Skye Tour Tips
 

Hi,

I will be in Skye for 3 days and I booked a private guide for 2 days on Skye. Although he can offer me some tour tips before I would like to check what are the main attraction in Skye that I cannot miss. I will be staying in Portree, so avoid Portree. Both tours will be 8 hours long each. Is Lochness too far, may be I can tell him to go for 3 hours there?

This will be from 19th till 23rd October.

Haven't time to comment further but with all that Skye offers, I would not make a trip to Loch Ness. It's doable but definitely inferior. Will add more later.

It seems to me that if the guide is worth the money, he/she should be able to work with you and give you more than 'some tour tips'. Some of my best vacation money ever went to local guides who were able to really tune into what I was interested in, and provided so much more insight than I ever would have got on my own from books.

(Or, did you just hire a driver?)

My opinion: Loch Ness is pretty, but not worth a special trip from Skye. I suggest Armadale Castle Gardens (although, I don't know what they'd be like in late October). Also, the Skye Museum of Island Life near Uig is interesting, and it's the kind of place that a good guide should be able to provide that extra insight that I mentioned before.

You could take the little ferry to Glenelg.
If you like really ancient history, there are two quite well preserved brochs dating from about 2000 years ago.
If you don't mind a little walking, you can see Sandaig which is called "Camusfearna" in Gavin Maxwell's "Ring of Bright Water"

I would ask him to take you to the Fairy Glen, it's a lovely little hidden place with strange hills and trees, right near Uig. Three Chimneys is a fantastic restaurant (expensive, but worth it!) in Colbost. North of Uig is a nice folk park with traditional blackhouses if you're interested. Kilt Rock and Waterfall is spectacular, the black sand beaches north of that are cool. Old Man of Storr is a bit of a hike, but also spectacular.

Yes, skip Loch Ness, Skye has MORe than enough to offer!

Some ideas for Skye would include a circular trip up the Trotternish Peninsula with possible stops at the Old Man of Storr, Lealt Falls, Kilt Rock and the Quiraing. Duntulm Castle(ruins) is interesting, and there's also Flora McDonald's grave at Kilmuir as well as the Skye Museum of Island Life. Just outside of Uig is the Fairy Glen.

The Waternish and Duirinish Peninsulas are another option. The ruined church at Trumpan and its story is interesting. Then there's Dunvegan Castle, Neist Point and the Glendale Valley. Skye Silver is located in Colbost and has an e-cellent selection of jewelry. If you're interested in visiting a distillery Talisker at Carbost has a good tour.

A trip out to Elgol and a cruise on the Bella Jane is another option, but I believe it takes about three hours so may not economically be a good plan when engaging a driver. A tour of the Sleat Peninsula and Armadale could be combined with Waternish/Duirinish/Dunvegan. I doubt if the gardens at Armadale Castle will offer much at the time you're there, but the Clan Donald Centre is e-cellent. You could also do my favorite loop passing through, Ord,Tokavaig and Tarskvaig.

The view from above the harbor is worth the extta time it takes to drive to Elgol. It is the most stunning vista imaginable. I doubt that the Bella Jane would be sailing in October, though, unless the weather is exceptionally calm.

The Bella Jane runs until October 31st, but not sure it makes sense economically when paying for a driver.

Difficult. You can very easily drive all over Skye in 2 days; but it's the sort of place where getting out of the car and walking pays dividends.

Off the island, the only suggestions I'd have would be Glenelg and the high pass at Ratagan. A good plan might be to take the boat fro Skye to Glenelg, see the brochs- and they are REALLY worth seeing- drive over the Ratagn, and take photos of the outside of Eilean Donan before having lunch in Plockton (I note the ferry only runs till mid October).

Otherwise, Talisker distillery and Dunvegan Castle are the only "built" things I'd have on a "must do" list