portree has a compact and cosy auditorium that regularly hosts live evening events
from light entertainment to light opera. The auditorium doubles as the
islands only cinema where the latest blockbuster film can be seen within
a couple of weeks of national launch. The centre is worth a visit at any
time of day or night to sample their super soup and tasty toasties.
Do not forget to experience the sense Skye’ air of nothingness. Wait
until darkness falls, go outside, find a place to lie down (safety tip:
avoid doing this on roads no mater how quiet they might be) and look up.
On a clear night with a sky free of clouds and man-made pollution, and a
Skye free of light pollution, you will see hundreds and then thousands
of twinkling stars. The longer you look the more you will see. Remember
when you see a shooting star to wish for either; (a) less midges*,
(b) less rain* or (c) another couple of weeks holiday in this
place*.
* Delete as applicable
Retire back indoors, pour yourself another glass of Talisker, Skye’ finest peat flavoured water, collapse in front of
the peat fire and exercise
your mind by trying to come up with a place where you would rather be.
It will not be easy.
Apart from the official Isle of Skye website,
information on events, accommodation and travel can be found on The
Highlands of Scotland Tourist Board’ Visit
Highlands web site. Undiscovered Scotland covers the whole country with excellent information and photography.
Whilst on Skye pick up a copy of the West Highland Free Press newspaper. This is published every Friday and covers all the news from Skye,
the Highlands and Islands.
Additional pages list a variety
of useful web site links categorised in to the following
groups:
