Isle of Skye Three Day Tour – Best of the Isle from Inverness Itinerary
The Isle of Skye Three Day Tour – Best of the Isle
- Day one we travel from Inverness to Fort William. Following this you may ride (or just view) the Jacobite (Harry Potter) Steam Train. After lunch we take the ferry trip to Skye and either a visit to the Clan Donald Centre museum and gardens or the Torabhaig Distillery.We overnight on Sleat Peninsula or Broadford.
- Day two builds from your choice of three out of the following five attractions – a boat trip to Loch Coruisk; a walk to Fairy Pools; Talisker Distillery; Dunvegan Castle and a walk to Neist Point. We overnight in Portree.
- Day three begins with the delights of the Trotternish Peninsula. Next we visit Eilean Donan Castle. On our final return to Inverness we travel down Loch Ness and visit Urquhart Castle.
The Jacobite Train
The Jacobite Train is often described as one of the greatest rail journeys in the world. Running from Fort William to Mallaig it passes the highest mountain in Britain, a ruined castle, many screen locations including the Harry Potter Bridge at Glenfinnan, native woodland and stunning white sand beaches. You travel one-way, westwards to Mallaig.
The Ferry to Skye
The Ferry to Skye runs from Mallaig (on the mainland) to Armadale on the Isle of Skye. The crossing takes around 30 minutes and it is one of the most scenic in the world. Enjoy views of the fjord of Loch Nevis, and the island group known as the Small Isles (particularly Eigg and Rum).
Isle of Skye
Isle of Skye is the largest of the Inner Hebrides. It is known the world over for breathtaking scenery and its rich body of myth and legend. The island capital, Portree, is a pretty town, enhanced by a picturesque harbour. Skye has featured in many TV shows and films in both Hollywood and Bollywood, and plenty homegrown productions too.
The Sleat Peninsula
The Sleat Peninsula at the southern end of the island is where we make landfall. Here, in the “Garden of Skye” we can visit the Clan Donald Centre with its gardens, museum and restaurant and/or the beautiful port of Eilean Iarman.
Elgol
Elgol, on the Strathaird Peninsula, is a crofting and fishing village in a stunning location. The views of the Black Cuillin Mountain Range and its neighbour, Bla Bheinn, are among the best on the island, and there are also sweeping seascapes towards the archipelago called the Small Isles.
The Fairy Pools
The Fairy Pools are a series of crystal clear waterfalls and beautifully blue pools. A visit of around 90 minutes is about right for photos, but if wild swimming is your goal then you would need to add the extra time.
Talisker Distillery
Talisker Distillery oldest working distillery on Skye, was established by the MacAskills in 1830. It enjoys a coastal location amidst stunning island scenery and as a result the winter storms give the maturing whisky a hint of sea salt. The whisky itself has been described as a medium-peated sweet, full-bodied single malt There are three different tours & tastings available, so you can discuss with your guide which to book.
Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle is the clan seat of Clan MacLeod. The clan motto is Hold Fast and that is what they have been doing on the rock here, for over 800 years. There are beautiful gardens, seal-watching boat trips, and in the castle itself – the dungeon, the Fairy Tower, the Fairy Flag, Rory Mor’s Drinking Horn and many wonderful paintings and rooms.
Neist Point
Neist Point is the most westerly point on Skye which makes it a great place to see whales; sharks and dolphins during the summer. A walk of about thirty minutes each way takes us to one of the best-known lighthouses in Scotland. The coastal scenery is breath-taking and the cliffs teem with many species of seabirds due to the cliff nest sites.
Portree
Portree, (meaning the King’s harbour) is the capital of the Isle of Skye. It has attracted an interesting range of people over the centuries – including Bonnie Prince Charlie, Turner, Tennyson and R. L. Stevenson. It is a very pretty town, popular with our visitors because it has a great range of shops and eating places, and has many brightly coloured houses along its harbour side.
The Trotternish Peninsula
The Trotternish Peninsula is rich in mountain and coastal scenery. As we travel around it you will see the fantastic rock pinnacles at the Old Man of Storr, Lealt – the largest waterfall on Skye, Kilt Rock, the Quiraing, and depending on time, perhaps either the Fairy Glen at Uig, or the Museum of Island Life and Flora MacDonald’s grave.
Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan Castle is called the “most romantic castle in the Highlands” due to the number of weddings it hosts. A Clan Macrae stronghold, it has a great exhibition, shop and café and has been in movies like Highlander, James Bond and Made of Honor. It is a favourite with photographers, and as a result appears on many postcards and calendar pictures.
The Five Sisters of Kintail
The mountains known as the Five Sisters of Kintail are very popular with photographers and hikers due to their five jagged peaks. The Battle of Glen Shiel was fought between Jacobites and redcoats on the lower slopes in 1719. Legends and tales abound in the Kintail area.
Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle
Loch Ness and Urquhart Castle make a great stop because you can capture two icons in one photo. One of the great castles of Scotland, Urquhart was first held by Pictish tribal chiefs, later becoming a mighty royal castle, and finally a Clan Grant stronghold. It saw 1,000 years of continuous occupation before its fall, in 1692. It overlooks the dark waters of Loch Ness – the largest lake in the country. This is more than enough water to hide its most famous inhabitant – Nessie!
Isle of Skye Three Day Tour – Best of the Isle from Inverness – Departure
The tour can depart from your Inverness accommodation, or from any transport hub you prefer, such as bus station, train station or airport. You tell us, and we’ll be there.
Isle of Skye Three Day Tour – Best of the Isle from Inverness – Price
£1770. In order that you retain utmost flexibility in your day-to-day choices the rate does not include your food, accommodation, visitor centre entries and train or boat tickets. Additionally the guide will require £130 guide lodgings supplement for each of the two nights they spend away from home on the islands.