Swerve the crowds on Skye this summer by heading north to Staffin
Not many tourist destinations are reduced to hanging out a sign on the doorstep saying “go away”, but the Isle of Skye more or less did just that last summer, advising visitors not to cross over the sea unless they had accommodation booked. Certainly in any given summer the island capital – Portree – can be the Hebridean equivalent of St Ives: a nice place to visit but you wouldn’t want to try to find a parking space there.
The solution? A 30-minute don’t-blink-or-you’ll-miss-something drive north is Staffin, a rambling tumble of peaceful crofting townships tucked between the other-worldly geological architecture of the Trotternish Ridge and a shimmering coastline of cliffs subsiding into the curve of Staffin Bay.
So how do I avoid the crowds?
The truth is, you won’t avoid crowds if you’re heading up this summer, particularly at hot spots such as the Old Man of Storr – the less strenuous alternative to the Cuillin peaks. But staying in Staffin means you’re unlikely to be much more than a 10-minute drive from the astonishing landscape of pinnacles, cliffs and crags in the Quiraing. Get there early and enjoy some of the island’s best walks in relative peace.
Or make only the briefest pause to wonder at the incised basalt columns of the Kilt Rock where the Mealt Falls drop 180ft straight into the sea. There’s no denying it’s pure Instagram bait, but if you’d rather avoid having your eye poked out with a selfie-stick, move along to the Lealt Falls (five minutes further along the A855).
Ignore the parked charabancs and their passengers snapping away at the viewpoint and carry on down the steep, rougher path (make sure you’re well-shod and sure-footed) to the shore where you can shelter against the remains of a Victorian diatomite drying kiln. It’s a grand spot for a picnic and you’ll get a great photo of the prettier lower falls on your way back up.
What if I’m taking the family?
If you have children in tow, Staffin really earns its keep with a sandy beach that’s easily accessible and is perfect for both paddling and serious sandcastle construction. It also comes with dinosaur footprints (go at low tide); a world-class distraction, even on a rainy day. For the really smitten, there are more footprints and fossils at the Staffin Dinosaur Museum (staffindinosaurmuseum.com).
Drive around the end of the peninsula for yet more footprints at Duntulm, as well as a ruined castle (but don’t let your children use it as a climbing frame). Continue to Uig and seek out the Fairy Glen; a geological curiosity that’s a Quiraing for little legs (off the A87 at the Uig Hotel). And if you just can’t stand any more rocks, try the 90-minute boat trip from the Uig Pier to watch whales (August-September; adults ￡25; 16 and under, ￡15; puffinsandwhales.co.uk).
Will there be caber tossing?
If you’re in Skye on August 8, pop in to the Isle of Skye Highland Games in Portree. Here you’ll see strong men tossing cabers, throwing hammers and putting shots, as well as bags being piped and Highland dancers in a setting that’s a natural amphitheatre.
It kicks off at 10am so get there sharpish and park in the signposted overflow area (there’s a free shuttle bus to the games field). Bring something waterproof to sit on and plenty of Avon Skin So Soft to keep away the man-eating midges. (Tickets at the gate on the day; adults, ￡10; children, ￡4; skye-highland-games.co.uk)
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I’m going to be hard pushed to get there
Don’t despair if you miss the games, because in September, a jolt of electricity is due to run through Portree in the form of the Skye Live Festival – a mad mash-up of techno and electronic music featuring artists such as Saoirse, Or:la and Heisk (if you can pronounce them, you should definitely be there).
If you haven’t danced yourself silly with the main event, you can come over all Celtic at the Fèis an Earraich 30th Anniversary Ceilidh Dance. There’s a campsite within stumbling distance (skyelive.co.uk; September 21-22; day tickets from ￡39 per person, camping from ￡25).
I’ve been spun into a stupor
Never fear, the slightly idiosyncratic Flodigarry Hotel (telegraph.co.uk/tt-flodigarry-hotel) has a great location, a family-friendly vibe, cosy fires (if it rains), and a terrace on the battlements (if it’s fine). If you prefer self-catering, Driftwood Cottage (driftwoodcottageskye.co.uk) is a neat white crofting house with a warm family feel, a fenced garden and maximum views across Staffin Bay.
Is it all haggis and deep-fried mars bars?
No, but you might chant “who ate all the pies” after grabbing a slice of heaven at the Skye Pie Café. Here, you can get everything from a “fishy delishy” (smoked haddock, mussels, potato and parsley) to a vegan polenta pie with sweet peppers and almond pesto; not forgetting kiddie-plate pies and the sweet delights of chocolate and cardamom or apple crumble tart (skyepiecafe.co.uk; from ￡6). It’s a good B&B, too (telegraph.co.uk/tt-glenview-hotel).
Staffin | Know before you go
If you’ve worked up an appetite on the beach seek out the old-fashioned soft-serve ice cream at MacKenzie Stores. For more fine dining, head back into Portree to the Scorrybreac Restaurant (scorrybreac.com; three courses, ￡42) where the cooking rivals some of the island’s better-known destination restaurants. Start with “salmon, dulse, fennel, horseradish”, move on to “venison, parsnip, wild garlic, carrot”, and finish with “pear, almond, Amaretto, rowan shoot”.
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