Isle of Skye

The Isle of Skye packs an unreasonable amount of landscape into one island. The Black Cuillin rise in a line of dark, jagged summits, while the rounded Red Hills, broken coastline and strange rock formations of Trotternish give each part of Skye a character of its own.

For mountaineers, the Cuillin are the main event. Their narrow ridges, exposed scrambling and complicated route-finding provide challenges rarely encountered elsewhere in Britain. Skye’s 12 Munros include the Inaccessible Pinnacle, the only Munro summit that requires a rock climb. These are mountains where dry rock, good visibility and knowing when to turn around matter rather more than enthusiasm alone.

Skye is not solely for climbers. Sgùrr na Strì offers one of Britain’s finest mountain views without reaching Munro height, while the Trotternish Ridge, MacLeod’s Tables and quieter hills around Broadford provide days ranging from short walks to lengthy, pathless crossings. The 128-kilometre Skye Trail links much of the island for those who prefer their scenery spread across several days.

Away from the summits are sea cliffs, hidden beaches, abandoned settlements and freshwater lochs enclosed by rock. Skye can be busy and the weather makes its own arrangements, but walk beyond the familiar viewpoints and the island still feels wonderfully untamed.