Scotland’s Isle of Skye – Dunvegan & Eilean Donan Castles, Neist Point Lighthouse

The Isle of Skye boasts some of Scotland’s most rugged & spectacular scenery. Considered part of the Scottish Highlands, its dramatic coastline winds its way around Skye’s many peninsulas and sea lochs (inlets), with beautiful, craggy mountains filling much of the interior.

The Isle of Skye offers spectacular drives, an end-of-the-world lighthouse, picturesque harbors, beautiful hikes, great food, a whisky distillery tour, and moody medieval castles (some in ruins, some beautifully preserved). All are reasons why Skye has become one of Scotland’s most popular destinations.

The Isle of Skye is the largest of the Inner Hebrides islands (over 600 square miles), but it has only around 13,000 residents. It’s connected to the mainland by the Skye bridge, creating easy access for lucky visitors who want to experience Skye’s unique beauty & amazing sights.

My Visit to Skye / Purpose of Blog Post

I visited the Isle of Skye for 3 nights / 2 ½ days with good friends Carol & Eddie in late September 2024. We stayed in Portree, the island’s charming main town. We had our own car on the island, since we were exploring all over Scotland by car, using Rick Steves’ guidebook – “Best of Scotland.” We loved Skye and everything we saw & did!

In my 1st blog post about the Isle of Skye, I shared highlights of Portree, plus took you on an exploration drive around the magnificent Trotternish Peninsula – considered Skye’s crown jewel. To read, click on the following title: Scotland’s Dramatic Isle of Skye – Visiting Portree & Trotternish Peninsula

In this Part 2 blog post about Skye, I will cover the Isle of Skye’s many other great sights. They include Dunvegan Castle & Gardens, Neist Point Lighthouse, the Old Sligachan Bridge, Talisker Distillery, a Fairy Pools hike, and Eilean Donan Castle.

So let’s get started exploring more of Skye’s delights…

Visiting Dunvegan Castle & Gardens

Dunvegan Castle, the oldest continually inhabited castle in Scotland, is a Skye must see! From humble beginnings in the 12th century as a small, thatched house perched on a rock overlooking a sea loch (inlet), it has been the residence of the MacLeod clan chiefs for over 800 years.

The current (and 30th) clan chief, Hugh Magnus MacLeod, divides his time between London and Dunvegan Castle. One of Skye’s preeminent clans, the MacLeods (pronounced “McCloud”) often clashed with their rivals, the MacDonalds.

Today, things are much more peaceful than in the medieval past! Rick Steves shares his thoughts about Dunvegan: The castle offers an interesting look at Scotland’s antiquated clan system and provides insight into rural Scottish aristocratic lifestyles.

The castle is also surrounded by extensive formal gardens containing exotic plants, specimen trees, and gushing waterfalls. I highly recommend your Dunvegan visit includes both a tour of the castle’s beautiful interior & a walk around the plush 5-acre gardens (first developed in the 18th century).

Our Visit – Starting with Dunvegan Gardens

From the large parking lot with a ticket booth near the big entrance gates, it’s about a 5-minute walk to the Castle entrance. As you approach the Castle, you’ll see a path that leads off to the left, taking you through Dunvegan Gardens and to the lake (a sign says Gardens & Seal Boats).

We really enjoyed our half-hour visit to the beautiful gardens, including a delightful woodland walk through the lush landscape. We saw the Water Garden with ornate bridges, babbling streams, and a waterfall. We passed the wide-open Round Garden before spending time in the lovely Walled Garden and its indoor arboretum.

We then walked the short distance down to the sea loch and a small pier for great views back up to the Castle sitting on the rock above. (photo, below right) We declined the “Seal Trips” being offered – and headed back up to visit the castle.

Tour of Dunvegan Castle

We spent an interesting hour touring inside the Castle. It’s a self-guided tour, following a one-way route with decent signage & helpful docents along the way to answer any questions. You start the tour by going up the main wooden staircase to the second floor and turning left.

There, you’ll see a bedroom in the “Fairy Tower,” pass through an elegant dining room (with walls lined with portraits of clan chieftains and the MacLeod family), and a library crammed with leather-bound books. Overall, the Castle is decorated with fine furniture and magnificent paintings.

Entering the wing to the right, you’ll see a 14th century drawing room (above right), the oldest part of the castle. Here is displayed the tattered silk remains of the famed “Fairy Flag.” (below left) Brought back to Dunvegan after the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066, legend has it that this flag is a gift from a fairy and has extraordinary powers to protect the clan.

You’ll then pass by an entrance to the Dungeon (circa 1360), where you can step inside to peek down into a deep pit from the castle’s medieval fortress days. If only the walls could talk!

A particularly fascinating room is the North Room at the end of the wing. Essentially, it’s a mini-museum of the MacLeod clan’s most esteemed artifacts. There are several Jacobite relics related to Bonnie Prince Charlie (1720-1788), including his framed vest (waistcoat) on the wall (photo to right) and a lock of his hair. Plus, you can see Flora MacDonald’s corset!

Then, you head down a different staircase to the ground floor for a few more exhibits. One is a darkened room that holds the Claymore Sword – one of two surviving swords (from late 15th or early 16th centuries) made of extremely heavy Scottish iron. (photo, above right)

We finished the visit by watching a 12-minute film about the castle & the MacLeods (narrated by the clan’s 29th chief who died in 2007 at age 72), as it poured rain outside. Luckily, the rain stopped just before we made our way back to the Castle entrance and parking lot.

Dunvegan Castle & Gardens – Helpful Tips

The Castle is located near the small town of Dunvegan in the northwestern part of the island. It’s around a 45-minute drive from Portree, the main tourist town where we stayed. (see map)

Dunvegan Castle is open daily during the season (April 1st – October 15th ). My ticket cost for a senior (age 65+) was 13.50 GBP (around $17 USD).

Like many wonderful tourist attractions around Scotland, Dunvegan offered an excellent café in the parking lot area. So, we stopped there at the MacLeod Tables Café for a quick but tasty lunch. I had a delicious salmon & sun-dried tomato quiche before we headed off for our next sight – Neist Point!

Website – Dunvegan Castle & Gardens

Neist Point Lighthouse

Getting to Neist Point

Wow! It’s certainly a “journey” to get to the Lighthouse at Neist Point – Skye’s most westerly point on the island’s Duirinish Peninsula. But once you finally arrive, you’ll be awed by the stark beauty, amazing views & edge-of-the-world feeling of the landscape. Hopefully, like us, you’ll be very glad you made the trip!

From Dunvegan Castle, it took us 45 minutes to drive the 10.5 miles on Skye’s famed single-track roads. Passing through idyllic scenery, we followed signs for the village of Glendale and then for Neist Point. (see Skye map above) There were plenty of “passing lanes” along the way and our fearless driver Eddie only had to back up once (on a narrow, curvy hill)!  (photo, above right)

We didn’t see many cars on the road as we got closer, so I was naively thinking there wouldn’t be many people at Neist Point – way out here in the “middle of nowhere!” Turns out, I was wrong! As we got to the small parking lot at the end of the road (which was full), there were cars lining both sides of the road, so we joined them and parked.

As we stood on top of the big hill alongside the road, we viewed the long trail, far below, winding its way down and out to the point. (photos above) The lighthouse itself was not visible, hidden by a large hill. It was now around 3:30pm. The weather was cool and incredibly windy up on top so we bundled up.

The Walk to Neist Point Lighthouse

It’s quite a long walk to the lighthouse – around 2.2 km (1.3 miles). You use the same route both directions – and the concrete and stone paths can be quite steep at times. Luckily, there is a railing on one side to help with balance as you pass down alongside the first cliff face.

The average time to complete the roundtrip walk is 45 minutes (not including exploration time at the lighthouse). We were gone for a total of one hour.

About 15 minutes from when we started walking, we were excited to get our first view of the lighthouse as we passed around the big hill. (photos below) But from there, we still needed to walk down some more.

And as they say, “What goes down, must come back up!” So, be prepared for some steep uphill climbs on your return trip. My photos will give you an idea of the walk and the beautiful scenery all along the way, including the dramatic cliff-lined coastline to the left (east) of the path.

Neist Point Lighthouse

Neist Point is one of Scotland’s most famous lighthouses. It was built in 1900 (first lit in 1909) when it was a manned lighthouse. The light is 43 meters (141 feet) above sea level and can be seen up to 16 nautical miles offshore. The station was converted to automatic operation in 1990. Thus, the lighthouse keeper’s cottages that surround the main tower are no longer occupied.

The lighthouse is definitely picturesque & “eye candy” for photographers – both the yellow & white buildings and the tall rocky cliffs on which it is perched. From here, you are treated to beautiful views of the Sea of Hebrides and the Outer Hebrides islands.

Apparently at sunset, the view of the Lighthouse is even more spectacular – thus making this a top destination for photographers. In addition, on the plateau just below, there is field of “stone towers” (cairns), all built by visitors. (photo above right). Plus, beautiful views of the cliff-lined inlet just to the east of the lighthouse. (above left)

Website – Neist Point Lighthouse

Driving Back to Portree

The return trip from Neist Point to Portree is around 31 miles. The drive took us 1.5 hours. For the last part, we stuck to the longer main road since Eddie had tolerated more than his fill of single-track lanes! On the way, we passed through the town of Colbust, where “The Three Chimneys,” one of Skye’s premiere restaurants, is located.

Cuillin Hills / Sligachan Bridge

The world-famous Cuillin (pronounced “cool-in”) is a range of mostly jagged, rocky mountains that stretch along Skye’s southern coast. This dramatic mountain range (its highest peak is 3,255 ft. / 992 meters) is visible from most areas on the southern 2/3 of the island.

There are no roads that take you through the heart of the Cuillin. That’s reserved for hikers and climbers, who love this area! However, for the rest of us, the road from Portree to Sligachan and on to the Skye Bridge (crossing over to the mainland) will give you some good Cuillin views.

The main Cuillin ridge is called the Black Cuillin to distinguish it from the Red Cuillin, which lies to the east of Glen Sligachan. Apparently, the steep and challenging Black Cuillen is the most popular one for serious climbers.

Sligachan Old Bridge

The small settlement town of Sligachan is a crossroads for reaching different parts of the island. It’s particularly known for its iconic old triple-arched stone bridge. This Sligachan Old Bridge was built between 1810 and 1818 by famed Scottish civil engineer Thomas Telford.

With three spans, the old bridge crosses the River Sligachan. It has recently been replaced by a new modern bridge (a single concrete arch bridge faced with stone) that lies parallel. However, pedestrians & cyclists can still use the old bridge. (photos below)

As you travel around the Isle of Skye, be sure to make a quick stop in Sligachan. That way, you can enjoy the beautiful views of the Old Bridge with the stunning Cuillin mountains perfectly positioned behind. As you might imagine, it’s a popular photographic spot.

Adding to the allure of the Old Bridge, there is a myth that claims by washing your face in the river’s waters that flow beneath the bridge, you’ll gain eternal beauty. What’s not to love about that? And, no, I didn’t know about the myth until later, or I would have certainly done this!

Website – Old Sligachan Bridge

Talisker Distillery

When you think of Scotland, what icons quickly come to mind? For many of us, this includes kilts and bagpipes, the Loch Ness Monster, and whisky – Scotland’s national drink.

With a history stretching back as far as the 11th century, Scottish whisky – also known as ‘Scotch’ – is an important part of Scotland’s identity. Today, Scotland has over 150 distilleries, guarding the secrets and ancient traditions that have made Scotch Whisky famous around the world.

So, any visit to Scotland should include a whisky distillery tour – whether you drink Scotch or not (I’m a not!). Per Rick Steves, Skye offers a very good & popular tour at Talisker. We did not visit Talisker since we had already taken a good whisky tour in Oban (on the mainland) or else we would have gone.

Talisker is the oldest working distillery on the Isle of Skye. The MacAskill brothers opened the distillery in 1830 at Carbost. Apparently, the location is lovely! Talisker sits at the base of a hill (with 14 springs) along the edge of a sea loch – offering gorgeous views of the stunning Cuillins in the distance.

After a large renovation project, Talisker Distillery reopened its doors to the public in 2022. Talisker offers a range of tours, experiences, and guided tastings. Located just a 45-minute drive from Portree, it’s very popular so be sure to book your tour well in advance, especially in the busy summer season.

Website – Talisker Distillery

Fairy Pools Hike

Located close to Talisker Distillery, this relatively easy walk to the Fairy Pools sounds great! Sadly, we didn’t have time to do the hike, but I wanted you to know about it. Rick Steves states the hike has “some of the best Cuillin Hills views on the island!”

Located on the northern slopes of the Black Cuillin range, Skye’s famous Fairy Pools are beautiful crystal-clear blue pools which can be seen snaking down the hillside into Glen Brittle where it becomes the River Brittle.

Arriving at the trailhead, there is a large pay parking lot with toilets. From there, my sources (including Rick Steves) say you can easily follow the trail down across the field and toward the rounded peaks. The walk to the pools uses the same route out and back on a purpose-made good gravel path. And it’s mostly level!

Soon after starting your walk, you’ll reach the river, which you’ll follow toward its source in the mountains. Because the path is entirely through open fields, you get to enjoy beautiful scenery the entire time. Sounds great for photography, as the photos here will show!

The river begins to pool at the base of each waterfall, creating a series of picturesque pools. Although footing can be treacherous, many hikers climb down across the rocks to swim and sunbathe (likely the young hikers!). But be warned – the water can be ice-cold!

Website – Fairy Pools

Eilean Donan Castle

This picture-perfect Scottish castle is not officially on the Isle of Skye, but only a short distance away. Situated on a small tidal island at the confluence of three sea lochs, the iconic Eilean Donan Castle frequently appears in photographs, film and television. This castle is connected to the mainland by an arched stone footbridge.

The island’s original castle was built in the 13th century. For 500 years, it was a stronghold of the Clan Mackenzie and their allies, the Clan MacRae. Just like the MacLeods at Dunvegan, they were serious rivals to the mighty MacDonalds.

The castle was partially destroyed in 1719 during the Jacobite rebellions. Thus, the castle lay in ruins for almost 200 years until Lieutenant Colonel John MacRae-Gilstrap bought the island in 1911. Over the next 20 years, he restored Eilean Donan Castle to her former glory, with construction on his MacRae family residence completed in 1932.

In 1955, the Castle was opened to the public by the grandson of Colonel John. Today, there are four generations of the MacRae family (past, present and future) who are still the Constables of Eilean Donan Castle, which is now held in trust.

Visiting the Castle

We spent a delightful hour at Eilean Donan, visiting the Castle’s exterior for gorgeous views from different vantage points. The reflections of the castle and bridge on the water were stunning! We skipped going inside to tour the castle (for an additional fee), buying just an “exterior ticket” for 3.50 GBP.

The castle has a nice Visitor Centre with a café and gift shop, in addition to the ticket office. There is a large pay parking lot to efficiently handle the crowds since Eilean Donan is a very popular visitor site. And for good reason – it’s very much worth a visit if you’re anywhere in the vicinity.

How To Get to Eilean Donan

The castle is located just 8 miles (about 15 minutes) from the town of Kyle of Lochalsh after you leave the Isle of Skye via the Skye Bridge.

It’s conveniently located on the road (A-87) between the Isle of Skye and Loch Ness (and Inverness). The castle is close (just 1km) to the village of Dornie.

Website – Eilean Donan Castle

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FINAL REMARKS

I hope you’ve been inspired to pay a visit to Scotland & the Isle of Skye – a very special place! Hopefully, when visiting Skye, you’ll be able to spend at least 2-3 days (or more) to enjoy the island’s many & varied offerings that I have covered in the two blog posts.

I have no doubt you’ll be enchanted by Skye. However, please check out my 1st blog post (link below) about Skye, including the final remarks section. There, I mention the very real issue of big crowds on Skye during the busy summer season and the need to make reservations (lodging & restaurants) way in advance.

My 1st Skye Blog Post – Scotland’s Dramatic Isle of Skye – Visiting Portree & Trotternish Peninsula

COMMENTS: Have you visited the Isle of Skye? When did you go? What did you see and particularly enjoy?