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Extra time on Skye - what to do?

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We'll be in Skye in late June (staying in Portree) for 3 nights.

The day of arrival we'll have come from Glencoe with a stop in the morning to see the Jacobite cross the Glenfinnan viaduct.

We've calculated we'll now arrive in Skye around 1/2pm (we'd initially planned to get there around 6/7pm) so will have a few hours spare up our sleeves and would like to use it to explore more of the Isle. Our other plans for Skye include a day on the Trotternish Peninsula loop, and separately some time along the North West of Skye near Dunvegan and Neist Point.

With the extra time on our hands, any suggestions what else we should see?

The things that immediately came to mind were either a boat trip from Elgol (albeit we'll have already done 2 boat trips in the few days prior and a wildlife tour by foot) or some free time around Carbost including a tour of Talisker distillery.

Would appreciate any recommendations anyone has to share.

Posted by
14 posts

Our family loved Fairy Glen and Fairy Pools. We loved everything at Gasta Port Righ restaurant -pizza, soup, salad, coffee! Enjoy!

Posted by
8684 posts

What you could do at Mallaig is to take the afternoon wildlife cruise- https://westernislescruises.co.uk/cruises/one-hour-wildlife-cruise/

Note you will be arriving at Armadale on Skye in early afternoon (depending on which ferry you book). You then have a one hour drive to Portree, Elgol or Carbost from Armadale.

By the time you have seen the train, got to Mallaig, waited in line for the ferry and done the crossing then the drive I can't see you being at the Distillery before 3 pm. With the last tour being at 3.30pm that feels excessively tight for me.

EDIT- Another possibility is to visit the gardens and the Museum of the Isles at Armadale Castle (close to where you come off the ferry).

Posted by
840 posts

In 2022, after spending the night in Fort William, we inspected the Jacobite in the station (they let anyone on the platform), then drove to Glenfinnan, just barely hiked up to the viewpoint before the train swept past, then continued on to Mallaig, ate lunch, got on the 2pm ferry, then drove to Fairy Pools, then on to Portree, arriving about 6pm. It was absolutely pouring at Fairy Pools, so we didn't lounge anywhere. We spent both of the next two days on the Trotternish, one day for the east (hiking to Storr and the Quiraing, Lealt Falls, Kilt Rock), and one for the west side (Fairy Glen, Rha Falls, Museum). We didn't have time in three nights to see the Dunvegan side. If you just "look" at the Old Man and the Quiraing, you could do the entire loop in one day (we did that in 1997).

Posted by
1888 posts

Another option for your arrival day would be to take a short detour to Plockton before heading to your Skye accommodations. Plockton is a really pretty village and when you drive there you will also head through Duirinish, a tiny village where highland cows wander freely - at least they were the last few times we were there, most recently 2022. Another option would be a short detour to see Eilean Donan Castle - a great exterior photo op but no compelling reason to tour the inside.

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