THE MISTY ISLE (Eilean a'Cheo) ISLE OF SKYE

Advantages: Tranquility; breathtaking scenery; friendly islanders
Disadvantages: Wet and windy or Midgies - take your pick!

..."'The Misty Isle' as the Isle of Skye is affectionately known (the Gaelic name is Eilean a' Cheo - pronounced Ellen a Kee-ow) is the largest of the Inner Hebridean Islands. The island lies about a mile off the north-west of Scotland. Grab yourself a map, and if you live in the south of England, move your finger up the map following the coastline, up through the North of England, through the Scottish borders, up, up, up?. Wait! Stop! See, just to the left at the very edge of the coastline in the Highlands of Scotland you will see a tiny place called Kyle of Lochalsh. This is where, up until 1995, you would catch the ferry to the Isle of Skye. Then they built a bridge and tourism dropped dramatically because the tolls were very, very expensive at £5.70 each way. In 2005, the tolls were finally abolished and since then the island has...

Louizalass 17.01.2008 · Read review
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Review of Isle of Skye (Scotland)

The Misty Isle

Advantages: Stunning landscape, nice towns to visit
Disadvantages: None

...The Isle of Skye is somewhere I have wanted to visit my whole life, but have never had the chance. The Scottish Isles for me have a sort of mystique about them, the isolation and the tradition they have, but Skye has always been the one I?ve wanted to go to. I think a lot of it has to do with my favourite band, Runrig, being from there ? their songs are often about the landscape they grew up in, and they even have a song called Skye. Finally, at the end of September this year, I went to the island with my parents. Having been staying on the mainland for several days in rubbish weather, the first remotely decent day we had we jumped in the car and shot across the bridge, as they knew how excited I was to go to the island, and we didn?t want to miss the best weather we were likely to have (best in this sense is mainly dry with showers...

eilidhcatriona 16.10.2009 · Read review
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Review of Isle of Skye (Scotland)

Life on Skye

Advantages: Lots to see
Disadvantages: Admission charges

...Even with all of today's mod cons like electricity and running water the Isle of Skye can still be quite an inhospitable place. In Gaelic it is known as Eilean Cheo (The Misty Isle) and its winters are amongst the harshest endured anywhere in the British Isles. Despite all of this humans have inhabited Skye for at least the last eight thousand years and over this period these people have adapted to cope with the environment. This way of life, which is unique to the Scottish Highlands, is known as crofting and crofting is still widely practised today. A croft is traditionally a stone built house with a small patch of land around it that was used to grow crops and support a few animals. Typically a croft would have a few sheep, a couple of cows, some hens and even a pig or two. They would cut and dry peat from the land that provided fuel...

micksheff 27.06.2009 · Read review
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Review of Skye Museum of Island Life, Isle of Skye

JEWEL OF THE ISLE

Advantages: Gorgeous designer & unusual clothing
Disadvantages: No changing facilities for the disabled

...Famous for its mountainous and breathtaking scenery, The Isle of Skye ? situated off the West coast of Mainland Scotland - is the largest and best known of the Inner Hebrides. Renowned for its natural beauty and therefore a magnate for climbers, artists and photographers, it is perhaps not the first place one would think of to visit for a glorious shopping experience. Seek and ye shall find. The island looks tiny on the map but you'll need your entire holiday and more to discover even a small proportion of some of the area's hidden gems. I'd like to share one such shiny jewel with you. Ragamuffin is situated on the pier in Armadale, Sleat (pronounced 'slate') on the south western peninsula of the island. The little shop (strangely like a sheik's tent, it is actually bigger inside than it appears outside) sits overlooking...

Louizalass 19.05.2007 · Read review
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Review of Ragamuffin, Isle of Skye

Limitless Skye!

Advantages: numerous
Disadvantages: its a long drive from the south!

...In February we were lucky enough to spend 3 weeks on the isle of Skye (should have been 2 ½ weeks but we got snowed in)! This review is by no means a comprehensive account of all there is to see and do on the beautiful Isle of Skye, but I have tried to give a taste of what the island is like and have included some of what I think are the highlights. I hope it is helpful to anyone planning a trip to Skye. Some basic information ********************* The Isle of Skye is situated off the north west coast of Scotland and can be reached by either a short ferry crossing from Mallaig (summer time only) or by crossing over the bridge at the Kyle of Lochalsh.We crossed via the toll bridge. The toll is £5.70 per car in the summer (each way) and £4.70 in the winter. Registered disabled drivers who are exempt from paying road tax can cross...

anwar 28.04.2004 · Read review
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Review of Isle of Skye (Scotland)

Come Over the sea to skye with me

Advantages: lovely island mountaind birds sea
Disadvantages: ?

...details I would recommend a holiday on Skye if you want to get away from it all, or if you wanted to go to a Gaelic folk festival I believe there is one in July. There are lots of local Art and crafts, silver jewellery, woollen knitwear and pottery for sale in the shops. Do remember though when ever you go take…….. Rain wear. Thanks for reading I hope I have given you a taster of this magical misty isle...

mumsymary 21.07.2004 · Read review
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Review of Isle of Skye (Scotland)

A few of my favourite (Skye) things

Advantages: Scenery; wildlife; getting away from it all
Disadvantages: Dreich if the weather closes in...

..., and a final word for the Isle of Skye brewery. The brewery shop in Uig is rather depressingly poorly stocked and dull, but the likes of the Co-Op in Broadford carry their full range and I would recommend you try the Porridge Oat Ale. Trust me, it's fabulous....

blackpuddinonnabike 20.11.2007 · Read review
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Review of Isle of Skye (Scotland)

Memories of Skye

Advantages: see review
Disadvantages: see review

...On a recent holiday on the Isle of Skye I spotted a bottle of Isle of Skye blended whisky in the local co-op. I have previously bought Talisker whisky from the Isle of Skye but had never heard of Isle of Skye whisky. As it was on offer for under £11 I decided to buy a bottle. As the name suggests Isle of Skye Scotch whisky originates from Skeabost on the Isle of Skye. However to- day it is produced by Ian MacLeod's distillery in Broxburn, Scotland. It is a blended whisky that has been aged for 8 years. The whisky has a lovely rich amber colour but the real test of any whisky has to be the taste! The first thing to say is that I definitely detected a peaty aroma on opening the bottle and as I don't usually detect any aroma with alcohol it must be quite distinctive! I usually drink whisky with ginger ale but for the purpose of this...

anwar 10.03.2008 · Read review
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Review of Isle of Skye Blended Scotch Whisky

Over the sea to Skye

Advantages: Lovely way to arrive
Disadvantages: expensive

...We are frequent visitors to the Isle of Skye and although it is now linked to the mainland by the now free to cross, Skye bridge, we still prefer to arrive by ferry. There is something romantic about travelling ?over the sea to Skye?, that the bridge just can?t deliver. Booking. ******** Booking is essential at all times of the year as the ferry is very small and only has capacity for about 12 cars. I always book by phoning Cal Mac on 0800-66-5000.Alternatively it is very easy to book on line. You will need your vehicle registration number and a credit card. The person?s whose credit card you use must also be travelling, worth knowing if you are paying for a teenage child to go of on his or her own! Once the booking is confirmed you will be given a reference number. You will need this number to collect your tickets from your...

anwar 01.03.2009 (02.03.2009) · Read review
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Review of CalMac Ferry: Mallaig to Almadale-Isle of Skye

Driving in Skye

Advantages: God's own country, stunning, idyllic and empty
Disadvantages: The weather can be capricious

...I last visited Skye more than ten years ago. Back then I was using public transport on rickety old buses across single track roads. Recently I've been lucky enough to get a new car, and Skye has been the benificiary of upgraded roads courtesy of the EU. I thought it was time to bring the two together. Using the aforementioned new roads it is perfectly possible to drive around Skye in a day. Personally I'd recommend taking more time over it, but a whistle-stop tour does at least give you a flavour of the scope and grandeur of the island. I started in the obvious place. The new road bridge from Kyle of Lochalsh dominates the skyline, but its long sweeping modernist curve looks strangely appropriate and leads you across, island hopping on a thin concrete strip. At first the road is straight and relatively flat, giving no warning...

williemeikle 03.09.2002 · Read review
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Review of Isle of Skye (Scotland)