Visitor Attractions
Skye is at the very heart, of the very best, of Scotland's magnificent mountain and coastal scenery, and has been described as the best tourist destination in Great Britain. The landscape changes at every turn and millions of years of wind, ice and water have created a unique panorama of coast, mountain and loch. Skye is home to pristine sandy beaches, many of which are often deserted even at the busiest times of the year. A huge variety of water sports are available for visitors from a gentle kayak paddle around the coast, to the excitement onboard an ocean-going yacht in some of the finest sailing waters in Britain.
As if magnificent scenery wasn't enough Skye has a long and often turbulent history. The island is dotted with ancient ruined castles, where many a bloody battle took place, to preserved archaelogical sites, a fascinating insight into a past where people lived off the land and the sea. Visitors can explore the now deserted villages of the Clearances, where whole communities were forcibly evicted from their lands to make way for the grazing of sheep.
Visitors come from all over the world to walk and climb the mountains of Skye, with the Cuillin being deemed as the most challenging in Britain. The range divides the island in two, with the north being barren and rugged, to the south, at Sleat, where rolling hills and a gentle coast provide a stark contrast to the lands of the north.
Incredible landscapes are just a part of what Skye has to offer the visitor. We have shown below just some of the great visitor attractions, many of which are open year-round, which we hope will help you in planning your holiday at the Bungalow at Aird.
- Armadale Castle and Gardens, ancient seat of the Clan Donald and the Museum of the Isles
- The Torabhaig Distillery at Knock Bay
- Eilean Donan Castle at Dornie, ancient seat of the Clan Macrae
- Dunvegan Castle, in north Skye, seat of the Clan Macleod
- The Talisker Whisky Distillery at Carbost and the new Raasa Distillery just 25 mins from Sconser by ferry
- the village of Elgol, on the Strath peninsular, starting point of boat trips to the Cuillins and Small Isles
- The Trotternish Peninsular, with its maginificent rock formations at the Old Man of Storr and the Quirang
- Neist Point Lighthouse, on the west coast, and a great place to watch wild-life during the summer months
- Portree, the islands 'capital' with its harbour, gift shops and many hotels, restaurants and pubs
- Plockton, on the mainland, 'jewel of the Highlands', where the cult TV series Hamish Macbeth was filmed, with its galleries, restaurants, palm trees and Calum's famous seal trips, and a unique guarantee: 'free if you don't see seals'
- Eilean Ban, the White Island, on which the Skye Bridge stands, and home of the Gavin Maxwell Museum, the Stevenson Lighthouse, and walking tours of the island
- Across the ferry just south of Mallaig are the Silver Sands of Morar, with the pristine beaches of Camusdarach and Traigh, some of the finest beaches in Britain
This is just a small taste of the countless things to see and do in Skye and Lochalsh. A week will never be long enough to enjoy the wonderful attractions on offer, so why not stay a little longer!
All of these, and many more are shown in the Visitor Magazine, the west coast's best holiday guide, which is distributed free everywhere. The electronic copy to help you plan is shown below:
Enjoy!