First time in Scotland in Jan 2025. Should I go to Isle of Skye in winter or save it for future?

I like option # 1 so you can see Edinburgh, York, and London. Option # 2, is pretty much just Skye and London. And that’s a lot of time on the bus getting to and from Skye.

I was in Edinburgh and York last year and really had a great trip. You might find my trip report helpful.

https://community.ricksteves.com/travel-forum/trip-reports/solo-in-the-uk-my-york-and-edinburgh-trip-report

Either way though sounds like a great trip.

That's a different way to Skye. I don't know what @Skyegirl makes of the Lochbuie Guest House, Kyleakin where they stay.

At least you have a (big) bus so they are responsible for your itinerary and transport, far better than doing this on your own in January, which is not advised (see your earlier thread).

It will be dark by 4pm, but at least you will see everywhere in it's winter mode when it's really quiet. For £185 + £68 for the nights hostel it is good value. Who knows it could be sunny and sparkling sunshine.

If you accept that it could be wild and woolly, and that the guest house looks to be basic then I don't see why not Plan 2. At 26 you have youth on your side.

Eating in the evening at Kyleakin in winter could be limited, especially on a budget but they must have thought of that.

Conservative older me says do York, but if I was 40 years younger I think I might just take that Skye tour with provisos on guest house and evening meal.

Hmm, the tour only gives you one full day on Skye at a time when we have very limited daylight hours. It will be a mad dash around the island with little time or scope to actually see anything much. There are not many tourists here in January and for good reason. The weather is usually pretty dismal.

Full disclosure this is the time of year when I leave Skye and to head to Colorado and Montana for some gentle cross country skiing, and to avoid the dark, soggy, damp, misty, cold and probably rainy or wet snowy weather at home in Skye.

I don't know the guest house in question (although it looks incredibly basic in the photos), but Kyleakin is not a particularly great place to stay if you really want to experience Skye. It's right at the south end of the island, so you could walk across the bridge to the bright lights of Kyle of Lochalsh (note there are no bright lights, just a small village with a few shops and a small supermarket).

Personally I would stick with the Edinburgh and York plan. Best time to come to Skye is May/June or early September.

Winter is for cities. Save Skye for another trip.