Tour guide wants requests for Skye

What?!?!? Ferry pools is not a long hike. I just did it 3 weeks ago in the wind and rain. Most of it is a paved path. It’s steep but easy. I liked Old Man of Storr hike better but if she won’t take you to ferry pools she probably won’t take you there. It’s longer but a good trail and amazing views.

Have you discovered this website with lots of information about Skye?
https://www.isleofskye.com/

Although we did not get to it I've read this is be a popular walk.
https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guide/skye-places/fairy-glen

We walked to the Fairy Pools after it had been raining. We, 70 somethings, did not find the trail to be difficult but it is rocky in places and requires attention so not to trip. It is beautiful with the Black Cuillins in the background.

I'm sure other forum members will be along with their favorite Skye visit.

That doesn’t sound like a very enjoyable tour. The whole point of doing a tour is that you get to see all the best bits without any of the thinking! And of course you want to feel like the guide enjoys their work.

And, looking back at your previous post, you are on a Rabbies Tour.

Doesn't sound like the normal standards from Rabbies that are usually reported.

Nor does it sound a lot like-

Today is a very flexible day on Skye. There are many possibilities depending on the weather, and your driver-guide will use their local knowledge to decide on the best day out for the group. You may ascend the Quiraing along Trotternish Ridge and be rewarded with spectacular views. Alternatively, you could drink in the scenery at Loch Corruisk or drive through the dramatic Red Cuillin to the little hamlet of Elgol.

[my bolding]

And the forecast is light rain showers and an under 20mph breeze. So not a bad forecast.

I would suggest they stick to their brochure speak or maybe give you a drive around the Trotternish peninsula and then take you down to Dunvegan before returning on the back road from Dunvegan as far as Sligachan.
I want them to tell me about Gavin Maxwell as the bus pauses at Kyleakin, and let me walk up 'The Lump' there.to see Eilean Bàn (one of his homes). And when the bus goes down to Elgol tell me the history of the Isle of Soay (another of his homes).

That is a pretty if not very full day, but is what I think I have paid for. Maybe too full a day.

If most of you had been before I would be a real devil and ask to go to Raasay, on the bus.

As the bus passes by I want to know about the isles of Scalpay and Pabay. Get the guide to do her job. Then explain properly the history of Raasay even though you are not going there.

IE- give you a decent tour of the island.

I'm sorry. The guide asked for suggestions.

You should share your opinion of the guide with Rabbies. I've been on two Rabbies tours and in both cases, the guides were some of the best we've ever had. I do wonder if her aversion to the hike is related to the presence of so many non-fluent English speakers who might not understand warnings about the challenges.

Wow that is terrible service. Definitely give them feedback. If you are on a Rabbies tour then this is definitely not the standard.

Fairy Pools should be fine if busy. There's a bridge across the stepping stones now, and the path is much improved. It's about 45 minutes walk from the car park to the top of the pools.

isn31c has given you most of the highlights. The Quiraing is more accessible than the Old Man of Storr as you start from higher up the ridge so there's less climbing to get to the amazing rock formations.

Weather is pretty poor at the moment (I live near Dunvegan) and we are expecting some pretty strong rain showers to blow through with highs of about 8 centigrade and winds in the mid 20s mph (gusts will be higher).

Thank you all for the suggestions. My husband and I and the other two Americans all took a Rabbies tour based on the rave reviews. I have another Rabbies tour coming up in a couple weeks going to South Wales, Cotswolds and Oxford and I almost want to cancel based on this experience. It’s hard to put my finger on it but I feel like she really wants this tour to be over. She dropped us off at Ft William yesterday afternoon and wanted us to have an adventure on our own for 2-2.5 hrs but we told her 1.5 would be plenty to have lunch. The whole thing is just awkward.
I am thinking about leaving the tour early. We are at the Balmacara, which is nice but I don’t think there is much to do around here. She said we would be back at our hotel around 15:30 today and I can’t imagine siting around the hotel without a car until tomorrow morning.

Is there anything we can do on our own from the Balmacara? If we leave the tour we would have 3 days to explore until my husbands departs from EDI on the 18th.

isn31c Thank you for chiming in. I was hoping to hear from you. I reread the tour description and the exact reason we booked Rabbies was to take the decision making out of those few days.
We went to Mull on Saturday and the ferry to Iona wasn’t running so she drove around the island the entire day and that was it. I understand the ferry was beyond her control but there was no backup plan. It’s just been very disappointing so far. And I’m regretting not hiring a car and exploring on our own.

You’re a bit stranded. There are infrequent buses to Portree using Citylink but honestly I’d stick with it. Just tell her you insist on the fairy pools, lunch at Gasta in Portree, followed by a tour of the Trotternish, to include the Quiraing.

And I would call Rabbies and tell them to put her straight.

So you aren't staying at Plockton.

There is no local bus. I think I'd ask to be dropped at the Kyle of Lochalsh and get on a Glasgow or Inverness bus which will drop you at the Hotel.
Or a taxi, as you don't know the area. Probably about £10 or so.
At least there are a few shops at the Kyle, see the afternoon train come in, and enjoy the sea views if the sun comes out. Yes I'm clutching at straws here.

I can't clearly remember but I think you can walk along a path on the loch side of the road almost to Eilean Donan, but I may be imagining that. You can certainly do it part way.

This is staggeringly poor service. There is no excuse at all to give you a short day on Skye.

If I was there she would be really getting it from me. If I got no reaction I would be telephoning Rabbies Head Office, before you set off today. I'm angry for you.

I would really suggest sticking with it. You only have another 2 days. Putting that 2 days together at nil notice independently is probably not a good plan.

Please, please don't cancel the other tour. From all accounts this is a total one off, isolated incident.

You could check the City link. 917 service its last arrival into Balmacara is 6.55 pm.
You can book tickets online
You could catch it from ,Broadford or Kyle if you want a free hours of freedom.

isn31c Thank you for all your advice. We decided to stick with the tour. You’re right we really can’t whip together 2 days on our own. I didn’t want to complain while on the tour because it would be too awkward.

On the good side I love Scotland and all the friendly people.! I’m discovering I do indeed have a taste for whisky and am enjoying tasting different whiskys at various establishments. And I am looking forward to wandering around the Lake District after Scotland.

Helen I know right? I like tours so I can get an overview and decide where I’d like to spend more time in future.

She’s a very capable driver and clearly intelligent. Maybe she was having a bad couple days. Today seems much better so far.

This sounds awful! I hope the rest of your tour is better!

Please share your experience with Rabbie's when your tour is over so hopefully this won't be an ongoing issue with this guide.

I think it's totally cool if they ask what people are interested in seeing, but not to the point where you're basically doing their job. If she needed help coming up with things to do she should be reaching out to the company/other tour guides to come up with some plans that she could do and then if there were several possibilities present them to the group as options to pick from.