Jaw-Dropping Things to Do in Isle of Skye
Looking for amazing things do in the Isle of Skye?
Look no further. We spent 3 nights on the Isle of Skye and we could have spent longer. The island was even more beautiful than I’d ever pictured, and up there with the most gorgeous places I’ve ever seen in Europe.
I’ve travelled a lot, and Isle of Skye took my breath away.
It’s important to know that Isle of Skye gets extremely busy with tourists, year round! We were pretty surprised by the crowds, even for mid-May.
But, the good news is that there are more things to do on Skye than people realize.
We did the popular (must-do) things, and we fought crowds to do them – but we also went to some magical, unknown places recommended to us by locals that we had all to ourselves.
This article will give you plenty of ideas of things to do in the Isle of Skye!
3 IMPORTANT TIPS FOR ISLE OF SKYE
Before we get into the fun stuff, let’s just go over a couple important things to know before planning your Isle of Skye itinerary
✅ Book your restaurant reservations early. We were lucky that our kind and extremely helpful host at Achalocan House emailed to remind us a week in advance to book our restaurants- and we were glad we did, because if they take reservations, then they get fully booked fast
✅ Give yourself extra time (than Google predicts for driving distance) to get anywhere once you’re on the island. Most roads on Skye are single-lane only, and weren’t planned with the idea of today’s amounts of tourists in mind. Be prepared to practice courtesy on the road and pull over to let others pass. Plus, you’ll want to pull over many times just to take photos – the entire island is postcard beautiful.
Amazing, Jaw-Dropping Things to Do on the Isle of Skye
1. Pull over (a lot) in your car
My favourite things to do in Skye were to pull over while driving and enjoy some of the most majestic, amazing views I’ve ever seen in my life.
There’s a reason why Isle of Skye rose to fame, and why so many people go there now. You’ll see that as you’re driving around, exploring.
Lots of people cram their Isle of Skye itinerary full of things to do, but as I mentioned above- I recommend taking it slow and making sure you have the flexibility to stop and take in the beauty.
There are sheep and highland cows, dramatic look outs, lakes, stunning open fields with little white cottages, and mountains.
My favourite thing to do was having the time to stop, get out of my car and enjoy these views – and take pictures.
So, space out your activities enough to give yourself lots of time. You’re definitely going to want to stop!
2. Visit the Eilean Donan Castle
Eilean Donan Castle isn’t technically on Isle of Skye – it’s on Kyle of Lochalsh. So, you should visit it either on your way out, or your way in to the Isle of Skye.
Eilean Donan Castle is apparently the most photographed and beautiful castle in Scotland. It is a really nice one to visit, we loved how small it was and the scenic lake and mountains that its located in.
We visited Eilean Donan Castle on the day we left Isle of Skye, and it was a good plan, because it was in the direction of where we wanted to go.
The parking lot can fill up, in which case, we saw cars being directed to another location. We arrived around 11am and there were some spots left.
3. Watch Kilt Rock Falls flow into the ocean
Kilt Rock Falls are one of the main things to see on Isle of Skye, but for a good reason – they have that very unique view of an 180- foot waterfall plunging into the ocean.
They’re just a short walk from the parking lot, and then you head to the viewing points where you can get your photos.
Bonus: Other (lesser-known) waterfalls to visit on Isle of Skye
- Lealt Falls are just a short 7 minute drive down from Kilt Rock Falls, so they are likely busy as well but less so than Kilt Rock
- Rha Waterfalls – I meant to visit Rha Waterfalls but ran out of time. Located in a woodland, just a short walk from the parking lot.
- Sligachan Waterfalls – very limited parking, but wow – gorgeous falls and view. Not the kind of place with big crowds
If you love waterfalls, one way to see a bunch of them on Isle of Skye is to do the Fairy Pools hike which I’ll get into below.
Learn more: This couple has visited several of these lesser-known waterfalls mentioned above and provides extra tips and what you need to know before visiting
4. Do some incredibly scenic hikes
The best draw to Isle of Skye is the otherworldly, dramatic scenery. That’s why hiking is so popular there.
There are many trails, and the most popular 2-3 hikes get most of the hikers.
The Four “Must-do” Hikes on Isle of Skye
Popular hike #1: Fairy Pools Hike
Distance: 2.4km (1.1 mile) but you can do as much or little as you wish
Time needed: over an hour
The Fairy Pools Hike is the hike I mentioned above that allows you to see about 10+ small waterfalls, as well as a dramatic mountain range.
Fairy Pools is doable with all age groups, and only a basic fitness level is needed.
You start with a steep walk down (which means it’ll be a step walk back up) but after that, its mostly flat with a slight incline and you can go for as long as you want.
We didn’t go ‘all the way’ on the Fairy Pools hike because it was a hot May day, and we were exhausted from driving all the way from Inverness that day.
But we got amazing photos and I’m glad we did the hike. It’s a beautiful spot.
Good to know: Fairy Pools is definitely the kind of hike where you want to come at less popular times. There’s tons of parking, but its almost alway near-full. The parking fee keeps going up, when we were there I believe it was €8 to park, but that’s common across popular spots on Skye
Popular Hike # 2: Fairy Glen Hike
Distance: 1.5km (1 mile)
Time needed: over an hour
We actually preferred the Fairy Glen Hike to the Fairy Pools.
The reason being, is that there are a lot of people there.. and the crowds are much more obvious on Fairy Pools than they are on Fairy Glen.
Fairy Glen is a relatively easy hike, doable for all ages. There is a slight incline to the trail. You have the option of climbing the hills and mountains too. The surrounding scenery is breathtaking.
Popular hike # 3: Old Man of Storr Hike
Distance: 3.8km (2.3 miles)
Time needed: 2 hours
We didn’t do the Old Man of Storr Hike because our priority were the top two, given that we were travelling with kids.
However, the Old Man of Storr Hike is also considered a ‘must do’. It’s less than an hour long, but slightly more challenging than the first two – it’s steeper.
Popular hike # 4: Hike to Brother’s Point
Distance: 3.6km (2.25 miles)
Brother’s Point is a unique and dramatic viewpoint along the coastline.
This is a bit more challenging than some of the other Skye hikes, so we didn’t do it (our kids had already had enough hiking.)
Bonus: Additional (Lesser-Known, but Amazing) Hikes
Fairy Pools and Fairy Glen are definitely worth doing, and they’re probably the most popular trails on Isle of Skye – but the island is not limited to those two.
One of my favourite things to do in Skye was just walk around. You’ll pass roaming farm animals, and the scenery everywhere is breathtaking.
To find more trails on Skye (especially ones that won’t be busy) I recommend using the AllTrails app to see what’s in the area you’re staying or will be visiting.
5. Search for dinosaur footprints and fossils
The top of my priorities for things to do in Isle of Skye with limited time, was see real dinosaur footprints which have been fossilized in the ground for over 150 million years.
To see the dinosaur footprints, you’ll head to An Corran beach.
There’s a sandy part of the beach attached to it where you could potentially swim (in warmer months) I recommend bringing sandals, Crocs or water shoes for younger kids to play in the water.
The rocks where the dinosaur footprints are located are quite slippery. My 12-year-old could manage just fine, but we held my 4-year-old’s hand.
You will also want to wear shoes that won’t soak through on the rocks as there are many puddles. Us adults wore our waterproof hiking boots (we wore them for our whole Scotland and Ireland trip)
There are a few different places to park to find dinosaur footprints – the regular parking lot, overflow parking, and a separate place about 1 km down from the beach. We went to the 3rd one, because the first 2 options were full.
Bonus: Visit the Staffin dinosaur museum
If you’re in dinosaurs, I highly recommend a visit to this little museum – the Staffin Dinosaur Museum.
It’s owned by the same guy who helped find the dinosaur footprints on Ann Corran.
No one else was at this museum when we went, we had it all to ourselves. We had a long chat with the owner’s daughter, who told us about how her dad has been collecting bones on the Isle of Skye since he was a teenager.
They have some of the first fossils ever discovered there. It costs €5 per adult to get in, but kids are free.
6. Explore old ring forts
The history of human civilization on Isle of Skye dates back to 11,000 years ago. One of the coolest things we did was visit a random old ringfort near our B&B – called Dun Beag Broch.
We had it almost all to ourselves, and as it was higher up (a short hill climb) the views from the top were incredible.
There was hardly anyone else there – only one other group when we visited.
There are many other ringforts just like Dun Beag Broch on Skye, I wouldn’t drive a huge distance to see it if you aren’t nearby – but rather look for the ringforts and abandoned ruins that are around where you’re staying. Isle of Skye is full of them.
7. Relax at the beach/shoreline
My favourite day on Isle of Skye was the day we spent on the beach. We didn’t swim or anything (it was May and it was far too cold.)
But we had the most beautiful day just enjoying this coast, and the views. We also saw seals!
Isle of Skye is a beautiful place, and yes – it’s overtouristed. But this affects you much less if you’re willing to do some of the less popular things.
Being an island, there’s tons of coastlines. I recommend taking a walk, brining something to sit on and maybe snacks. And see if you can spot seals or whales or dolphins (we spoted many seals basking on rocks off the shoreline!)
6. Enjoy some great dining
The Isle of Skye restaurants were pretty expensive – but it didn’t feel like we were ‘paying for the location, not the food’ kinda deal. Not at all.
The food was actually excellent, and some of the food I had on Isle of Skye were some of the best meals I had on our whole trip to Scotland.
Here are the places we ate, plus other cool restaurants I would have loved to check out:
- The Hungry Gull – First come first served (no reservations.) Located near Ann Corran and the dinosaur museum. Gets busy, doesn’t take reservations, but you can wait in line. Great food and such lovely service, considering how busy it gets
- The Bistro at Atholl House – takes reservations. Perfect for a special occasion, or just great food. I ordered their vegan shepherd’s pie and it was my favourite meal on the island. They actually made a mistake on our order, and automatically gave us all discounts. Great service and lovely atmosphere
- The Old School Restaurant – takes reservations. another fun interior environment. Also has the oldest bakery in Isle of Skye right across from it
7. Take the ferry to Mallig
One very popular activity on Isle of Skye is taking the ferry to Mallig, on Scottish mainland.
Malig is a historic coastal fishing village which is now a bustling tourist hotspot, and apart of the Scottish highlands.
We did not plan to take the ferry to Malig, but out Airbnb host on Skye sent an email remainder telling us that taking the ferry to Malig is something that needs to be reserved well in advance.
To take the ferry, you head to Armadale on Isle of Skye and the ferry to Mallig is 30 minutes.
Interesting fact: The other popular way to get to Mallig is to take the Jacobite Steam Train which is especially popular if you’re a Harry Potter fan or in Scotland with kids who are.
Malig is a touristy, bustling little place – explore the things there are to do in Malig here.
8. Spend an afternoon at Dunvegan Castle & Gardens
Dunvegan Castle is the most popular castle that is actually on Isle of Skye. You can visit the gardens (outside) only, or the castle and gardens.
They also had seal-spotting boat trips that you can book through them. Book your tickets to Dunvegan here.
Bonus: Explore lesser-known castles on the Isle of Skye
There are a couple of other, less popular castles on Isle of Skye that are worth checking out.
- Armadale Castle, Gardens & Museum – mostly in ruin, but beautiful surrounding gardens
- Dunscaith Castle – in ruins, very dramatic mountainviews
- Duart Castle – a restored medieval castle, which has landscaped grounds and a tearoom!
- Duntulm Castle and Castle Ewen (both in ruins, near Portee)
- Castle Tioram – also in ruins, on the west coast
9. Try to spot wildlife
One thing you may have noticed is that there aren’t a lot of trees on Isle of Skye, so there’s not a lot of wildlife around (the most common animal you will see without a doubt, is sheep!)
However, it is possible to see some wildlife on Skye, especially if you know where to look/are there at the right time:
- Sealions
- Whales and dolphins
- Puffins
- Red deer
Places to Stay on Isle of Skye
- Achalochan House This is where we stayed. The attraction its closest to is the Fairy Pools Hike (only a 15 mintue drive). We stayed in the self-serve 3 bedroom apartment, they also have a bed and breakfast on the main floor. Such lovely hosts; they baked us bread, and shared baked brownies with us. Couldn’t recommend them enough
- Creagory Skye Charming B&B near Portree, breakfast included!
- La Maison de Campagne Beautiful, cosy French-style cottage on the west coast of Northern Isle of Skye
A Final Thought on Isle of Skye
I won’t sugarcoat it – Isle of Skye gets crazy busy and overtouristed. There’s no way around that. When you see it, I think you’ll understand why so many people want to go here.
My tip is to not just do the popular things. Find the more random, quiet things to do – that is what will allow you to really fall in love with this special place. I’m glad we did Fairy Pools, Fairy Glen and the dinosaur footprints – but the best experience was the things we did where we had the natural beauty almost to ourselves.
If you’re doing a Scotland road trip itinerary, then I recommend giving yourself at least 3 full days on Isle of Skye. One or two days is completely doable, but you will definitely feel like you didn’t have time to see everything – we didn’t in 3 nights.