A MacLeod’s Guide to Skye
by Kevin John Tolmie FSA Scot
It has been suggested that as the Organiser of the Gathering and Parliament (G&P) in August 2026 and retired Tour Guide, I should write a ‘Rough Guide’ to the Isle of Skye for the benefit particularly of those who may be visiting in 2026 for the first time. There are surely sights that MacLeods should see. There are also places that I would recommend people (whether MacLeods or not) avoid.
The priority for MacLeods is also the top ‘pay-to-enter’ tourist attraction in Skye and that is of course our beloved Castle, Dunvegan. Entry is complimentary with your attendance at the G & P. It is the longest inhabited Castle in Scotland and has never been captured by an enemy. The result is that it is packed with historical artifacts of relevance to our Clan accumulated over 800 years. You must go!
Trumpan Church. This hauntingly beautiful place was the scene of a massacre of MacLeods by Clan MacDonald in the 16th Century. As well as its historical significance, this ruined church is a lovely place to view a coastal panorama. A bonus is the location in the Waternish peninsula which is a quiet area by comparison with many other places in Skye. The graveyard surrounding the church has the famous ‘truth stone’ and also the gravestone of the unfortunate Lady Grange, the Prisoner of St Kilda. If you are feeling energetic you can park here and hike the three kilometres or so to the cairn erected in commemoration of the Battle of Waternish – a MacLeod victory. Whilst in Waternish, I recommend a visit to the Stein Inn, the oldest Inn in Skye and a good place for lunch, dinner, or a local beer or whisky (booking advised). There is only one road in and out of Waternish. Not long after the beginning of the road you will pass (on your right as you head north up the peninsula), the Cats Cairn. Remember to ‘Hail the witches’ lest they curse you and turn you into a cat, the fate that it is said befell one unfortunate boy who was disrespectful to them. At the start of the road you will see the Fairy Bridge, location of one (and probably one of the least credible) of the origin stories of the Fairy Flag.
The Emigrants Wall. This one for MacLeods only. It is rather hidden and modest in appearance. The wall was erected in 2018 near Orbost. It is not signed and there is only a space to park one car. The wall incorporates stones that descendants of MacLeod emigrees brought from their new homelands as well as stones from MacLeod lands in Scotland. Quietly understated, this is a place to contemplate the journey your ancestors made.
St Columba’s Isle. Near Tote just off the road between Dunvegan and Portree. This island is made by a parting and rejoining of the waters of the River Snizort – a border between MacLeod and MacDonald territory. The tiny, ruined church here is thought to be the oldest Christian site on Skye. Look out for the medieval grave slab. One of only two on Skye.
The MacCrimmon Cairn at Borreraig. Not so easy to get to as it is remote and there are not many places to park. A lovely spot nonetheless although for the full atmosphere bring a piper! The cairn honours the MacCrimmons who were and are the Pipers to the Chiefs of MacLeod of MacLeod.
The Coral Beach. The most beautiful beach in Skye located at the end of the road beyond Dunvegan at Craigan. Park and walk about one kilometre along the coast to the white coral sand. Go early for a parking space. The MacLeod connection is that it is on ‘our’ territory!
MacLeods Tables. Wherever you are in or near Dunvegan you will likely be able to see the twin hills usually called ‘MacLeods Tables’ but actually called Healabhal Mhòr and Healabhal Bheag. It is a tradition among MacLeod Parliamentarians to climb the nearer one (Mhòr – 469 metres) during our time on Skye. Mhòr means ‘big’ but fear not, it is actually the lower of the two, the epithet refers to its being more massive. Legend has it that a MacLeod Chief set a banquet for a King on the summit.
So far, you may have avoided the crowds. But you have come all this way and everybody on Instagram is posting about the Fairy Pools, the Fairy Glen, the Quirang, Kilt Rock, the Old Man of Storr and Neist Point. This is where you have to decide if you really do want to go with the masses. Do not think that I dismiss these as not being worth a visit. It is only that I must warn you that thanks to the publicity of the internet, these are where the tourist hordes go. In recent years much effort has been made to improve parking at these places. There is now plenty of space to park but you are required to pay for the privilege. Unfortunately improvement to the roads lags some way behind. As you will discover, the road infrastructure of the Highlands of Scotland is terrible. Here we are a quarter of the way into the 21st Century and we still have to contend with roads that are only wide enough for one vehicle and so the etiquette of using the ‘passing places’ must be mastered along with knowing how to reverse your vehicle!
Taking these honey traps one at a time I would briefly advise as follows:
Kilt Rock: A good one to do. The rock is a 60-metre cliff, the upper thirty metres of which is the ‘kilt’. You view the rock with the Mealt Waterfall in the foreground. This waterfall launches itself off the cliff into the sea making a spectacular photo or short video especially if you are there after one of the frequent rain showers increases the water flow. Also recommended is a visit to the Dinosaur Museum just across the road. Skye is one of the few places in Scotland where fossils have been found and they are from the Jurassic period which also makes them rare globally too. For good coffee, cakes and nice toilet facilities nearby I recommend Columba 1400 at Staffin. It is a Christian mission so you can’t visit on Sunday.
The Old Man of Storr. Also easy to access the large new parking area with toilet and coffee facilities right on the main road. However, this is the bottom of a steep walk up to the base of a rock pinnacle. Having done it, I have not quite worked out what is the attraction!
Fairy Glen: Actually called Glen Uig, like the Fairy Pools this has nothing to do with the islanders’ historic belief in Fairies and everything to do with modern notions of mysticism. Do not be surprised if you encounter a pagan wedding. The crofter (farmer) is not exactly delighted that thousands of people visit. However, due to Scotland’s much vaunted ‘Public Access Law’ he can’t stop you. These days he and the authorities have given in to the inevitable and provided parking and a safe path to the rock outcrop often called ‘the Fairy Castle’. You can climb to the top but be aware, there is no safety net so you do so at your own risk. Please do not add to the inconvenience to the farmer by making stone circles or towers. Despite better parking, the road is still single-track. Be patient as overseas drivers negotiate the passing places.
Fairy Pools: They are not like the photos! You will see many pictures taken in bright sunlight and/or using colour filters. After your one-kilometre hike you will see lovely clear water tumbling from one rocky pool to another. Enough said – apart from the one-kilometre hike back which is mostly uphill! Much improved parking and now the road has been upgraded too – yippee! As well as (or instead of), drive past the Fairy Pools to park at the end of the road at Glenbrittle Beach. There are not many beaches on Skye. This is not the best beach on Skye but it is the biggest. If you have time and are fit enough, I recommend the hike (two hours) to Rubha an Dunan. This is a spectacular place with many layers of history including a Viking canal and dock. Allow another two hours to explore and remember it is another two hours back. Good coffee at Glenbrittle Campsite (near parking and beach) owned by MacLeod Estates.
Neist Point: If you want to see a lighthouse – there is a lighthouse. Remarkably popular but again although parking is much improved the access is along many miles of single track. Even when drivers know what they are doing, the sheer volume of vehicles means that the passing place system fails and everybody is stuck. My advice is – Avoid!
You will probably want to check out the only actual town on the island, its capital, Portree. The greatest concentration of shops including the largest supermarket on Skye and a good range of practical and tourist shops. Also a few restaurants including Indian (x 2), Chinese (take-away) and now even Japanese. There are a couple of up-market Scottish restaurants but there are good general restaurants in the town’s hotels. Unless you are happy eating in an Indian restaurant, booking is essential. Also for take-away, there are two fish and chip establishments. The more popular one is by the harbour. You queue outside so beware of the midges.
Talking of midges, for those who are not aware, they are very small biting insects. They are the bane of the summer in the Highlands and Islands of Scotland. Bring a head-net and/or buy an insect repellent such as ‘Smidge’.
Back to positives! There is a reasonably good (albeit mostly single-track) driving circuit around the Trotternish Peninsula. It can be done clockwise or counterclockwise. I prefer the former. If starting from Dunvegan you would drive east to join the circuit at Tote. This route can take in the Fairy Glen before a stop in the village of Uig, for toilets, coffee, food or even beer. This is the location of Skye’s only brewery. Skye Ales are available in many pubs and shops in Scotland but it is made here where you can buy the full range. My favourites are Cuillin Beast and YP! Note that the premises are not licenced so you must not drink your beer in the shop.
Just before or after the village you can have a wee walk to the Rha Waterfall. My granddaughter calls them the ‘Cola Falls’ due to their resemblance to that drink caused by the high peat content.
From here the road climbs up the escarpment via a hairpin bend on the single-track road. After a few miles you will reach the Museum of Island Life at Kilmuir. A lovely wee shop is accessible even if you do not want to enter the museum which is contained within a group of adapted Black Houses. Some Islanders were still living in Black Houses until the 20th Century. Half a kilometre from the Museum is the small cemetery where you can see the spectacular grave of the Jacobite heroine Flora MacDonald. Back on the main ‘circuit’ road, next is the ruined castle of Duntulm. Once a MacDonald stronghold, today there is little castle remaining. The bay below the castle is where at low tide fossilised dinosaur footprints may be found.
From Duntulm near the northernmost point of Skye, the road turns towards the south. The next highlight is a little detour on your right up to the rock formations known collectively as the Quirang. Note you can reach the Quirang by taking the short cut across the peninsula from Uig. Not recommended as the scenery of the interior of the Trotternish is dreary. Quirang parking has improved a lot but you still have to negotiate the steep and narrow road to it with two hairpins and as usual inexperienced drivers. After the Quirang heading south is the village of Staffin. Known as a crofting township as the houses are spread over a large area each with their small plots of land. Columba 1400 is here as are the village shop, café and toilets.
Just south of Staffin is the Kilt Rock and Dinosaur Museum. The viewing area also takes in lovely views across to islands of Rona and Raasay and the Mainland at Gairloch (all historic MacLeod lands). Carrying on south again you can stop for the view of the Lealt Waterfall. The last main stop on this circuit could be the car park for the Old Man of Storr. Toilets and coffee here even if you decide not to do the climb. Return to Dunvegan via Portree. In Portree, at the only traffic light junction in Skye, turn towards the west and once out of town take the left fork at the junction at Borve.
For adventures further afield, you may want to drive down to Sleat. This is the most southerly peninsula of Skye and prettily wooded. Here at Armadale is an excellent Museum as well as the ruin of the last Castle the MacDonald’s held on Skye.
Another good all-day excursion is a boat trip from Elgol to Loch Coruisk. Two companies run the trips and due to the time to drive to and from Elgol, a day should be allowed for this.
For Whisky tours and tastes there are two distilleries on Skye. Much the older (circa 200 years) is Talisker, located at Carbost which being founded by a MacAskill has MacLeod connections. The other is only about ten years old and therefore only has relatively young whisky. It is Torabhaig, located at Teangue in Sleat. Look out for the nearby ruin of Knock (Cnoc) Castle also known as Caisteal Camus, a one-time MacAskill and MacLeod stronghold.
There are other points of interest near Dunvegan that you may more readily find time to visit. I do recommend the Coral beach. To reach here take the road past Dunvegan Castle. After the castle the road narrows and the condition worsens although near the end of the road which was dreadful has been repaired. After the parking area at the end of the road at Claigan you hike about one kilometre along the coast to the most beautiful beach made of white coral sand. My advice is to do this early in the day. Parking is limited and once full there is nowhere else to park.
A few kilometres south of Dunvegan at Struan is Dun Beag. This is the best-preserved broch (iron-age fortress) in Skye. There is a small parking area. Cross the road (take care – remember we drive on the left!) and climb the small hill to the clearly visible wall of the broch.
Visible from many parts of Skye are the Cuillin Mountains, with the highest point in Skye, Sguir Alasdair – 992 metres. These are for serious climbers and hillwalkers so unless you are one of them – look but don’t touch!
Raasay, another MacLeod island is accessed by a 25-minute ferry from Sconser in Skye. Traditionally MacLeods go there on the Wednesday of our week. The island is much smaller than Skye with a population of only about 150. Points of interest are the Distillery, Brochel Castle (a ruin but once upon a time home to the MacLeods of Raasay) and Calum’s Road, two kilometres built single-handed in the 1970s by Calum MacLeod. There is also Raasay House which operates like a hotel but also offers outdoors activities.
Have a great time on Skye and Raasay!
Kevin John Tolmie FSA Scot
December 2025