Walking the Isle of Skye
Ridges, sea cliffs, four seasons in an afternoon and a very good argument for waterproof trousers.
Skye is the kind of island that makes you change your plans twice before lunch. The weather arrives from the Atlantic in bands, and in between them the light is extraordinary: green ridges, black rock, silver water.
Three walks
- A coastal path in the north, past basalt columns and a waterfall that drops straight into the sea.
- A ridge walk on the Trotternish escarpment, long and exposed, with views over to the mainland when the clouds allow it.
- A short evening stroll to a lighthouse, best timed for sunset, worst timed for midges.
Lessons learned
- Waterproof trousers are not optional.
- Midge repellent is not optional either, in late summer.
- Single-track roads have passing places; use them, and wave.
- Book accommodation early. The island is small and popular.
The last evening was clear and still. I sat on a rock above the sea, the hills turning purple behind me, and decided that Skye's weather is not a flaw. It is the reason everything here looks the way it does.