The Isle of Skye. Terry Marsh
based on bog myrtle. A sprig of bog myrtle behind the ear is a traditional remedy of dubious success, while a dab or two of oil of lavender (or, dare I say it, Avon’s ‘Skin so Soft’) has been known to keep the midges at bay for a while, and raise an eyebrow or two if you forget to wash it off again before going into a confined public place, like a bar! Thankfully, midges hate wind, cold and heavy rain, and they should not normally cause a problem on coastal walks or among the high mountains; the theory is that they opt for the easier pickings on campsites.
Adder
How to get there
From any direction, the drive to Skye travels through some of Scotland’s most extravagantly beautiful landscapes.
For all public transport timetable enquiries, call Traveline on 0871 200 22 23 (24 hours, seven days a week). A Skye and Lochalsh Travel Guide is available from tourist information centres or direct from the Highland Council at Public Transport Section, TEC Services, Glenurquhart Road, Inverness IV3 5NX; tel: 01463 702660; email: [email protected]. The Council also produces a full map showing all public transport routes in the Highlands.
Cars, bicycles and taxis can be hired locally – ask at the tourist information offices.
By car and motorcycle
Access to the Island by road, without having to resort to ferries, became possible in October 1995 with the opening of the toll bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh to Kyleakin. After the bridge opened, hundreds of protesters from Skye and all over Britain faced criminal prosecutions for refusing to pay the toll, which was the highest in Europe. Now the crossing to Skye is toll free.
The distance from Glasgow to Portree is around 220 miles and the journey time four to five hours, and from Inverness around 115 miles and three hours: these are driving times, and make no allowance for stops en route.
Sunset, Portree Bay (Walk 6.15)
For up-to-date driving information in the Highlands, call 0900 3401 363 (Highland Roadline), 0900 3444 900 (The AA Roadline) or 0900 3401 199 (Grampian Roadline). For road-based journey planning, have a look at the AA or RAC Route Planners online.
By bus and coach
Skye and Lochalsh can be reached by coach from Inverness and Fort William, which have good links to other parts of Scotland. Local buses also operate within the area:
Rapsons Coaches Tel: 01463 710555, [email protected]
Scottish Citylink Coaches Ltd Buchanan Bus Station, Killermont Street, Glasgow G2 3NW, Tel: 08705 50 50 50, [email protected], www.citylink.co.uk.
By ferry
There is an element of romance about reaching Skye by ferry. There are two car ferry services from the mainland: Mallaig–Armadale is operated by Caledonian MacBrayne Limited, and Glenelg–Kylerhea is owned by a community company.
Mallaig–Armadale Ferry
The road journey from Fort William to Mallaig is one of the most scenic ways of approaching the Island; it is matched by an equally beautiful rail journey, which, during summer months, can be accomplished on steam trains. The onward route on Skye takes you from Armadale and via Broadford.
Caledonian MacBrayne LtdThe Ferry TerminalGourock PA19 1QPTel: 01475 650100Fax: 01475 637607Booking hotline: 08000 66 5000
Port offices:Armadale Tel: 01471 844248Mallaig Tel: 01687 462403Uig Tel: 01470 542219.
You can book online at www.calmac.co.uk. Crossing time is 30 minutes. Vehicle reservations are strongly advised. The number of sailings varies seasonally, with up to eight crossings daily (six on Sundays).
Glenelg–Kylerhea Ferry
Approached over Mam Ratagan from Glen Shiel, the subsequent journey to the main Skye road climbs through the rugged Kylerhea Glen, a single track road with passing places and a very steep incline. This is not suitable for large vehicles or vehicles with trailers of any kind.
The Ferry is run by The Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company. For further details email [email protected] or visit the website: www.skyeferry.co.uk. Anyone can apply for membership of the company, which will provide a 5% discount on ferry fares.
Sailings between Easter and the end of October are from 10am–6pm (7pm June–August), seven days a week, with crossings every 20 minutes. Journey time is five minutes, and the ferry – the Glenachulish – can transport six cars, with standing room only for foot passengers.
By rail
For National Rail Enquiries, call 08457 48 49 50 (24 hours, seven days a week). See also www.thetrainline.com.
There is no rail service on Skye; the closest points you can reach are Mallaig via Glasgow (Queen Street) and Fort William (not Sundays), or Kyle of Lochalsh via Inverness. Frequent daily services run from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Fort William for the Mallaig connection, and to Inverness for the service to Kyle of Lochalsh.
An overnight sleeper service operates from London (Euston) to Fort William and Inverness, stopping at a number of intermediate stations. This service is provided by First Scotrail. You can buy your ticket in advance by visiting www.scotrail.co.uk, or calling 08457 55 00 33 between 7am and 10pm.
By air
There is a small airport on the Island, near Broadford, but no scheduled flights. The nearest airport with scheduled services is Inverness (Inverness Airport, Inverness IV2 7JB; Tel: 01667 464000; website: www.hial.co.uk).
Facilities and accommodation
Portree is the main town on the Island, with a full range of shopping facilities; Broadford also has most facilities.
The range of accommodation on Skye is extensive, including simple bunkhouses, camp sites, bed and breakfast, guest houses and highquality hotels. The Tourist Information Offices will help you with finding accommodation, or you can consult the annual Skye Directory, available from tourist offices. The holiday guide The Visitor is available free at tourist offices and elsewhere.
In addition to that given above, detailed contact information and other useful information is listed in Appendix C.
Using this guide
The Isle of Skye ranges from simple, brief outings not far from civilisation, to rugged, hard mountain and moorland walking – as tough as any in Britain – in isolated locations, where help is far away.
Almost all of the routes covered demand a good level of fitness and knowledge of the techniques and requirements necessary to travel safely in wild countryside in very changeable weather conditions, including the ability to use map and compass properly (but note that the magnetic property of the rock in the Cuillin makes the compass unreliable).
Coire Gorm Horseshoe from Strath Suardal (Walk 2.2)
The walks in this book are widely varied in character and will provide something for everyone, embracing high mountains, lonely lochs, coastal cliffs, peninsulas and forests. Many walks visit places that are less well known, where self-sufficiency is as important as it is among the Cuillin.
But every walk is just that, a walk, and does not require rock climbing or scrambling skills beyond the most fundamental. Even so, the ‘walker’ must be fit and experienced enough to accomplish ascents