SCENERY AND HOSTELS -- NORTHWEST SCOTLAND, ISLE OF SKYE
- Isle of Skye Fantastic range of scenery -- but be prepared for wind and rain
- The Outer Hebrides Another world
- The Far Northwest Intricate and fantastic landscape
- Ullapool Little town with great sea views
- The North Coast Bleak and breezy
NORTHWEST SCOTLAND
Transport to the area
From Inverness: trains leave 4 times a day for Kyle of Lochalsh. The first two connect with a bus which runs across Skye. For the far northwest, take the train from Inverness (3 per day) to Lairg (1.5 hrs) or Thurso (3.5 hrs) then a connecting bus. On Sundays there are 2 trains per day from Inverness on each route, but only in summer.
There are buses every day in summer from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Kyle of Lochalsh and Skye. There are trains from Glasgow to Mallaig then a ferry to Skye, but bus connections on Skye are then not good.
ISLE OF SKYE
Skye is a long way to go, through scenery crying out to be
explored, so if you are short of time you may not get there.
But if you make it, Skye surpasses all expectations -- there's
fantastic views everywhere, of varied types. Most of the
hostels have views for which 'beautiful' is too mild a word. Of
course, it does rain here, so the views may be modified, but
not all the time. If Skye is your main destination, camping is
a good alternative to hostels (and several hostels include
camping facilities), but make sure you are equipped for wind
and rain.
You can reach Skye by train either from Glasgow via Fort William and Mallaig or from Inverness via Kyle of Lochalsh. Coaches from Glasgow and Edinburgh travel to Kyle of Lochalsh then over the bridge to Skye.
Once you are on Skye, buses are limited, so make careful enquiries at hostels and look out for fellow travellers with transport.
Approach from Mallaig
Trains from Glasgow will get you to Mallaig, where there is a hostel if you need to stop over.
From Mallaig there are 4 ferries a day taking half an hour to cross to the southern peninsula of Skye at Armadale.
Armadale
There's not much to the village but there's lots of good scenery and walking nearby, with outstanding views. You can stay at the convenient SYHA hostel 1 km from the Armadale ferry, which has a sociable atmosphere and terrific views -- you might even spot a whale. Or, if you have booked at the Flora Macdonald hostel on the hillside a few km north, you can phone for a free pickup from the ferry. When you leave, there are 4 buses a day from Armadale to Broadford, but in summer only.
Address: Ardvasar, Sleat
Tel: 0870-004-1103
Facilities: Very good kitchen, large sociable dining room, comfy sociable lounge, deck with spectacular view, spacious large dorms.
UK Trail opinions: A very sociable but restful and non-party hostel with enthusiastic staff. Ideal for hikers and cyclists. Dorms large, men's bathroom on separate floor.
The Flora Macdonald hostel is run by a member of that clan, who runs luxury tours and is the only hostel owner who is a native of Skye:
Address: The Glebe, Kilmore
Tel: 01471-844440
Email: peter_macdonald + AT + cillemhor.freeserve.co.uk
Facilities: Well off road, transport available; good kitchen, long narrow dining/common room with TV; separate-sex dorms; great view.
UK Trail opinions: The long narrow room with a TV at one end is rather bleak and not ideal if you are on your own here. There is also a modern self-contained annexe for groups or families. Owner is easy-going and helpful but does not live on site..
Approach from Kyle of Lochalsh
Trains from Inverness and buses from Glasgow get you to Kyle of Lochalsh, a little fishing village where the hills of Skye tempt you to cross the narrow strait to its twin village Kyleakin. Crossing the bridge is now free. Coaches stop at both Kyle and Kyleakin, and there is an occasional shuttle bus across the bridge.At Kyle of Lochalsh there is a hostel OK for one night:
Address: Station Road
Tel: 01599-534492
Email: cuchulainns_hostel + AT + hotmail.com
Facilities: Small hostel, medium kitchen w eating table; adjacent bar with smoking, TV & internet ; barman is manager (helpful but not always available).
UK Trail opinions: A clean and OK hostel, kitchen/dining room is cramped but sociable, no other common room. Several annoyances: nextdoor cafe extractor fan outside dorm window, dorm window frosted, hot water not working.
The Red Cuillins of Skye, seen from Raasay
Kyleakin is a lovely village with fine views and a castle nearby, a good place to stay for your first or last night on Skye. There are 4 excellent hostels, and a regular backpacking community in the pub, since the backpackers' tours stop here. All the hostels have excellent kitchens. Dun Caan hostel, run by an enthusiastic and very friendly couple, is compact, cosy and comfortable; Skye Backpackers is also small and compact, the staff are young backpackers, and is very sociable with a cosy common-room; the SYHA is a superb modern hostel with several large common areas; and Saucy Mary's Hostel is above the pub:
Tel: 01599-534087
Email: info + AT + skyerover.co.uk
Facilities: £11 (summer £12) (2005); Owner-run, cosy family atmosphere, free tea/coffee, smoke-free, kitchen, sitting room with TV, games & books, laundry.
UK Trail opinions: A small and compact but well-equipped, cosy and sociable hostel. The owners are very friendly and helpful.
Address: Benmhor
Tel: 01599-534510
Email: skye + AT + scotlandstophostels.com
Facilities: Good kitchen, dining area, friendly common room with guitar, no TV, separate-sex dorms, bathrooms barely adequate, helpful backpacker staff.
UK Trail opinions: Compact cosy casual hostel with very friendly staff. Kitchen/dining is efficient but can be congested. Common room small and very cosy and sociable with fire.
Tel: 0870-004-1134
Facilities: Large well-equipped kitchen, several good common areas with fine views, very clean, TV lounge, spacious dorms.
UK Trail opinions: Large hostel recently modernised and uniformly excellent, could be sociable if a suitable crowd is there; groups stay in a separate building and don't interact.
Tel: 01599-534845
Email: saucymary's1 + AT + btconnect.com
Facilities: £13.50 (2006), small dorms some w TV, equipped kitchen, dining area, lounge w TV, bar w TV, meals available.
UK Trail opinions: Haggis tours stop here; bar has live music and party atmosphere; reviewers are enthusiastic.
Moving further into Skye, you first reach Broadford, a long straggling village with shops, and just beyond, on a headland, a bright and cheerful SYHA hostel:
Tel: 0870-004-1106
Facilities: Large well-equipped kitchen, lg dining area, lg common room with lg TV at end, great view, good dorms, coast & hill walks from door.
UK Trail opinions: Very pleasant, cheerful-feeling hostel with helpful staff..
As you travel through varied and outstanding scenery you reach Sligachan, a place consisting only of a hotel and a bunkhouse in the middle of desolate moorland. Nevertheless it is a major road junction and well-placed for buses to many parts of Skye. There is an amazing view of the Cuillin mountain ridge if clear, and it's a perfect base for climbs, serious hikes, or fine low-level hikes along trails to scenic gems such as Loch Coruisk. The small bunkhouse, 200m off the road in a cluster of trees, is sometimes taken over by groups, but when there's room it's a comfortable place to stay, albeit pretty bleak if you catch it in a wet spell.
Address: Sligachan Hotel
Tel: 01478-650204
Email: self-catering + AT + sligachan.co.uk
Facilities: £10 bed, £12 w bedding (2005); very good kitchen/eating area, comfy lounge w radio/cd, good heating (charge), good dorms, poor bathrooms; bar & restaurant in hotel nearby.
UK Trail opinions: Very sociable, a lovely moorland retreat in good weather, bleak and damp-feeling in bad weather. Bring plenty of food and books/games.
Eventually you reach the town of Portree, which has bus services to most parts of Skye. In the centre of town on the main street is:
Address: The Old Post Office, The Green
Tel: 01478-613737
Email: skyehostel + AT + yahoo.co.uk
Facilities: £11-£12 (2005).Giant kitchen and dining area, TV lounge in reception area, good facilities, good view. Under new management June 2004.
UK Trail opinions: A good hostel, well located for town activities and local walks, kitchen fairly sociable, staff helpful. Some traffic noise in dorms.
The amazing mountain scenery of Skye
The Trotternish peninsula in the far north of Skye has some outstanding mountain scenery, views across the sea to the mainland, and amazing walks. It's also great for cycling (hire bikes at Portree) and gentle motoring. There are 4 buses a day (none Sun) to Flodigarry. If you get here on a good day, you'll wonder why you ever bothered to stay elsewhere. And if it's wet, stay here anyway, the skies will probably clear before you leave.
Address: Flodigarry, Staffin
Tel: 01470-552212
Email: hostel.flodigarry + AT + btopenworld.com
Facilities: Owner-run, excellent kitchen, large dining/sitting room, small lounge with books, piano & guitar, no TV, outdoor tables, outstanding view.
UK Trail opinions: An excellent hostel in a perfect setting. Could be very sociable, though lounge is large with many tables. View is amazing if clear. Good outdoor area, though midges can be very troublesome. Nearby pub/restaurant not cheap.
On the west side of the peninsula is Uig, with 4 buses a day from Portree and one direct from Glasgow and Inverness which connects with the ferry to Stornoway. Just outside Uig is a superbly-placed hostel:
Tel: 0870-004-1155
Facilities: Excellent kitchen, giant common/dining room, comfy lounge, all with stunning view of sea and headlands, no TV, mountain walks from door, helpful staff.
UK Trail opinions: Excellent hostel.
A few km S of Uig, a road runs up a quiet valley to a farm where there is a tiny bunkhouse:
Address: Glenhinnisdal, Snizort
Tel: 01470-542293
Email: rlyddon + AT + aol.com
Facilities: Owner-run, tiny bunkhouse (6 beds), low cost, cosy common room w fire, good dorms, good bathroom, limited but adequate kitchen, fine walks from door.
UK Trail opinions: A delightful very small hostel, very sociable, owner very helpful. Breakfast available in farmhouse..
On a small peninsula to the W , accessed from Sligachan, (2 buses a day) there is a good-value bunkhouse at Portnalong:
Tel: 01478-640250
Email: enquiries + AT + skyewalkerhostel.com
Facilities: £12 (2007). Owner-run, equipped kitchen, large common/dining room with musical instruments, TV area adjoining, local walks, adjacent cafe & shop.
UK Trail opinions: The enthusiastic owners are keen musicians. Fine views nearby..
CROFT BUNKHOUSE AND BOTHIES is mainly suited to self-contained groups; improvements are planned .
There is also a high-quality bunkhouse at Carbost, adjacent to a distillery:
Address: The Old Inn
Tel: 01478-640205
Email: oldinn + AT + carbost.f9.co.uk
Facilities: Modest kitchen, comfortable common/dining room with TV, spacious dorms, laundry, fabulous view.
UK Trail opinions: Very high standard, but too small if everyone wants to cook, and the TV in the only room could be annoying. Meals in adjacent restaurant (not cheap).
Glen Brittle in the SW is yet another area of varied and outstanding scenery, and gives access to the Cuillin mountains with the most severe ridge-walking and climbing in Britain (but there are also easier lower-level walks). There are 2 buses a day in summer only. In this remote area is a campsite, a shop and a hostel:
Tel: 0870-004-1121
Facilities: Large kitchen, large dining area, common room with guitar, no TV, ideal base for walks and climbs.
UK Trail opinions: When we saw it it was excellent for sociability, patronised by mountain enthusiasts.
ISLE OF RAASAY
Raasay Island, looking towards Skye
For a really peaceful break, take a ferry from Sconser across to the Isle of Raasay. You can take a car (£18 (2006) for 5-day return) which will help you explore places on this long narrow island that are otherwise hard to reach, as there are no buses or taxis. If you go on foot (£5 return), be prepared for a 5 km walk to the SYHA hostel, but it's a lovely place with stunning views. A walk up the mountain Dun Caan ( ) is easily manageable, other walks involve a lot of road walking first.
Address: Creachan Cottage
Tel: 0870-004-1146
Facilities: Small hostel in stunning location, very homely atmosphere. Good-sized modern common room w well-equipped kitchen, outdoor seat, outstanding view. Maps for loan.
UK Trail opinions: Volunteer staff always friendly. Kitchen well-equipped but badly laid-out, 2 people is a crush.
THE FAR NORTHWEST
This is a land where beauty turns into fantasy. Starting with
plain ordinary impressive mountains, and long valleys with
lochs leading down to great sea inlets, you pass a subtropical
garden (!!) at Inverewe, come to the small bustling but remote
town of Ullapool where boats leave for the Western Isles, see
the most fabulously beautiful scenes where the clouds and
sunbeams interact with the sea, and enter a landscape of tiny
valleys and hillocks suddenly interrupted by hills of the most
outlandish shapes plonked in the middle of the landscape. The
chain of hostels takes full advantage of the scenery, with many
located right on the coast, and several of them very remote.
It is possible to tour this area by bus, but get hold of the timetables before you plan your tour.
Hostels
Just inland from Kyle of Lochalsh is an area of magnificent mountains, sea lochs, a castle and more. You have a choice of three very different hostels. Among the mountains far from the main road (transport from Kyle can be arranged) you will find:
Tel: 01599-588205
Facilities: Self-catering with breakfast food provided.
Just a mile from the main road and 8 miles from Kyle is:
Address: Silver Fir, Carndubh
Tel: 01599-555264
And 18 miles from Kyle, beautifully situated on the quiet side of Loch Duich, is:
Address: Glenshiel
Tel: 01599-511243
Going along the railway from Kyle towards Inverness, you first pass the picture-postcard village of Plockton, with a hostel right by the station:
Tel: 01599-544235
Email: gill + AT + ecosse.net
After traversing some exquisite lochside scenery you can get out at Achnashellach. There is an excellent hostel right by the railway line but unfortunately 4km from the station. But it's worth it for the many fine hikes from here:
Tel: 01520-766232
Facilities: Owner-run, good kitchen, cosy common room w books and stereo, non-smoking, good hikes from hostel door.
UK Trail opinions: Excellent small sociable hostel, owner individualistic and helpful, no smoking in or outdoors.
For the rest of the northwest, take your time if you can. Nearly all the hostels are in magnificent locations, usually by the sea.
Tel: 01445-791284
Address: Diabaig
Tel: 0870-155-3255
Facilities: Very remote, foot access only, need sleeping bag, low-cost.
Tel: 01445-760253
Tel: 01445-712458
Tel: 01445-712131
Address: Gairloch
Tel: 0871-330-8510
Tel: 01445-771263
Email: ruareidh + AT + netcomuk.co.uk
Address: Croft Nr 9
Tel: 01854-633281
Email: michael.stott2 + AT + virgin.net
Tel: 01854-633224
Email: sailmhor + AT + btinternet.com
Address: West Argyle Street
Tel: 01854-613126
Email: rlindsay + AT + btinternet.com
Facilities: £14 (2006), 22 beds. Equipped kitchen, dining room, lounge w stove & TV, low-cost internet, drying room.
Address: Shore Street
Tel: 01854-612254
Facilities: 50 beds, open Mar-Oct. Kitchen..
From the next 2 hostels you can take easy walks or climb peaks from the hostel door:
Address: Achiltibuie
Tel: 0870-004-1101
Facilities: Low-cost, small hostel.
This hostel is on a white sandy beach:
Address: Recharn
Tel: 0870-004-1102
Facilities: Low-cost, small hostel on beach, good sunsets.
UK Trail opinions: Looks superb.
Tel: 01571-822218
Email: assynt + AT + dial.pipex.com
Facilities: Kitchen, dining room, lounge, shop, pub next door.
Tel: 01971-502003
Email: info + AT + kyleskulodges.co.uk
THE NORTH COAST
At last the beauty starts running out, and the far northern
coast is less impressive, but only compared with what has gone
before -- it is wild and often windy, but the villages lie in
sheltered coves. The northernmost point of the mainland at Cape
Wrath is rather difficult to reach, so stay 2 nights at Durness
and investigate the transport. To come direct to this area,
there is one bus a day from Lairg (on the railway) to Durness
and one to Tongue, and in summer one bus a day runs along the
north coast from Durness to Thurso. Durness is a remote village
but it has a shop and some fantastic beaches.
Address: Smoo
Tel: 0870-004-1113
Facilities: Kitchen, lounge with stove, drying room.
UK Trail opinions: Remote windswept area. We have not seen it, but it looks good..
Tel: 01971-511209
Email: fiona + AT + durnesshostel.com
Facilities: Smoke-free, equipped kitchen, living room, drying room, bike store.
UK Trail opinions: We haven't seen it, but it looks cosy and sociable. Remote, but shops nearby..
Farther along this coast is Tongue, an equally remote place with impressive scenery.
Tel: 01847-611301
If you continue further E along the N coast of Scotland you arrive at Thurso and John-O-Groats
