Nelson,

talking photo opportunities, the quintessential view of the Five Sisters is from Mam Ratagan.

You can either approach it by leaving Skye on the Kylerhea - Glenelg ferry and driving up over Ratagan and on to Plockton via Shiel Bridge.

Otherwise, coming the other way, after you have visited Eilean Donan, drive on to Shiel Bridge and turn right following the signs for Glenelg and Arnisdale and climb about half way up Ratagan. There are a couple of viewing areas. On a clear day you will see one of the finest views of the Five Sisters and Loch Duich.

Actually, Sheila, I think you could rest easy were we to drive together around Scotland! I am an excellent navigator, and would bring my Collins Road Atlas with me. I even think we'd have fun!

I agree with you that there is no road from Glen Affric directly to the Five Sisters (I have driven from one to the other, but it involved going from Glen Affric to Drumnadrochit and down the west side of Loch Ness on the A82 before going back west through Glen Moriston and Glen Shiel.)

When I spoke about Glen Affric backing up to the Five Sisters, I wasn't speaking of driving but of hiking (since Nelson has had hiking as his focus since his original post about the Great Glen Way, and now hiking the Five Sisters and the Cuillins on Skye). My map of Scotland shows a trail from Affric Lodge through the Affric Forest to Dorusduain and then to Morvich. If you were to follow the Affric stream (river?) you would pass east of Ben Attow and be right "behind" (northeast) of the Five Sisters. You could also go up and over Ben Attow and be behind the Five Sisters. My husband and I have talked and dreamed about hiking from Glen Affric to the Five Sisters. This involves a guide, a span of available time without our children, a lack of comfortable inns en route, and most probably lots and lots of clag!

Kippy, I have made note of your photo directions. We are compiling valuable bits of information like this (unavailable in guidebooks) to carry with us.

The closest tide table I can find so far is for Ullapool. I have no idea what that means for Kyle but high tide there is early afternoon, 1:00-2:00 PM on our dates, July 4-5.
http://www.climbers-club.co.uk/tides/ULLA0706.HTM

Clag?

noe, I'm embarrased by my lack of smileys; and thank you for taking my teasing in good part.

Nelson, Eilean Donan will be 20-30 minutes in advance of Ullapool

Thanks Sheila. If it should work out, I'll plan a visit around the tides.

Nelson, clag means bad weather of the sort that impedes visibility.

Sheila, thank goodness my skin isn't that thin. I don't have smileys either.

&quot;<i>I don't have smileys either.</i>&quot;

<u>Everyone</u> has smileys. check http://www.fodors.com/forums/smileys/

#o

Janis, you're my heroine! Now I can do more than just smiley and girny faces 8-)
(I'll feel like a right dough-heid if that doesn't work)