Discover the 5 Best Isle Of Skye Walks: Easy Routes with Incredible Scenery
Many of the best things to do in Isle of Skye are free. You can find enough stunning viewpoints, waterfalls, and beaches to fill up your entire Isle of Skye itinerary. There are boundless Isle of Skye walks to satisfy your whole group. Plus, a sighting of Highland cows will be a highlight of your time in Scotland.
For those looking for an active trip in Scotland, spending time on the Isle of Skye is the perfect destination. The best way to do this is by enjoying all of the Isle of Skye hiking opportunities. There are walks of all levels varying in length, elevation, and terrain, so do not be put off by the word “hike”.
When I visited Isle of Skye in September 2020, we were eager to stay outside and enjoy Isle of Skye’s scenery. Therefore, I got to complete many of the best walks in Skye.
In my group, we had people will less mobility, family members with a lot of energy, and even some small dogs. So, I can provide recommendations on hiking Isle of Skye for a range of abilities.
5 Best Routes for Hiking the Isle of Skye
In this article, I have compiled a list of the best walks on Skye that can be completed in less than a day. You will not find any day hikes, such as the Skye Trail or the Trotternish Ridge.
These hikes on Isle of Skye are long enough to provide a sense of accomplishment upon completion but are also easy to slot in a morning or afternoon on your busy sightseeing schedule on Skye. You will have the opportunity to see incredible scenery and stretch your legs, but not tire yourself out too much for the remainder of your trip.
If these sound like the type of walking in Skye you are looking for, then keep reading. I even included the map from Strava where I tracked my walks, so you can get a visualisation of the route and distance.
For more inspiration about planning a trip to Scotland by car, make sure you read my Scottish Highland itinerary, including Isle of Skye. Plus, you may want to learn about how to visit Glenfinnan Viaduct.
1. Neist Point Lighthouse
Neist Point is a stunning location on the west coast and one of the must-see locations of Isle of Skye. It is quite far out of the way from many points in Skye. You should plan to visit sites near it, such as Dunvegan Castle and Coral Beach.
There are no bathroom facilities there, so think ahead of this. I stopped at The Dunvegan beforehand where they serve lovely cakes and it is dog friendly.
The drive to get to Neist Point Lighthouse is along a single-track road so it might take longer than the SatNav advises. When you arrive, the neist point car park is small, but there are numerous spots to park along the road.
How Long is the Walk to Neist Point?
The walk down to the lighthouse and back up takes around 40 minutes. This depends on your fitness level. It took me 37 minutes to walk to the Lighthouse and back. However, I stopped to take photos en route.
The distance of the Neist Point walk was 2.6km as calculated by my watch.
Below is my Strava map of the walk.
According to AllTrails for the Neist Point Lighthouse walk, the distance is 2.7 km and takes an average of 59 min to complete.
Neist Point Trail
Walk down the steep hill (with a handrail and some steps) all the way to the bottom where you will see the lighthouse.
The paths are relatively well paved, but very steep in places. Be careful if it is raining or has been raining as it can get slippery.
Make sure you are wearing shoes with good grip. I wore my Merrell walking boots, which I recommend.
If you have a member of your group with limited mobility, I would advise them to stay at the top due to the steep slope at the beginning. They can enjoy the Neist Cliff viewpoint while you walk the trail.
How to Find Neist Point Cliff Lighthouse Viewpoint?
I did not realise that the best view of Neist Point Lighthouse and the cliffs is actually from the top of the hill. You have to walk to the right of the path from the car park along the cliff edge on a muddy field to get to it.
You can find the location of Neist Point Cliff Lighthouse viewpoint on Google Maps here.
2. Old Man of Storr
The Old Man of Storr hike is located on the beautiful Trotternish Loop. There is an incredible view from all angles, whether you are facing up or down the hill. No wonder it is one of the most popular walks in Isle of Skye.
There is a pay and display car park. Old Man of Storr parking costs £5 per vehicle for up to 6 hours. We arrived at around 9:30 AM and found a spot, however the car park was definitely filling up. There are also toilets in the car park.
From the Old Man of Storr car park, it is easy to find the trail up to the top. There are several gates you have to pass through to get to the path.
How Long is the Old Man of Storr Walk?
Some people state that Old Man of Storr hike time is 1 hour 15 minutes, but it took me slightly longer.
My watch tracked the Old Man of Storr walk as 4.8 km in distance. All Trails marks the Old Man of Storr climb as 5.5 km, but when you compare maps, it is clear I must have missed part of the trail loop.
Here is the map of my route to hike Old Man of Storr on Strava.
Old Man of Storr Hike
I found the Old Man of Storr walk a challenge. But given that the whole route took me 1 hour 25 minutes, including many stops to catch my breath and to take photos, I think I can still class it as “easy”, particularly compared to other hikes on Isle of Skye.
The reason I found it challenging is because it is relatively steep on a rocky path. So, make sure you have good footwear on. You can take it easy and stop for breaks as needed.
On the way back down the mountain I walked along the rock formations past a sign that read “You are advised to go beyond this point”. It is not clear if it previously had the word ‘NOT’ in it, so I kept walking.
The landscape in this direction is incredible and is worth walking through to get back to the main path. In my opinion, this was one of my favourite moments of walking Isle of Skye.
It has to be included on a list of best Isle of Skye walks because the views are well worth the effort.
How to Find the Old Man of Storr Viewpoint?
In order to get the ‘money shot’ of the Old Man of Storr, you have to climb pretty high up the mountain. Even though you may be quite tired because the path starts to get slippery, unpaved and steep, I highly recommend that you push on and continue as high as you can.
The views across the loch and mountainside truly get better the higher you climb.
Check out other amazing viewpoints in Scotland in my 4 day Scotland itinerary.
3. Quiraing
The Quiraing route is one of the greatest Isle of Skye walks. The view of the Quiraing mountains alone is enough to persuade someone to hike the Quiraing trail.
It is also thought to be a challenging route due to its duration and terrain. However, there are options to do a shorter version of the Quiraing hike; therefore, I have included it on this list of easy hikes in Isle of Skye.
There is a large Quiraing parking area, but make sure you only park in the designated vehicle spots (and not the minibus spots). The Quiriang car park is paid, so make sure you purchase a ticket as there is an inspector that comes from time to time.
Make sure you come prepared because there are no toilets in the Quiraing car park. Plus, there are no trees and the landscape is wide open, so do not expect to be able to find any privacy while on the Quiraing hike.
We nearly got caught out wihtout a bathroom, but luckily we found some public toilets in a small town near the Uig Skye Ferry Terminal. They were unclean and I am hesitant to recommend, but they may help someone in a desperate situation.
How Long is the Quiraing Walk?
The information board states that the Quiraing hike time takes 3 to 4 hours and the distance is 6.5km or 4 miles. However, many people suggest the walk takes nearer to 2-2.5 hours.
As previously mentioned, there is an option to do the Quiraing short walk, which is officially called the Prison, and takes an average of 1 hour 16 minutes at 4km long.
However, there is no pressure to walk the whole route because it is an out-and-back hike. Meaning, you can turn around at any time.
I did not complete the whole of the Quiraing walk on the Isle of Skye because my family and I were tired from a busy day exploring. Therefore, I walked around 25 minutes along the lower loop of the route. Then I walked back on myself to where I started.
This is my Strava route of how far I walked.
Quiraing Trail
The views from this first part of the walk are remarkable. If this is all you have time for, or all you can manage, you will still be impressed with the scenery and the mountain range.
The part of the walk that I did was certainly of a ‘moderate’ level, so you need to make sure you are wearing suitable footwear. The path is quite narrow, and often you need to step off the path to allow people passing in the opposite direction.
There are also parts of the trail that require you to step up 1 meter and hold on to rocks to pull yourself up. I would not recommend this trail to younger children unless they are used to this style of hiking and are brave.
I saw a young lady crying at one part of the walk where you had to reach across, so I started to get nervous to tackle this part. However, I did not find it as scary as she had given the impression and it was feasible for me and my family.
How to Find the Quiraing Viewpoint?
The Quiraing Skye viewpoint is one of the most impressive spots on the island. You can see across a wide mountain range all the way to the sea when the sky is clear.
Without even leaving the the Quiraing car park, you will get a breathtaking view.
There is a location on Google Maps called Quiraing viewpoint that you can walk towards. But you will soon realise the view is marvellous from all around.
4. Coral Beach
If you are visiting Dunvegan Castle, driving to Coral Beach is only a little further. That being said, you will need to pull over to let cars pass because the road to get to the car park is very narrow.
To access the Coral Beach walking track, park your car at the Claigan Coral Beach car park. It is a small car park, with some larger vehicles having difficulties turning around. We had to wait a few minutes for a spot to clear.
The walk is self-explanatory when you arrive. Walk through the gate at the end of the Coral Beach car park and you will find the trail.
The walk is a similar difficulty to that of the trail to the puffins on Staffa in Scotland.
Coral Beach Walk
The walk to get to Coral Beach was 4.3 km and my watch tracked a 1-hour walk. Although, some people say it is a 45 minutes round-trip walk. We spent a little longer there because we walked to the top of mound to explore and get a view of the beach from above.
The terrain is quite flat but rocky. It is one of the easier Isle of Skye walks.
It started to rain while I was walking to Coral Beach, but the view was still very nice. However, I can imagine it is even better on a clear sunny day. So, try to schedule it in your itinerary accordingly.
Find out the recommended time to visit Isle of Skye here.
5. Fairy Glen
When you arrive at the Fairy Glen car park, you will need to walk for around 5 minutes to reach the base of the Fairy Glen. It is a paved road and relatively easy to walk on.
As you approach the Fairy Glen you will see the hills toppling over you as you start the incline up to this grassy area.
How Long is the Fairy Glen walk?
The Fairy Glen does not have a specific route to walk. It is an adventure to walk up and down the steep hills and around the area.
I spent around 45 minutes exploring the stunning views before moving on to my next point of interest. Some people find it underwhelming, but if you go into this walk with your imagination, you will enjoy the rolling hills.
Although, if you want more information on the Fairy Glen hike route, you can visit AllTrail’s website.
Conclusion: Isle of Skye Walks
The 5 best easy walks on Isle of Skye are Neist Point Lighthouse, Old Man of Storr, Quiraing, Coral Beach, and Fairy Glen.
Some of these walks have more challenging aspects; however, they are all short walks (around 1-2 hours) and you can modify it to your needs to make it shorter if needed.
