Portree, Isle of Skye, Scotland

Apr. 28, 2023

Sing me a song of a lass that is gone, Say, could that lass be I? Merry of soul she sailed on a day Over the sea to Skye. Billow and breeze, islands and seas, Mountains of rain and sun, All that was good, all that was fair, All that was me is gone.

Skye is the largest and most northerly of the Inner Hebrides islands of Scotland. It is the nearest of these islands to the mainland, which lies only a few hundred yards away at Kyleakin, where the Skye Bridge provides access to the mainland by road. Administratively, it lies within the Highland council area, and it is part of the historic county of Inverness-shire.

While the Isle of Skye is a member of the United Kingdom, it also has its own flag:

Skye is almost 50 miles long, and its coastline is so deeply indented that no part is more than 5 miles from the sea. The Cuillin Hills—reaching an elevation of 3,257 feet above sea level—dominate the landscape in south-central Skye. North of Portree is the curious basaltic group of pinnacles at Storr, the most remarkable of which is the Old Man of Storr, a landmark for sailors. Much of Skye is moorland.

Skye was occupied in prehistoric times and settled by Gaelic-speaking Scots from Ireland during the first centuries BCE. Norsemen ruled the island from the 9th to the 12th century. Thereafter, while the kingdom of Scotland claimed the island, the Lords of the Isles maintained independent control of the Hebrides until the 15th century. Dunvegan Castle, home of the MacLeods, the chief clan of Skye, was built in the 9th century and has been occupied longer than any other house in Scotland.

The crofting system (small-scale tenant farming, mainly for subsistence) is still widespread. During the late 18th and early 19th centuries the poverty of the crofters was extreme, and large numbers were forced to emigrate. Improvements came after the passage of the Small Landholders (Scotland) Acts, 1886–1911, and the subsequent introduction of government subsidies for growing potatoes and raising cattle and sheep. The sea fishing industry, once a mainstay of the economy, has declined, but commercial fish farming, particularly of salmon, is now an important part of the local economy. A smoky, peaty single-malt Scotch whisky is distilled at Carbost, and this product as well as the spectacular rugged scenery keep tourism a major industry. Portree, the largest settlement, lies at the head of a fine harbor on the eastern coast. Gaelic is spoken by about one-third of the islanders.

The population of the Isle of Skye was about 10,000 in 2013.

Portree, the main town on the Isle of Skye, is a bustling port and a thriving cultural center.

Set round its natural harbor and fringed by high ground and cliffs, the town is a popular tourists’ holiday destination, and the harbor continues to be used by fishing boats as well as pleasure craft. It boasts excellent leisure facilities including a swimming pool, pony-trekking and boat cruises plus plenty of shopping opportunities in addition to the great variety of accommodation ranging from upmarket hotels through guest houses, B&Bs, self-catering establishments and hostels. There is also a campsite nearby.

Portree is also the cultural hub for Skye and one of its main attractions, the award-winning Aros Centre, runs regular theatre, concerts and film screenings.

The town is a popular base for exploring the rest of the island. Many visitors are drawn to the spectacular scenery of the Trotternish Ridge to the north as this wild area is dominated by weird and wonderful at the same time rock formations such as the Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock and the truly extraordinary pinnacles of the Quaraing.

The Old Man of Storr:

The Quirang:

The Isle of Skye boasts a romantic, colorful and poignant history. After the failure of the Jacobite rebellion of 1745, Flora MacDonald became famous for rescuing Bonnie Prince Charlie from the Hanoverian troops.

The coach traveled north from Portree on a circular panoramic drive along narrow roads. There are views of the coastline across undulating stretches of heather moorland — streams and small lochs are constant companions.

The road rises and falls, twists and turns as it follows the geographical contours of this northern peninsula, passing farms and hamlets — some of the most striking landscapes in Scotland. Gorse (the yellow flowers shown below) is everywhere.

Continue north and your attention becomes focused on the Storr. This 2,358-foot summit rises above the east-facing cliffs. At 200 feet tall, Kilt Rock is a rock face marked in an almost tartan-like pattern.

A waterfall tumbles down the sheer wall to the pebbled shore below.

The tour finished at the Skye Museum of Island Life. This outdoor museum is composed of a fascinating collection of thatched cottages; it offers a genuine taste of the crofting way of life that is now long gone from Skye.

The critical factor governing the design of the Highland croft house was the nature and extent of materials available. Most crofters could not afford to buy materials, so they limited their use of materials to what was available, at no cost, in the immediate vicinity.

This concludes the tour of the Isle of Skye. Next stop: Oban, Scotland.