The Magic in the Scottish Skye

The highlands of Scotland are poetry realized. The green mountains are impossible, the clouds fantastical, the sheep and highland cows dotting the landscape a children’s storybook come to life. It is a place that so easily felt like home and a holiday both at once.

The Braes

We spent our stay in the Braes, just south of Portree; a quiet and idyllic spot that’s a perfect reprieve from the bigger tourist hotels and buses making their way around the island. Our Airbnb hosts claimed that the Braes is one of the most scenic areas in Skye, and from what we saw, I wouldn’t argue the point with them.

We spent our mornings with the sheep, and my girls bottle fed their new favorite friend, Lamby, who, after that, more or less followed Penny around anytime she was in the field. Hiking to the beach nearby meant spectacular views and very wet sneakers – guess that’s why all the locals have wellies, we were poorly equipped in our tennis shoes.

Exploring the Braes and around, we found telephone booths converted to free libraries, desolate beaches except for the sheep and some cool old ceramic treasures, and green as far as our eyes could see.

Portree

The capital town on the Isle of Skye, Portree is about 200 years old and was created as a fishing village at the beginning of the 19th century. You could call it the cosmopolitan center of Skye, which is saying a lot because it is a pretty small village (about 2,300 residents).

Portree has a very appealing waterfront, complete with colorful buildings facades and fishing boats. Some great seafood restaurants are found in Portree, including Sea Breezes, where we spent a delectable evening (but booking ahead is needed.) We also tried some local gins at the Merchant Bar, and enjoyed surprisingly good fish and chips (chips were underwhelming but the fish and the scampi were really great) at the Chippy.

Cake Box!

Towards the middle and western side of Skye is Carbost, and this is where we discovered a true gem – the Carbost Cakes cake box! When driving past a sign that reads ‘Cake Box Open* are you able to resist? We weren’t and it was certainly a highlight of our day.

I can’t emphasize enough that if you pass by this cake box, stop! And select, pay, and savor.

The Fairy Pools

A bit touristy, but for a good reason, hiking to the Fairy Pools on a foggy morning exhilarated us all. Don’t be fooled, being touristy doesn’t mean this is an easy hike – its a pretty long way (at least 40 minutes each way) and uneven, so don’t wear flip flops or something (lots of photos of Margot here because Penny was practicing her portrait photography).

Dunvegan Castle

Another popular tourist stop, Dunvegan Castle is the oldest continuously inhabited castle in Scotland. It has been home to the Chiefs of clan MacLeod for 800 years. We toured the castle but our favorite spot was the gardens, which we easily could have spent more time exploring. Guests can also take a boat trip to see the Loch Dunvegan seal colony, which we didn’t have time for but sounds pretty fun.

To & From Skye

We made a few short stops while coming and going from Skye, to admire the views at the Eilean Donan Castle, the Three Sisters of Glencoe, and the scenery of Inverness. The drive from Edinburgh is a long one, but it felt more like an adventure than a chore. My only complaint was that we ran out of time to meander even more.