I will be spending Sunday October 7th in Drumnadrochit(Loch Ness). First timer and will be travelling solo. My plan is: 6:00am - 8:00 Drive to Kyle of Lochalish stopping at Eileen Donan Castle (65 miles) 8:00 - 10:30 Drive western route(A87, A863) from Kyle to Dunvegan , visit Dunvegan Castle (50 miles) 10:30 - 11:45 Drive North (A850, A87, A855) around tip to DUntulm (40 miles) 11:45 - 1:30 Drive to Portree via eastern route (A855)
Lunch in Portree/ Wander (25 miles) 2:00- 3:30 Drive to Armadale (A855,A851)(45 miles) 3:30 - 5:00 Ferry to Mallaig (4:30 departure) 5:00 - 6:30 Drive to Fort William (A830)(45 miles) My questions are is this too ambitous (270 miles of driving) and if so should I cut out the northern end of Skye (Uig etc) or the western end (Dunvegan). I would like to go more leisurely, but have only 1 day available. Thanks in advance for your assistance and thoughts
Posted by
Port Coquitlam, BC, Canada
629 posts
We've been to Isle of Skye and know that this can be done, the only thing I question is setting exact times. Are you spending any time visiting Eileen Donan castle or just stopping in the parking lot to take a photo? Do you know that you'll make the 3:30 ferry or will you have to wait for the next one? Take whatever time you need at each place, eat lunch when you're hungry (not at a set time) and enjoy yourself. You're on vacation not driving a tour bus!
Posted by
Gig Harbor, Washington, USA
1851 posts
I would suggest skipping Dunvegan Castle. We have been there - it's a restored castle , more of a stately home full of ancestral portraits. Use your time for the beautiful scenery instead.....with such a limited time frame, you might want to also pass on the interior of Eileen Doonan, just enjoy the beautiful view of the loch with the castle in the foreground....the scenery is beautiful out around Uig and on the peninsula where Skye Silver is located ( I don't have my maps available, google to figure out which of the peninsulas that is!).....Returning to Fort William, be sure you save some time for beautiful and evocative Glencoe.
Posted by
New York City, NY, USA
5678 posts
John, As far as I can tell from you're itinerary, you're not stopping at any of these places other than to hop out and take a look at them, except Portree where you have left a little under hours for lunch and a wander around town, right? Do you just want to see the scenery of Skye? If that's the case, then first you need to be aware that the sun doesn't come up until 7:34 in Inverness. It goes down at 6:34. So, consider that in your early AM drive. You are driving through some of the most spectacular scenery in Scotland in the dark! On your way to Dunvegan your are driving right past the Cuillins which is one of the main features of Skye. You should plan some time to stop and look at them. ; ) Also on your way south again you pass Dun Beag Broch, if you've never seen one, you'll want to stop and see this. The Trotternish is beautiful as well. You pass standing stones, there is the Old Man of Storr and there is a cemetery with Flora MacDonald's Grave. From Portree it's the A87 to the A851 to get to Armadale. That's the only part of Skye I've not been to. I that will take you the full hour and a half. Have you times this out on via michilin? My gut feeling is that you do not have time to do this and breath. I spent a week on Skye and have been there a couple of other times, and in my mind it always seemed to take longer to get around than you think. Slower speeds because of winding roads and the need to stop and take pictures were the main reasons. And you're leaving out one of the prettiest drivesto Elgol where there is a spectacular view of the Cuillins. The road to Fort William has been upgraded so you should be fine with that part, but again, it is beautiful scenery so stop occasionally as the sun sets to enjoy it. Pam