Tour Skye, Isle of Skye

A Day of Discovery – your Full-Day Tour of Skye.

Your Tour Bus will be waiting for you outside The Pharmacy in Broadford, ready to leave at 10 a.m. Remember to arrive 15 minutes or so before Departure time so you can collect your delicious pre-booked Picnic Lunch, or to book your Dinner on your return later today.

The bus will take you up through Breakish then turn down the Sleat Peninsula towards Armadale, the old seat of the MacDonald Clan. You will pass the famous Kinloch Lodge, home to the renowned cookery expert Lady Claire MacDonald, MBE. Reaching Isleornsay, you will divert a short way to the grounds of the Hotel Eilean Iarmain for a brief photo-stop of the breathtaking views from the jetty. Returning to the main road, you will continue along the shore road to Armadale Pier. Toilet Stop Here, your Driver will point you to the start of the short Rubha Phoil Woodland Walk – a magical trail of just 1.5 Kilometres for those wishing to take it, leading to a Hide from where you can usually see seals basking on the Island a short way out to sea. The walk is level and easy to follow: a map is available, but the route is clearly marked for you. For those not wishing to walk, there are some interesting shops and plenty of shoreline to explore for the 45 minute or so break.

Back on the bus, you will return to the main road and head back north, through the village of Broadford with its shops, gardens and River, and continue to Sligachan. Here you will stop in the safe parking area, and your Driver will direct you to the Viewpoint, Bridge and Monument to the first climbers to conquer the ferocious-looking Cuillin Hills now ranged before you.

Back on the Bus, you will go East onto the Minginish Peninsula, drop down into the old water-meadows along Loch Harport and arrive at Talikser Distillery. Toilet Stop. This Tour does NOT include a Tour of the Distillery, but their shop and museum are open for visitors.

Your Lunch stop will be near to the wonderful Fairy Pools – you should ONLY walk down to them if your Driver advises, as they will be flooded in poor weather. Should weather conditions be too poor for Lunch here, your Driver will continue down to Glenbrittle Beach, where there is a shop and cafeteria for you to find some shelter. RESTART 14.00

After lunch, you will continue North West through Struan, along Loch Bracadale and to Dunvegan with its famous Castle, the home of the current Clan Chief Hugh MacLeod and his family. This Tour does NOT include a Tour of the Castle, but your Driver will take you further along the winding road as far as the reed beds of Suardale, where migrating birds can often be seen and heard on the water. Turning back from here, you will see the Castle in all its glory rising above the shore on its rocky precipice. There will be time for a quick stop Toilet Stop at the Castle Shop for souvenirs on your way back to the main road.

North again, and now you are heading for one of the highlights of your day – the Fairy Glen. This weird and wonderful landscape has featured in many films, and you are sure to want to take as many pictures as you can of this surreal landscape. There is time for a short stop to explore, before we cut across the Northern tip of the Trotternish Peninsula though the stunning Quiraing landscape, where once again, your Driver will make a stop for you to explore and take photos IF it is safe to do so.

Descending through the dramatic rock formations, we come back down near to Kilt Rock and the Mealt Falls, where you will see the results of glacier action making the rocks lie vertical instead of horizontal, looking like the pleats of a kilt. This is also where the famous Dinosaur footprints were found.

You will now be heading South again, looking out for the famous Old Man of Storr: if the weather is kind, you will have some magnificent views of this mighty natural feature and will be able to stop in a safe location for more photos.

Then it is time to begin your journey back to Broadford. Making your way through Portree, the Island’s Capital, you will have some lovely views across the busy Harbour.. Toilet Stop. The bus will call in to Portree’s main Somerled Square for a brief stop for any passenger that has chosen to end their journey here. You will then head towards the Cuillin Ridge once more, passing the Islands of Raasay and Scalpay on the way. Back to Broadford, pulling in at about 18.00.