You can visit Armadale Castle through a wonderful drive along the Sleat peninsula (pronounced: slate). Sleat is occasionally referred to as the garden of Skye, and offers an enjoyable trip with scenic sea views.

The Armadale estate covers 20,000 acres (8,000 hectares). It is traditionally owned by the clan Macdonald or Donald, also referred to as the Lords of Isles, however, it is now held in trust. The Armadale Castle, museum and gardens are an excellent tour package with a very affordable admission price.

Access to the Museum, with a unique display of MacDonald and Skye artifacts is included and make sure to visit the beautiful serene garden to walk about with a wide variety of different plants and trees, all thriving thanks to the warm Gulf Stream.

The Armadale castle itself can be a bit of a disappointment. It is a just small shell inside a relatively modern complex. The long distance photographs make it appear bigger than it really is and a visitor can spend perhaps the entire 5 minutes to take it all in, get bored and then turn around. One needs to keep in mind the history lying in the ruins. It is not open for public and now its sole function is just a ‘folly’ in the garden.

The visitor’s center offers a well organized and informative walkthrough on the importance and history of the MacDonald Clan. Even if you don’t have any family relation to the MacDonald clan, you will still find the entire exhibit captivating and you can spend a good hour or two in it.

You can visit any of the three small shops (one beside the restaurant, one at the entry and one at the museum). The first two are accessible without paying any entrance fees.

Visitors can go to a restaurant called as the Stables, offering a unique atmosphere and very nicely prepared dishes at reasonable prices and an acceptable service standard. To sum it up, you will find nothing wrong in the Stables. Main courses mostly came in at approximately £7-10 and are of excellent quality.

At first, the clan Chiefs decided to increase the available workforce on their land, to develop the booming kelp industry. Kelp was used to produce soaps and other consumer products. Many leading Chiefs, for example, MacDonald of Sleat encouraged larger families and the lands subdivision amongst their children, so that family farms could no longer sustain those living on them; it is hoped then more cheap labor would be available, as the ‘landless’ would relocate to the coast to help with the kelp industry.

Unfortunately, the kelp industry collapsed in 1822 when less expensive substitutes from Spain became available, and the sheep was the new way for wealthy landlords to make profits. The Highlands became an immense sheep farm, and many subsistence farmers who had inhabited the land for a millennium now stood in the new way for ‘progress’. Many were forcibly evicted from the most fertile and best farming land to the sheep grazing areas, and had to resettle on rocky and barren coastal strips where growing enough crop to survive was daunting.

Famine became widespread, particularly following the potato blights in 1845. For them voluntary emigration could be the only way out; thousands of farmers boarded ships to begin a new life in Canada or America each year, many of them dying en route due to epidemic on the crowded ships. Many villages were torched and their inhabitants were forced to leave the Isle with virtually no preparation or possessions. By the late 19th century, crofters began to fight back after inspired by the Ireland Land Struggle.

For those who wish to see the site of a forced clearance, the Suisnish-Boreraig walk is especially recommended. In this trip, you will visit a couple of villages cleared in 1853; while the old ruins in Boreraig remains a haunting spot. Other remnants of cleared villages can still be found in Lorgill, cleared in 1830, which you can visit on the Ramasaig-Orbost walk.

Many tales about the clearances have been passed down through the generations and are still remembered until now, both by people in Isle of Skye and by descendants of emigrants in the new world.

Aros Experience can be found on the southern edge of Portree (Phone: 613649; Viewfield Rd; Open: 9 AM – 5.30 PM). It combines book and gift shop, visitor center, theater and cinema. There is a large parking area in the Center, so drivers may take their car or bus to the front entrance allowing passengers to enter the building quickly, especially during rainy days.

In Aros Experience, you can buy souvenirs and gifts, while listening to the haunting tunes of Gaelic music, you’ll find an interesting range of Skye’s unique gifts. You might even commission your own Skye jewelry during your visit.

The 150-seat restaurant offers daily specials meals written on black boards and a range of snacks. Over the years they have established a reputation for delicious food at affordable prices. The restaurant may provide a catering service for groups however you need to pre-book. The catering service can be performed at any time that suits the group’s schedule. Once booked, they will guarantee that adequate space is reserved for the group in the restaurant. Often groups can order special dishes prior to arriving and the restaurant staffs can make suggestions according to your budget. Alternatively, the visiting group can choose from the current menu which changes each day.

Kids are welcome and they have provided small playing areas, one indoors and during sunny and clear days you can choose out-door playing area. Customers can dine outside, bask under the warm sunlight and revel the scenery of Portree Bay.

The visitor center (adult: £3; child: £2) offers fascinating views through live CCTV images on nearby heron and sea eagle nests. Groups can take advantage of their concession rates for this exhibition. It allows groups to view to the live nest-cam images with the help of RSPB officers. In this center, you can also get a wide-screen view on Skye’s amazing scenery; the aerial shots of Cuillin are worth the wait. The center is a perfect retreat during rainy and foggy days.

In the Isle of Skye Tartan, they offer a Kilt Hire service to cater all kinds of occasions and family photographs. For £40, you will get Kilt, sporran, jacket, shoes, belt & buckle, bowtie, flashes, and Sgian dubh.

There are no large cities, per se, located on Isle of Skye. Towns and villages are all relatively small in size; however, you will find all basic facilities and amenities available for an extremely enjoyable vacation.

Portree is Skye’s liveliest and largest town, it has a scenic harbor with amazing views of surrounding hills and lined with colorful and brightly painted houses. Its name, Portree, is a Gaelic for King’s Harbor, to commemorate James V, who arrived in 1540 to pacify nearby clans. The current population is approximately 2500 and 40% can speak Gaelic. There are several ways to get to Portree: from the Western Isles through Uig, the Mallaig to Armadale ferry; Skye Bridge; and the (seasonal) Kylerhea ferry. Buses are the only available public transport services. Portree has a few modern and comfortable B&Bs, yet most are bland and often lacking in character. In early August the annual Isle of Skye Highland Games is held.

Broadford (Gaelic: An T-Ath Leathann) is a service community village for nearby communities in Skye. This long and straggling village has a 24-hour gas station, a bank with ATM, a big co-op department store, a tourist office and small hospital. Three miles east of Broadford is the Ashaig airstrip, in May, it is the venue of the annual Skye Music Festival. You will find a lot of B&B around Broadford. The village has been expanding and evolving significantly in the past five years, with a number of new shops opening in this period.

Dunvegan (Gaelic: Dùn Bheagain) is the location of Dunvegan Castle and the seat of the Clan McLeod chief. The town has been expanding and evolving significantly in the past five years, with a number of new shops opening in this period. Dunvegan is now home to four medium sized B&B’s/hotels, a restaurant, a bakery, two general stores, a cobbler, tourist information, two gas stations, a fishing store, a gun shop, a vegetable and fruit ’shack’ and a cake shop. The town also has a recycling facility and other smaller facilities. It sits on the edge of the big ‘Loch Dunvegan’, while The School House is a famous restaurant for delicious dishes, made from freshly caught fished from the loch itself.

One of the greatest things about a visit to the Isle of Skye is its ferry ride. If you enjoy sailing slowly on ferries, island-hopping through the entire Hebrides chain can be a real blast, and a great way to spend a day exploring.

A network of small boats link the Isle of Skye to the mainland. The primary ferry services provider is CalMac or Caledonian MacBrayne. You can get the ferry services in Mallaig to reach Armadale, Skye, which takes only about half an hour. The Skye Ferry uses a tiny vessel for short crossings between Glenelg and Kylerhea. The vessel sails every 20 minutes, the crossing time is five minutes, and operates from 9 AM to 7 PM daily. In 2008, the ferry services prices from the mainland were significantly reduced thanks to an experimental scheme known as the Road Equivalent Tariff and also a policy by the Scottish Government.

Scottish Citylink runs a bus service to reach Portree from Inverness (twice daily, 3.5 hours) or Glasgow (three daily, 6.5 hours). The Isle of Skye was tethered permanently with the mainland when the Skye Bridge was opened in 1995. Luckily, in 2004 the controversial bridge tolls were abolished and the crossing is entirely free. You can drive directly onto Skye over the bridge on the A87, located at the Kyle of Lochalsh. The bridge is connected to a primary road used to reach the Isle of Skye. Gas stations can be found in Portree, Armadale, Dunvegan, Uig and Broadford. While, the First ScotRail runs a train service to the Kyle of Lochalsh and terminating at the Skye Bridge.

Getting around the Isle of Skye can be a little difficult if you want to use public transportation. To explore the Uig-Portree-Kyleakin main road, you can use a bus, but these services are mostly unavailable during weekend and public holidays. Contact Highland Country to know all available bus routes and its service time. You can buy its Skye Roverbus pass for £6 to get a 24-hour unlimited bus service. To rent a car or order a taxi, call Kyle Taxi Company. The car rental cost is about £35 a day and you can arrange to have it waiting at the train station in Kyle of Lochalsh.

Located in the scenic coast of Lochalsh, the Skye is one of the best places to begin your tour of island hopping over the Hebridean archipelago. It is located at the very heart of the archipelago, and has four road based entry and exit points, at Kyle of Lochalsh, Armadale, Glenelg, and Uig, which makes it the perfect central base and start-out point for exploring the unparalleled beauty of these chain of islands.

One of the best public transport systems available to you is the ferry, which just happens to have on offer a comprehensive selection of tickets for island hopping any which way you want to go about it- whether it is with your family car, motor home, backpack or cycle. Look no further for the perfect way of exploring the Hebrides in the widest, most adventurous possible way.

The Island of Skye offers the perfect kind of ambience for both adventure and romance. There are many outdoor activities lined up- since Skye is bang in the middle of the archipelago, it is the destination of choice for kayakers and yachtsmen to explore the islands and coasts. There are also several classic tours, expeditions and events for the same to be enjoyed along the way. There are festivals held every evening for those who just wish to relax and spend some quality time with their special someone… The Island of Sky has something for everybody.

So come to Skye… and escape from the world for as long as you want.

The 130th Skye Highland Games was held on Wednesday 8 August 2007 at The Lump, Portree. The Piping Competitions began a day earlier, on Tuesday 7th August. The Sailing Race were held on Saturday 4th August.

The Games are one of the highlights of the Skye calendar and are enjoyed by thousands of visitors each year as well as the local population who come from all corners of the island, and beyond, to witness or to participate in this authentic expression of Highland tradition and culture.

Although the Skye Games in their present form were inaugurated in 1877, the tradition which they represent goes back hundreds of years before that, with clan celebrations that included fiercely-constested feats of strength and endurace, together with piping and other forms of entertainment similar to those that can be enjoyed at the games today.

A day at the Skye Highland Games is guaranteed to live long in your memory.

The Isle of Skye, located off the Scottish mainland, is one of the largest Scottish islands. The island itself is divided into five main areas, all of which have something to offer visitors to the region. Let’s take a look at each of the Isle of Skye regions in a little more detail:

• North West Skye — North West Skye has some of the most dramatic scenery on the island. It combines impressively craggy headlands, caves and cliffs with a range of coral and black sand beaches. The area inland here is also home to lochs and glens. This is one the most popular Isle of Skye regions for nature lovers as you can spot many different species from this region. You could, for example, see whales, sharks, seals and there is plenty of bird life around as well. This region is also home to Dunvegan Castle.
• North East Skye — North East Skye is home to one of the best known and most popular long distance walks in the area which takes in rolling hills and arresting ridges. Of all the Isle of Skye regions this is perhaps the best known for its medieval castle, Hugh’s castle, which is considered to be the last castle of its time built on the island. People visiting this region also often enjoy visiting the Fossil Museum to see the remnants of the dinosaurs that once lived here.
• Central Skye — This is probably the best known of the Isle of Skye regions in terms of climbing and mountaineering. Central Skye is home to the Cuillin range which gives climbers of all levels plenty of opportunities to match their wits against the local hills and ridges. Central Skye is also home to some of the island’s largest towns and settlements such as the island’s capital Portree, Carbost, Broadford and Sconser.
• South Skye — South Skye is often referred to as the ‘garden of Skye’ as its climate makes it perfect for cultivation. Visitors often enjoy a visit to Armadale Castle here to see the exotic trees grown there. Unlike other Isle of Skye regions South Skye is relatively flat and is mainly composed of moorland and forests. Other popular places to visit in this region include Dunsgathaich Castle and Ord Bay.
• Lochalsh — Lochalsh is perhaps best known for its fishing villages and the red deer and Highland Cattle which roam around the region. Like many Isle of Skye regions this area was involved in the Jacobite rebellion and is home to the site of a major battle. Walkers also enjoy all that Lochalsh has to offer. A visit to Glomach Falls is a must.

The Isle of Skye regions all have their own individual charm. Any visitor to the island that takes the time to investigate each region will find something of interest to see and to do.

Of all the Inner Hebrides, Skye has the most in common with the Outer Hebrides, with half the population speaking Gaelic, and many belonging to the Free Church of Scotland, known for its strict observance of the Sabbath.

Shinty is a highly popular sport, although football is widely played as well. Portree based Skye Camanachd won the Camanachd Cup in 1990.

The Talisker Distillery, which produces a single malt whisky, is beside Loch Harport on the west coast of the island.

Dunvegan Castle has been the seat of Clan MacLeod since the thirteenth century.

The Isle of Skye has been immortalised in the traditional song The Skye Boat Song and in the book To the Lighthouse by Virginia Woolf.

Skye has a strong folk music tradition, although in recent years dance and rock music have been growing in popularity on the island. Gaelic Rock Band Runrig started in Skye and former singer Donnie Munro still works on the island. The Isle of Skye Music Festival has been growing in recent years and this year featured sets from The Fun Loving Criminals and Sparks. Mylo was born in Skye and frequently returns there to play sets.

The poet Sorley MacLean, a native of the Isle of Raasay which lies off the island’s east coast, lived much of his life on Skye.

At 1656 km² (639 mi²), Skye is the second largest island in Scotland after Lewis with Harris. The island has some of the most dramatic and challenging mountain terrain in Scotland, including the Cuillin, as well as a rich heritage of ancient monuments, castles, and memorials.

The coastline of Skye is a series of peninsulas, including Sleat in the south, Strathaird, Minginish and Duirinish, and Waternish in the west, and Trotternish to the north. Surrounding islands include Rona, Raasay, Scalpay and Soay.