Skye & The Outer Hebrides

Trip Type:

Slower Adventures | Where walking and cycling meet easy-going exploring, our Slower Adventures are the perfect combination. Most days are filled with picturesque journeys with some free time to dive into the destination and experience the people, local food and culture as you go.

Activity:

Multi Centre Walking | With a mix of loop and point-to-point walks stay 2 or 3 nights in one place which offers the chance to slow down and really explore a destination.

Grade & Terrain

As all walks are self-guided, you will be responsible for navigation, decision making and safety during your trip. The walks are graded moderate. Some of the trails will be rough and potentially rather boggy underfoot, so you should be prepared for this. The longest walk is on day 6 although this can be shortened by public transport.

Navigation

The majority of the walks suggested on this trip are not waymarked and so you need to be able to navigate with a compass and map. We supply you with maps and route notes (along with digital maps and GPX tracks) in our free Macs Adventure smartphone app so you can easily find your way.

• 7 Nights in B&B’s and guesthouses
• 7 Breakfasts
• Train travel from Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh
• Transfers as described in the itinerary
• Ferry from Uig to Tarbert
• Baggage transfers
• Information pack, map, and access to route notes, GPX tracks and maps via the Macs Adventure smartphone app
• 24/7 Emergency telephone support from our office

• Travel to Inverness / from Stornoway
• Optional guided tour of Skye (from Portree)
• Local bus transportation mentioned in the itinerary (payable locally only)
• Lunches, dinners, drinks & snacks
• Personal equipment
• Travel insurance (required)

• Additional nights along the route
• Optional guided tour of Skye (from Portree)

When To Go

This trip is available between April and October.  You can start this trip on any day of the week, but please note that some public transport services are limited on Sundays. We recommend checking all timetables and planning ahead to ensure a smooth jounrey. The Inverness to Kyle of Lochalsh train on day 1 only runs once on Sundays, and the local Stagecoach bus on Skye from Portree to The Old Man of Storr does not operate on Sundays but local taxis can be used as an easy alternative.  

Weather and Climate

Getting to the Start

By Air: The closest airport to the start of this tour is Inverness. An airport shuttle bus operates regularly to the city centre (approx. 30 mins) or a taxi to Inverness train station is approx. 15 mins. Further information will be detailed in your pre-departure information pack.  

By Train: Inverness has good rail links and you can travel by direct train from Glasgow (3h15) or Edinburgh (3h20) to Inverness.

Scottish Citylink also operates a bus service from Glasgow via Fort William to Broadford, or from Inverness via Loch Ness to Broadford.

Getting from the End

By Air: Flybe operates from Stornoway to various airports in the UK and Europe.

By Ferry and Bus: Alternatively, you can take the Calmac ferry across The Minch to Ullapool (2h30), then connect to enjoy a scenic bus journey (1h20) back to Inverness.

The website www.travelinescotland.com is fantastic for researching train and bus timetables throughout Scotland. Your pre-departure information pack will also have handy hints and tips about journeys and transport services.

Baggage Transfer

On Day 3 (Broadford to Portree) and Day 7 (Tarbert to Stornoway) your luggage will be transferred between accommodations.  When travelling with public transport, you take your luggage with you. Please limit your baggage to one bag of up to 20kg per person.

At Macs Adventure, we work in partnership with many luggage transfer providers who set a limit on how many bags/suitcases they will transfer per person, and also the weight of the bag/suitcase.  Your booking includes transfer of 1 bag per person.  It is very important that you read the luggage information specific to your tour before departure. If you do not adhere to these limits, there is a great possibility that you will be charged locally both for extra bags or if they are too heavy. This limitation can be a challenge, especially as airlines generally have limits that are higher. However, our luggage providers have reasons for these limits (usually due to the Health and Safety of their employees), which we must respect.

General Information

The distances and ascent/descents are approximations of the recommended routes. Please be prepared by packing all necessary items, for example, proper rain gear (jacket and pants), sun hat, sunscreen. Your information pack has a detailed equipment list which includes standard walking gear such as good walking boots or shoes, warm and waterproof clothes for the cooler months and lightweight clothing for summer, and a day pack. 

Local Transport

Buses and local transportation are used for access to/from some walks, alongside our pre-arranged taxi transfers. On Skye there are limited services on Saturdays, and often no service on Sundays (so a taxi will be needed—we can arrange this for you at a supplement). We give you information regarding the latest timetables but you should always check locally regarding the most current information.

Travel Insurance

It is a requirement of booking this tour with Macs Adventure that you have suitable travel insurance which covers you for the activity and emergency evacuation and hospital care.