Skye Excursion

opening days/times, entrance fees, telephone numbers etc.  in yellow pages.

If undertaking this day for the first time, it is good to ask for a briefing when you become aware of your hotel location.

 

• This is a long day, with plenty of driving.

.     Eilean Donan Castle Visit

• Warn the group about midges during the summer.

• Lunch in the Harbour town of Portree. Small, quaint but slow service.

• If you need it, Caledonian MacBrayne Ferries website is www.calmac.co.uk

Please note your itinerary, hotel location (Aviemore 0730, Inverness 0800, Fort William 0800, Ballachulish 0730) and group’s wishes, and consult with your driver to select the optimum route for you.  Ring the office if in any doubt. THESE ROUTES ARE BASED ON A HOTEL IN FORT WILLIAM. If your hotel is in Inverness or Aviemore the journey includes the A82 from Inverness to Fort Augustus.

ROUTE 1

Go and return by Skye Bridge.  There are no longer any coach tolls.

08:00          Depart from Fort William.  Take the A82 towards Spean Bridge. 

                   You can make a photo-stop at the Commando Memorial. 

Continue along A82, turn off onto A87 passing through Glen Shiel (Five Sisters of Kintail). 

10:30           Eilean Donan Castle Visit. Café & Shop. Toilets by ticket office. 

Groups will have a guide (phone to confirm) and time slots must be

adhered to. Gather group by the end of the bridge and the guide will

walk you over.

11.45             Depart Eilean Donan via Kyle of Lochalsh to Skye Bridge.  Continue north on A87 in Skye to Sligachan where road forks.  You will pass the Cuillin Hills, weather permitting, on your left and at Luib, thatched crofting cottages.

13:00           Arrive Portree Harbour Village. Lunch. Service can be slow and some close from 1400. Very busy all year round due to the reference in the Skye Boat Song in Outlander.

14:30          Depart Portree for photo opportunity of Old Man of Storr, A855 bumpy road. Views are Weather Permitting.  Return same way via Portree.

15.30             Depart for Return Journey. Continue on A87 via Skye Bridge, Eilean Donan Castle.  The castle will charge you parking as you will not be on a booked visit, irrespective of whether you visited in the morning. There are toilets to the right just before Eilean Donan Castle, but not always guaranteed to be open. If you have to use Eilean Donan then expense the parking charge.

(On the way back you could, time permitting, detour past the end of Loch Ness.  Take the A887 after Loch Cluanie to Invermoriston.  Turn back onto A82 towards Fort Augustus along edge of Loch Ness.  You can stop in the first lay-by. This adds about an hour to the return journey.  You could stop at Fort Augustus.  Restrooms behind the Tourist Info and at the Garage shop. 

17.30             Take A82 back to Fort William.  Rest stop facilities available at Spean Bridge, 30 minutes from Fort William.  These sometimes close around 5pm. Spean Bridge Woolen Mill has toilets. Before Spean Bridge is the Commando Memorial.

18.30             Approx.  Arrive back in Fort William.

If staying in Ballachulish ads an extra 30 mins each way. There are no amenities there. You may wish to offer a stop at Morrisons in Fort William for toilets and snack supplies.

NOTE: If you are staying in Inverness you have the option of a ‘loop route’, utilizing the A82, A887, A87 to Skye and upon return to Inverness, utilizing the A87, A890, A832, A835 A9.

If staying near Inverness, you are very close to the Culloden battle field which you can walk on prior to the visitor centre opening. With keen groups you can leave a little earlier for a brisk morning walk before heading to Skye. Or you may choose to do this before heading back to Edinburgh/Glasgow.