Isle of Skye: Day 30 – Scotland 2017
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5 May 2017
The Isle of Skye is one of Scotland’s shining gems. It’s a gorgeous stretch of the country that you should definitely add to your bucket list. We’d be spending the entire day on the Isle of Skye, and it did not disappoint. We’d see the gorgeous Neist Point Lighthouse and the Fairy Pools, but naturally, our day started with a castle.
Dunvegan Castle
Dunvegan Castle holds an incredible record of being the only Highland fortress continuously inhabited by the same family for over 800 years. The castle includes building styles that range from the 1200s to the mid-1800s, but it all looks like one uniform castle from the outside. During the last restoration, between 1840 and 1850, the outer shell of the castle was remade to resemble a medieval version with faux embattlements running along the length of the roofline. It’s an impressive building to walk up to and quite an imposing sight. If the castle wasn’t stunning enough, the setting it was built in will take your breath away. There couldn’t be a more gorgeous spot.
The castle overlooks Loch Dunvegan, and the view is incredible. If you google the castle, you’ll see tons of pictures of it from the viewpoint of the lake, and it’s simply magical. I wish we could have seen it from that angle!
We bought a ticket to the castle and garden, which is the most bang for your buck. Upon looking at the website, I am now seeing that they also have seal boat tours. I don’t know if those were available when we visited, but if they were, I’m kicking myself for not knowing about them! That’s definitely something we’d have done. I can’t recall if we did a guided tour or not, but I do remember the gardens. There were so many flowers in bloom, and the gardens are lovely to walk through. We spent a good deal of time there, enjoying the sunshine. I wish I had more photos of the castle, but apparently, I had eyes only for the flowers.
Neist Point
Neist Point juts out into the sea, claiming the title of the most westerly point on the Isle of Skye. The setting is incredible, and I’m so thankful we got to visit on a sunny day. The water sparkled like a million diamonds strewn across the surface. From the minute you leave the car park, the views will take your breath away. That being said, you’ll have to find a parking spot first.
It was packed when we visited, and we circled the lot a few times before finally finding a place to park. Once that was done, the long trek down began. Going down is the easy part, however, and we enjoyed the stroll across the green hill and over to the lighthouse. While the land and views are pristine, the lighthouse buildings have seen better days. The lighthouse no longer has a keeper but is now run remotely by the Northern Lighthouse Board. Unfortunately, many of the buildings around the lighthouse have seen damage and break-ins from folks wanting to get a better look or possibly taking shelter there as well. The lighthouse still stands proudly, though, shining its light into the dark.
The area is also a good place to spot dolphins, whales, porpoises, and sharks, as well as a few different species of birds. However, while enjoying the views, the walks, and the wildlife, please keep safety in mind. There are cliffs that are open to severe drops below.
After enjoying your time at Neist Point, prepare for the steep walk back up to the parking area. Take breaks if you need them, but do step to one side, as it is the only way up and down from the car park and has foot traffic in both directions.
The Fairy Pools
The Fairy Pools have a connection to our first location of the day in that they are located on the vast Dunvegan Castle estate. Like many other gorgeous locations in Scotland, the Fairy Pools have been heavily photographed by tourists and professionals alike. A stream of spring-fed water flows through the glen, creating small waterfalls and pools of crystal clear water. Every photo we saw leading up to our visit was of moody water in a breathtaking landscape, and we were eager to go.
Unfortunately, this was a case of expectation versus reality. Now, don’t get me wrong. The pools and waterfalls were lovely, and the setting was beautiful. However, the area was packed with folks just like us, hoping to get a good view of a spectacular location. We weren’t used to traveling during the high season, and the further our trip reached into May, the busier locations became. Perhaps if we’d have visited a few weeks earlier, we’d have had a more quiet visit. As it was, the pools were crawling with folks, some of them just enjoying the walk, others going for a swim in the pools. We snapped our photos, stayed for 10 minutes or so, and then headed to our campsite for the night. We had a fine time, but if we could do it over again, I think we’d have chosen to see something else instead.
Sligachan Campsite
We drove a short 20 minutes to our final stop for the night. Sligachan Campsite ended up being one of our favorite campsites for our whole trip. The location was awe-inspiring, for one. Second, there was an onsite pub with delicious hot food. After setting up our tent, we ate and hung out in the pub for a few hours, playing a card game we’d picked up somewhere a few days before. Watching the sun set against those mountains was the perfect cap on another great day.
Cheers,
Lydia and Billy
