How to get to Skye? See the best sights? Even travel the traditional way – by boat. If you really want to ‘go over the sea to Skye’ this is another way of doing that! (The Mallaig route is always an option too.) The ferry is community run and only operates Easter to October so check it is running first on their website.The unusual boat is very small taking 6 cars and crosses a beautiful stretch of water – Kyle Rhea – the haunt of otters and sea-eagles.Not cheap however, at £15 per crossing (which takes only a few minutes.) The drive to the ferry from the A87 is around 25 mins non-stop – but this isn’t a drive to be done in a hurry.Enjoy the scenery!
So, from the A87, at the end of magnificent Glen Shiel, beyond Shiel Bridge, turn left. The Kylerhea ferry is well advertised from here.It only operates Easter to October however so check dates.There are lovely views back to Glen Shiel on a fine day and a real sense of having entered a more remote world.
Follow this minor road as it climbs up and up to the top of the Mam Ratagan (hill pass) and stop for the wonderful views over to the Five Sisters of Kintail mountain range.
The Five Sisters zoomed:
The single track road then winds its way down to Glenelg with some wonderful remote mountain scenery as a backdrop.
It is a pretty quiet road, so a very different experience to the A87. Remote-feeling Glenelg itself is a small village with an excellent Inn, serving good food and with lots of atmosphere.I can highly recommend their local-estate venison burgers with home made chips and own tomato relish (though I just had to order good old ketchup too.What a philistine 😦
It’s well worth another 10 min detour (each way) to see two of Scotland’s finest Brochs, superb ancient structures 2,000 years old.
From Glenelg, it’s a short 5 min drive to the ferry, which is not bookable.
Just turn up.Kylerhea is a really beautiful spot,a little bit of paradise on a fine day.
There is an honesty box for coffee in the tiny shop where one or two things are for sale (not staffed).
The crossing itself is only a few minutes – dolphins occasionally come in to hunt here too.Once deposited on Skye itself, the drive ahead is incredibly winding and narrow through wild empty hills! Maybe 20 mins until finally, you reach the main A87 to Broadford and Portree.
For alternative routes to Skye:
TOP DRIVING ROUTES: TO SKYE (1)
MY NO 2 DRIVING ROUTE TO SKYE MY NO 3 DRIVING ROUTE TO SKYE
(There is an otter hide on the Skye side, a walk away from the ferry if you want to spend a bit more time in this very quiet, fairly unfrequented part of Skye.You may have it all to yourself!)
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