Walking the Isle of Skye in the rain

Everyone warned me about the weather on Skye. What nobody said is that the weather is the point. The light changes every ten minutes, rain comes in sideways from the sea and leaves again, and when the sun breaks through over the Quiraing, the whole island looks like it has just been cleaned.

I walked for four days with good boots, a better rain jacket and no fixed plan beyond these routes. They are all day walks you can do without a guide.

Best time: May–September · Days: 4 · Budget: Mid-range · Getting around: Hire car · Walking: Moderate

Day 1 — The Old Man of Storr

Park at the Storr car park early. The path climbs steadily through a young forest and out onto open hillside, and after about an hour you reach the pinnacles: huge rock towers standing up out of a landslip, with the sea and the mainland mountains behind them.

Go past the main viewpoint and up the ridge on the left for the classic view back down. The path is muddy after rain; walking poles help. Allow two to three hours for the round trip, and more if the wind is strong.

Day 2 — The Quiraing loop

The Quiraing is a whole landscape that slid off the hillside and broke into towers, cliffs and hidden flat meadows. The loop from the road pass takes about three hours. The first section crosses a steep slope on a narrow path; take it slowly if you do not like heights.

In the evening, drive to Portree for fish and chips on the harbour wall. The painted houses along the water are the brightest thing on the island on a grey day.

Pack for four seasons. You will usually get all of them before lunch.

Ines Moreau

Day 3 — The Fairy Pools

The Fairy Pools are a chain of clear blue pools and small waterfalls at the foot of the Black Cuillin, the sharpest mountains in Britain. The walk is short and easy, about forty minutes each way, which makes them busy in summer. Come early or late.

Swimmers do jump in. The water is cold enough to take your breath away, even in August. Afterwards, drive round to the Talisker distillery for a warm-up and a tour.

Day 4 — The castle on the way home

On your way back to the mainland, stop at Eilean Donan, the castle on a small island joined to the shore by a stone bridge. It is heavily restored and completely worth it, especially in the early evening light.

Where to stay and eat

Portree is the obvious base, with the most restaurants and a good supermarket. For something quieter, look at the crofts and bed and breakfasts around Staffin in the north or Carbost near the Cuillin. Many places offer a proper Scottish breakfast; take it, because lunch on a walking day is usually a sandwich on a wet rock. In the evening, look for fresh seafood: langoustines, scallops and oysters from the lochs, often landed that morning. Book dinner in summer; restaurants on the island are small and fill up fast.

What it cost

Prices per person, for two people sharing, at the time of our trip. Use them as a guide; they change every season.

What I would do differently

I would come in late May or early September, when the days are still long but the midges and the crowds are fewer. I would also skip the Fairy Pools in the middle of the day and swap them for the Coral Beach near Dunvegan, a white shell beach that almost nobody visits. And I would not try to see the whole island in four days; the north alone is enough for a first trip.

Know before you go

• Book accommodation months ahead for summer. The island fills up.
• Midges, tiny biting insects, are bad from June to August on still days. Bring repellent.
• Many roads are single track with passing places. Pull in to let faster cars pass.
• Fill up with fuel when you can. Petrol stations are few and close early.
• Check the mountain weather forecast, not the town forecast, before walking.

Questions