Isle of Skye

[Reavenger]

Even though fuel prices have rocketed, I still want to drive up to the Isle of Skye and see what it's like. Programs like Top Gear and Google Streetmap (have a look if you haven't already) make this place look interesting and a good place to drive to and around. Has anyone done it? Anyone live near there or looked into the same idea? Is it worth my bother?

I'd probably go in better weather than right now(!) and would likely be a 3-4 day adventure

[Fish]

Stuff the fuel prices, go up there and enjoy (even though Wiltshire is very nice itself).

Main town is Portree - nice hotels and guest houses abound. Leave Kyle of Lochalsh and go over Skye Bridge (which is now toll FREE). Interesting places to visit in Broadford (first main town you come to).

Drive on to the foot of the Cuillins at Sligachan. From here you can head to Carbost and Talisker Distillery (which is my favourite single malt!) or carry on to Portree. From Portree, head around the northern coastline to Uig (ferry sailings to the Outer Hebrides leave here). Head to the Vaternish peninsula (which I think is the most beautiful part of Skye (secluded bays and whitewashed cottages). Local potteries and Skyeskins is worth a visit. Carry on to Dunvegan Castle (ancestral seat of the MacLeods). Road around east of Skye comes back towards Portree or Sligachan.

Unusually, I have found different weather in different parts of the island - cloudy and wet in the Cuillins (which is probably the norm), yet dry, warm and sunny on the Vaternish!

[ColinD]

If you can take the diversion home via Torridon too Don't try for the ferry at Mallaig unless you have solid good weather, and thats low wind... I've gone over a few times and had to come back.

The Fort William > Mallaig road is nice at 40mins or less but twice in the same day is a pain.

The Torridon YHostel is actually very nice if you don't mind connecting to your youth again.

Take your time in getting up there, you'll find yourself travelling quick but as the roads are quieter, using less fuel than you think. Oh and cravans, get em in the braking zone

I've never been on Skye and had clear days. I've been on the mainland (torridon, fort william etc) and it's always been clear.

You'll get from Manchester to high fort william and a stop over on a tank easily. Fill up and head off, try not to pass a fuel station on less than a third, ideally a half if in winter.

I'd head up from the south M6 etc, then go for Stirling, Callander mainly to avoid loch Lomond. Which is nice but a traffic nightmare. Plus the A85 A84 is a great road. I was following a citroen picasso at a great rate of knots back along this road at night. Shall we say the pace was very good and although I knew the road, I would not of wanted to go much faster. So the piscasso driver was setting a good pace. A citroen Picasso, must be a local! Into the forest his electrics failed so he stopped, I pulled over. No it wasn't a local at all, but a Finish tourist and his electrics had packed up, loosing his lights. So he followed me for a while

So you will get all sorts up there, it's lovely country and if friends of our come from New Zealand to go up there it has to be good right? Get it done.

[Reavenger]

Thank you for the reply guys. I'll most likely go around March time when hopefully, the weather has picked up a bit. Will likely go across the Skye Bridge and go in that way. I've already ear marked some nice local hotels and 1 or 2 nice sightseeing spots. Probably go to Broadford (petrolprices.com says there is a BP garage there! ) and on to Portree. From there, follow the A855 and make it to Ulg and then on to Edinbane. Follow the East coast along for some sightseeing and back across the bridge and probably home.

Spread over 2-3 days with some parking, book reading, picture taking and sampling the food + culture :yes:

[Fish]

Probably go to Broadford (petrolprices.com says there is a BP garage there! ) and on to Portree. From there, follow the A855 and make it to Ulg and then on to Edinbane.

Yes, that's right - the BP garage used to sell Esso and there is a useful co-op right next to it.

The drive from Uig to Edinbane and beyond leads to the Vaternish. There's a small brewery near the ferry terminal in Uig. Very nice colourful pottery can be bought at Edinbane. Beyond here, Skyeskins make gorgeous sheepskin rugs. Take your cheque book!

[Rich_N]

It's stunning - I was there 18 months ago. Best time to go IMHO is May or October, they can have the better weather.

This is a YouTube video from my channel of images taken on Skye in October 2009

As Fish says, head up to Uig and then you can break across country and come out on top of the Quirang

Or you can drive to from Broadford to Elgol, or if you're sad like me cycle it on a road cycle!

You'll pass some stunning landscapes on the way to Elgol - like Bla Bheinn (Blaven)

Check out that set on my Flickr page - many are from Skye

http://www.flickr.com/photos/43464304@N05/sets/72157622625314223/with/4071823515/

Rich

Edited 26 January, 2011 by Rich_N

[Hammett]

Am staying in skye with a few friend at beginning of april... can't wait, love the area.

I do suggest visiting Applecross though if you get time and if possible stay a night, they have a great campsite and b&b. The pub is very good, with great beer and food. If you're lucky enought to get good weather the drive over the cattle pass (one of the highest metalled roads in the uk) is a dream (apart from traffic), probably by fave/idylic place in Britain.

[Leodhasach]

Absolutely glorious part of the world, no matter what the weather's doing.

For me to drive home to Stornoway from Glasgow, I have 2 options. Drive to Ullapool via the A9 and get a ferry direct to Stornoway, or drive through Skye via the A82 and get a ferry from Uig to Tarbert, then drive another 40-odd miles to Stornoway.

The A9 route is a shorter distance, but the scenery and better roads means I always go the Skye way

[Reavenger]

Thanks for the replies and photos guys. I've been plotting my journey for the past 1 or 2 weeks and making a spreadsheet for the whole holiday so I'm prepared . Probably drive up to Glasgow first day, experience some Scottish nightlife. Drive to Portree the next day and have a look round Skye at some of the locations people have suggested. I'll likely loop round the island using the A87/A850/A863. Drive back to Glasgow then back home.

Will be going end of March! :yes:

[MattyD]

Did you ever get to Skye?

[VWD]

Just a tip ,guys. Distance from Kyle of lochalsh to Broadford is only about 10 miles. BUT fuel prices on Skye benefit from the Island subsidy of 5p/litre. So ,it might be worthwhile loking for a pump on Skye rather than filling up on the mainland.

[Ootohere]

It is not just an Islands Fuel Subsidy now.

Here are the Post Code Areas. Even Includes Carrbridge near Aviemore,  (in Danny Alexander MP's constituency.)

http://bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-highlands-islands-30829356

[rum4mo]

I was up North last week, seems like a lot more fuel available nowadays, some seem to be community owned. I made a big "fuel" mistake the year we went up to Skye by fuelling at or before Kyle then finding proper fuel brand and prices at Broadford. This year's trip up North was a quick fill up at Fort William (North side) then Gleaner Fuels when ever needed, seemed okay for unleaded.

[DoktorLorenz]

There's not many places in Highlands that serve 98RON Super Unleaded

If you're going up to remote areas of Scotland and use Super Unleaded i hope this helps.

I compiled a list of fuel stations for my road trip last year that I used to fill up Super Unleaded (when i last used them august 2014).

I'll also put in a couple of Tesco Sites i've used too. I have personally used all these sites in my Fiesta ST with no problems.

 

 

Gleaner Fuel Stations

 

FORT WILLIAM

 

Ben Nevis Services (Gleaner Fuel),

North Road,

Fort William

PH33 8TF

(01397) 702 346

(A82 on North Road opposite Argos/Poundstretcher)

 

 

KYLE OF LOCHALSH

 

Central Filling Station (Gleaner Fuel),

Station Road,

Kyle of Lochalsh

IV40 8AG

(01599) 534 676

(A87, its opposite Langlands Terrace in Kyle of Lochalsh)

 

 

ULLAPOOL

 

Lochbroom Filling Station (Gleaner Fuel)

Garve Rd,

Ullapool, Ross-Shire

IV26 2SX

(01854) 612 560

(A835 on right side just before hit Ullapool)

 

 

THURSO

 

Bridgend Filling Station (Gleaner Fuel)

Bridgend

Thurso

KW14 8PP

(01847) 894 219

(A9 heading out crossing River Thurso after the bridge)

 

 

 

TESCO Filling Stations

 

INVERNESS

 

Tesco Extra Inverness

Business And Retail Park

1a Eastfield Way / Nairn Rd

Inverness,

Highland

IV2 7GD

(Just off A9 on A96 head towards Nairn and first roundabout turn right)

 

PERTH

 

Tesco Extra Perth

Crieff Rd

Perth,

Perth and Kinross

PH1 2NR

(just off A9 on A85 towards Perth)

 

LESMAHAGOW

 

Tesco Lesmahagow
Teiglum Rd,

Lesmahagow,

South Lanarkshire

ML11 0HY

(really handy for driver coming up from England as its literally just off J10 M74)

Edited 22 September, 2015 by DoktorLorenz