- Visit the magical Fairy Pools, where hardy souls swim in the frigid waters
- Stay in the pretty fishing village of Portree
- Discover the dramatic Quiraing landslip on foot
- Tour a Scotch whisky distillery with a tasting on the Isle of Raasay
Walking the Isle of Skye - Private Group Adventure
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Walking & Trekking
Activity Level
Moderate
See our Activity Level Guidelines to check if this holiday is right for you
Comfort Level
Classic
Explore rugged landscapes, abandoned villages and Fairy Pools on a wild adventure in the Inner Hebrides
Off the west coast of mainland Scotland, the Isle of Skye offers wild walking trails across wind-whipped landscapes and through time-stood-still fishing villages. It’s the star attraction in the Inner Hebrides and for good reason with wonderfully rugged scenery providing a sensational setting for an adventure on foot. For this hiking trip, we are based in the hill-cradled fishing town of Portree, heading out each day to explore a different part of the island led by our expert local guide.
This tour is specially designed as a private departure and can be operated on a date of your choice. Please contact our sales team for prices and more information, or visit our Private Group Adventures page.
Highlights
Key Information
- Accommodation: 6 Classic nights (hotels)
- Five days of guided walking
- Private Group size 6 to 16, plus leader
- Countries visited: United Kingdom
What's Included
- All breakfasts, three picnic lunches and two dinners
- All accommodation
- Bus transfers to the walking areas
- Tour leader throughout
What's Not Included
- Travel insurance
- Single accommodation (available on request)
- Visas
5 Days of Walking & Trekking
Pace:
Moderate walks, leisurely pace; good level of fitness recommended
Terrain:
Paths are typically well maintained though in some places rough underfoot
Day 2
4 km / 2.5 miles
Day 3
9 km / 5.6 miles
Day 4
10 km / 6.2 miles
Day 5
17 km / 10.6 miles
Day 6
7 km / 4.3 miles
Itinerary
Inverness Inverness
Arrive Inverness
Our adventure begins in Inverness, the most northerly city in the UK. Perched on the northeast coast of Scotland, it is the cultural hub of the Scottish Highlands and an ideal place for us to begin. If you have free time after checking into the hotel, you may want to explore the old town, home to the 19th-century Inverness Cathedral and an indoor Victorian market. This evening, there is a welcome meeting and dinner with your tour leader and the rest of the group.
Accommodation: Ardross & Glencairn Guesthouse (or similar)
Transfer to Isle of Skye; hike at Fairy Pools; to Portree
We travel to the port town of Mallaig, where we board the ferry for Armadale on Skye (a 45-minute journey). On arrival, we transfer to the Fairy Pools, a magical collection of waterfalls and swimming spots where hardy souls brave the chilly waters – bring your swimwear if you want to test yourself with an icy dip. After exploring the pools, we continue to Portree where we check into our hotel.
Accommodation: The Rosedale Hotel (or similar)
Quiraing landslip region hike; Fairy Glen exploration
This morning, we travel to Trotternish, the northernmost peninsula on the island, for a circular walk of the Quiraing, an enormous landslip created over millions of years. It is wild, rugged and atmospheric.
Our route passes spectacular rock formations, including two of the most famous in the region, the Prison and the Needle. After, we head to the Fairy Glen (a smaller yet still spectacular version of the Quiraing) to explore this geologically fascinating area at your leisure. We then return to Portree.
Accommodation: The Rosedale Hotel (or similar)
Explore Isle of Raasay; distillery tour and tasting
We catch the ferry from Sconser to the Isle of Raasay, arriving at 10.50am where we begin our hike for the day.
Though compact, the island is home to an extraordinary collection of wildlife; you may see white-tailed sea eagles, golden eagles, oystercatchers, guillemots, red deer, dolphins and seals, depending on the weather and time of year.
We end with a tour and tasting at the Raasay Distillery, where they produce single-malt Scotch whisky and gin inspired by the island. After a full day on Raasay, we return by ferry and bus to Portree.
Accommodation: The Rosedale Hotel (or similar)
Highland Clearance villages
We head south for a circular walk around Suisnish and Boreraig, two villages emptied during the Highland Clearances. In this dark chapter of Scottish history, thousands of families were forcibly driven from their ancestral homes to make way for sheep. The remains of long-abandoned villages can be seen all over the Isle of Skye, but Boreraig is perhaps the most hauntingly beautiful.
Accommodation: The Rosedale Hotel (or similar)
Kilt Rock; circular walk visiting Rubha Hunish
This morning, we head to the magnificent Kilt Rock, a towering sea cliff formed of basalt columns, which resembles a pleated kilt. From here, we head to Duntulm where we begin a circular walk taking in Rubha Hunish, the northernmost point on Skye. On our return journey, we stop for a coffee and cake at an arty café. This afternoon, we have free time in Portree.
Accommodation: The Rosedale Hotel (or similar)
Transfer to Inverness via Eilean Donan Castle
After breakfast, we travel back to Inverness stopping at Eilean Donan Castle en route. This ancient island fort has become a symbol of the region and marks the meeting point of three lochs. After stopping for photos, we continue and the tour ends at Inverness railway station.
Essential Info
Joining Instructions
Key information
Start hotel: Ardross & Glencairn Guesthouse, 19 Ardross St, Inverness, IV3 5NS
Phone: (+44) 1463 232965
Recommended arrival time: Meet at 6pm at the start hotel
Getting to the start hotel
There are trains from London Kings Cross railway station to Inverness railway station approximately every hour. It’s a 20-minute walk or just over a five-minute drive to our start hotel. There are also flights from London Gatwick (LGW) to Inverness Airport (INV). A taxi from the airport to the start hotel takes just over 20 minutes.
Return journey
The tour ends at Inverness railway station, from where you can catch trains to London Kings Cross approximately every hour. As it is quite a long journey, you may like to take the sleeper train. You can also get flights to London Gatwick from Inverness Airport.
If you would like further information on joining this trip or your return journey, please speak to your sales representative.
Full joining instructions including local emergency numbers will be sent to you as part of our Final Joining Instructions. If you do not receive these at least a week before departure, or require them earlier please contact our office or your travel agent.
Location start: Inverness
Location end: Inverness
Rosedale Hotel, Skye, and Ardross Glencairn Guesthouse, Inverness
Occupying a trio of old fisherman houses on the working harbour of Portree, the Rosedale Hotel provides an idyllic retreat for our time in Skye. Outside the front door, the waters are navigated by local fishing boats, while the town itself has cafes and restaurants to explore.
Our 17-room traditional hotel has an intimate sea-view restaurant, serving a selection of dishes based on fresh, seasonal, local produce. The rooms are unfussy and homely and all come with complimentary toiletries and tea/coffee-making facilities.
In Inverness, we stay at the Ardross Glencairn Guesthouse, close to the River Ness and only a few minutes’ walk to the city centre.
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