The Skye Trail is a classic long distance walk, covering most of the length of Skye, and passing through most of the great hiking areas of the island, including the Black and Red Cuillin, the Trotternish Ridge, Loch Coruisk, and Skye's most northerly point on the wild headland at Rubha Hunish. Outside the trees we past a herd of Highland cattle which seemed happy to have their photo taken against a beautiful coastal backdrop and in these clearings there were fine views down the coast to the Small Isles and Mull and across the Sleat peninsula (the southernmost tip of Skye) to the big peaks of the western mainland, which all had a fresh cap of snow on, making them look particularly impressive on the day. With the sun out and now sheltered from the wind, it was lovely and warm and almost encouraged some of the group to go for a swim at the next river crossing! A 7-day guided walk on the Isle of Skye, hiking south to north on this beautiful, mountainous island off the west coast of Scotland. Near the idyllic bay at Camas Malag we found a nice perch on a sunny limestone outcrop with some mountain avens starting to flower and views across the loch to the peaks of Bla Bheinn and Clach Glas. There’s a sense of spaciousness and tranquility out at the tip of the headland, staring out at the ocean and nothingness. From the jagged Cuillin Ridge to white-sand beaches, colourful harbour towns and abundant wildlife, the Isle of Skye is the perfect place for a self-guided walking holiday. As we climbed we were presented with all the classic views of the Storr in perfect conditions. The route follows much of the amazing Trotternish … Take a break from the city on a full-day trip through the Isle of Skye with convenient round-trip transport from central Inverness. On this magnificent walk through the heart of the Cuillin mountains, you will be walking by quiet beaches, deserted villages and along remote cliff-tops. Introduction to the Skye Trail This is a seven day walk on the Isle of Skye, a beautiful, mountainous island off the west coast of Scotland. Above the turquoise waters, against a backdrop of blue skies, the view was magnificent. The Skye Trail. Distance: 20.6km (12.8 miles) Ascent: 372m. This section of the trail is a real highlight of the route as a good path leads away up the glen past remote lochs under the steep slopes of Bla Bheinn, then Marso with the shapely cone of Sgurr nan Gillean pulling you onwards. The Skye Trail follows a similar format to the Sutherland Trail book. Reaching the Bealach Uige we were at the lowest point since leaving the Storr car park first thing in the morning. The unrivalled reputation of the Isle of Skye is not unfounded. Regaining the road at the Aros centre, a gentle walk along the pavement brought us to the town square and a pleasant coffee shop to finish the day, now with more than half the trail complete! A full illustrated guide to the route of the Trail is available on the Skye Trail pages of the Walkhighlands website. Day 1 on the Skye Trail is a good introduction to what is to follow on the trail. As we descended into Camasunary we even stumbled across an adder, seemingly out to warm up in the sun and it obligingly allowed a few photos. Here we past a memorial to the crofters who had fought for their rights in 1882 – actions that led to the Crofters Act of 1886 that granted crofters security of tenure on the land. Another Cuckoo was calling somewhere in the trees. After a big day on the Trotternish Ridge yesterday, it was nice to return to a normal start time for our final day on the trail. This was the shortest day on the trail and a nice early finish allowed for a good rest ahead of the trail’s longest day tomorrow! Setting off from the Storr we had a big descent before a steady pull up to the summit of the day’s second top, Hartaval. Natural Feature. After passing the remains of a WWII radar station we soon reached the sheltered bay at Balmaqueen where Lee and Geoff called in the group for a final lunch break. It was great to spend a week on the island leading the Skye Trail, a relatively new addition to Scotland’s growing catalogue of long-distance trails and one of its most challenging! Day 1 on the Skye Trail is a good introduction to what is to follow on the trail. As we rounded the corner to Suisnish, the views of the southern end of the Cuillin Ridge were fantastic. It was warm in the sun and very pleasant eating lunch relaxing on the short-cropped grass with 360 degrees of superb views. Distance: The official distance of the Quiraing Circuit loop is 4.2 miles / 6.8km. Categorised lists of all the gear I use that can be found on Amazon:https://www.amazon.co.uk/shop/houndsofhowgate(Inc. The extra distance is likely due to some extra exploring along some spur trails to enjoy the views. Join us for a guided walking tour of the Isle of Skye, Scotland's jewel in the crown of Scottish islands. The ups and downs of the day were starting to take their toll, but a strong push saw us through and soon we were on the top. Conditions: Light cloud, low … Skye is home to some beautiful natural views, but it’s not … On Skye there is a sense that other worlds float just beneath the surface, and by hiking the Skye Trail you might be able to glimpse them. A distance of 240m from the church to the turn off. We reached Sligachan in good time once again to enjoy a well-earned dinner and a pint in Seamus’s Bar! Bluebells and primroses were once more a feature and we saw our first red deer of the trip – grazing better pastures in somebody’s garden! Or maybe it was the same one following us up the trail!? During my wonderful day at this port-of-call, I explored the village and this trail. From the Church walk back along the public road in the Broadford direction, across the castle grid then take the first right turn off the public road. A mixture of walking on minor roads, trail and coastal path, with breathtaking views of sea and mountain. It is an interesting, undulating route between these old settlements, with the path tracing an intricate line between the sea and the cliffs. We descended into the sheltered hamlet of Elgol in glorious sunshine, with time to spare to enjoy the classic view from the beach and enjoy coffee and cake in the local shop/café. The Skye Trail Overview. It was quite a moment and we stopped to watch them soaring overhead. The Skye Trail also provides the opportunity to explore many of the other incredible attractions on the ever-popular Isle of Skye, including boat trips along the coast to the inaccessible Loch Coruisk in the shadow of the Black Cuillin. Despite the chill, the hills were clear, the views were fantastic and within minutes of leaving Broadford, we heard our first Cuckoo of the trip – the first of many! The final pull over the hill from the small hamlet of Glasnakille provided the best view of the day as the Cuillin burst into full view, with Rhum and Canna further west. Here we got our first taste of the high-level ridge walking for the day with steep cliffs dropping away to the east and gentle, grassy slopes leading away westwards. The descent by the Allt na Pairte was lovely with primroses in flower and plenty of caterpillars about. The Skye Trail is marketed as a ‘tough, uncompromising route’ for experienced hikers. 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