One Rainy Day on the Isle of Skye (and Why We Loved It Anyway)
We tried to remember that rain leads to rainbows during our visit to the Isle of Skye. We pulled the car over to capture this amazing scene at Loch Ainort. All photos by John O’Boyle / The Empty Nest Explorers
This post covers all the tips for visiting the iconic spots on the Isle of Skye. First though, I want to talk about something more timeless.
The epic unpredictability of Skye's weather reminded us of a very important travel mindset.
Debbie and I make downloadable PDFs for what to do on a rainy day in London, Paris, New York, and other cities. Just click the link to download them. If we ever made one for Scotland, it would be a single line. Put your hood up and carry on with your plans.
Skye reminded us of this in a huge way.
I spent hours planning our one full day on Skye. Exactly what to see, what route to take, what we had to skip for lack of time. I love planning trips like this.
My day job is a professional commercial photographer. I had fully planned my iconic photo of the Old Man of Storr, probably the most famous spot in all of Scotland. In my mind the shot was already framed and hanging in my house before I even took it.
Thanks to Scotland's weather, the day turned out differently.
There it is my photo of the Old Man of Storr. It’s out there somewhere. Not exactly the iconic photo I had planned on taking.
When we got to the Old Man of Storr, the heavy rain was coming sideways from the wild winds. From the parking lot you couldn't see anything. Nothing at all. In the visitor center bathroom, two soaked hikers were using the hand dryer in a fruitless attempt to dry their gear.
All I could do was photograph the empty parking lot and the white expanse of nothing where the Old Man of Storr should be, lit in gorgeous morning light.
We had no choice but to laugh it off.
On the way to the Storr we stopped at the famous Sligachan Old Bridge. When we stepped out of the car, it was our first taste of what Skye's weather can really do. The bridge sits where two mountain ranges meet, so the wind and rain howled through the valley. It felt almost like an amusement park ride. We had no choice but to embrace it. It turned a nice stop into one we will remember for years.
That is the great thing about Scotland. You do enough research to know what you are talking about. Then you let the journey take you where it wants. Embrace that and you will be richly rewarded.
In the gift shop I found a artist rendering of the photo I planned to get with the photo Mother Nature gave me on my phone.
Is One Day Enough for the Isle of Skye?
Honestly, no. If you can give Skye two or three days, do it. But you can still have a wonderful time in a single day, and we did. Here is exactly how we spent ours, what we would change, and the tips we picked up along the way.
| Getting There | About 1.5 hours from Fort William, past Loch Loyne and Loch Cluanie, then over the free Skye Bridge. |
| Where We Based | Broadford, on the A87. |
| Best Base | Portree for the main town, Broadford for easy parking and logistics. |
| Days Needed | One full day for the highlights. Two or three to slow down and enjoy it. |
| Getting Around | A car is by far the easiest way to explore. |
| When to Go | Late spring to early fall for long days and the best odds of dry weather. |
| Weather | Changes fast. Bring waterproofs and keep your plans flexible. |
| Don't Miss | Sligachan Old Bridge, Old Man of Storr, Kilt Rock, and the Quiraing. |
Getting There: Fort William to Skye, With a Stop at Eilean Donan
The ride from Fort William to the Isle of Skye was beautiful.
We started our Skye adventure after an overnight in Fort William. A lively drive of about ninety minutes took us past Loch Loyne and Loch Cluanie. Then Eilean Donan Castle came into view. It is one of the most photographed castles in Scotland, and you can see why.
There is a small debate online about whether it is worth paying to see the inside. We had planned to skip the interior unless we had extra time. We were eager to reach Skye, so we skipped it. Even so, the stop was very nice.
The iconic view of Eilean Donan Castle can be captured from the parking lot.
Eilean Donan sits right on the road to Skye, so it is an easy detour. There is a large car park with staff directing traffic. You pay a small fee to park during opening hours at a machine that takes tap to pay.
We used the clean bathrooms and the cafe before the entrance gate. We bought some cold drinks and a few muffins. The chocolate muffin was excellent. We sat at a picnic table looking straight at that famous view. It was a lovely quick stop, and we highly recommend it.
For 2026, castle admission runs about £13 for adults and £6.50 for children aged 5 to 15. A family ticket is £38. Tickets are sold on site only. There is no online booking.
If castles are your thing we have other Scotland castle posts:
John and Debbie enjoy enjoy a snack with a great view of the castle.
Where We Stayed: Why We Chose Broadford Over Portree
Portree is the well-known town on Skye, and it books up fast. So we stayed in Broadford instead.
Broadford is less of a real town. It is more a collection of hotels and restaurants along the A87, the island's main road.
There is a trade-off. Broadford sits closer to the bridge, so it is a longer drive to many of Skye's big sights. The upside is how easy it is. We stayed at Broadford House and parked right outside our room door. Portree is trickier, with tourist and bus traffic to deal with.
We ate well here. Gasta did good pizza. And we had a fantastic dinner at Ith do leòr.
If you want to check rates and availability, we book our stays through Booking.com.
A quick note: some links here are affiliate links. That means if you book or buy something through them, we earn a small commission. You pay nothing extra, and it helps keep this blog going. We only recommend things we actually believe in.
A row of colorful houses in Portree harbor.
Portree
We spent time in Portree and enjoyed the town. The streets were busy, since every bus tour stops here.
We arrived at lunchtime. A few restaurants had waits, but there are plenty of options. We had a nice lunch at The Caledonian Cafe.
Portree has a lot more to do than the “town” of Broadford but it also has more tour buses.
Driving Skye's Big Sights: Don't Try to Do Too Much
Skye has at least a dozen major attractions. If we learned one thing, it is this. Do not try to tackle too much in a single day. Make your plan. Pick the spots that make sense for you. Enjoy the island. Do not rush through a checklist.
Here is a rough sense of the drive times for the route we took.
| Leg | Approx Drive | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Fort William to Eilean Donan Castle | ~1 hr 30 min | Past Loch Loyne and Loch Cluanie. A gorgeous warm-up drive. |
| Eilean Donan to the Skye Bridge | ~10 min | An easy run along the loch. |
| Skye Bridge to Broadford | ~10 min | Broadford makes an easy, low-stress base. |
| Broadford to Sligachan | ~25 min | Cuillin views and the old stone bridge. |
| Sligachan to Portree | ~15 min | Skye's main town, good for lunch. |
| Portree to Old Man of Storr | ~15 min | The coos at Untethered are on the way. |
| Old Man of Storr to Kilt Rock | ~10 min | A quick roadside waterfall stop. |
| Kilt Rock to the Quiraing (via Staffin) | ~15 min | The single-track Quiraing Road climbs from here. |
| Quiraing to Broadford (via Uig and Portree) | ~1 hr 15 min | Loops the peninsula and brings you home. |
Most of the big sights sit along the Trotternish Peninsula, north of Portree. Since Skye weather can turn on you fast, here is how each stop holds up when the clouds roll in.
| Stop | Effort & Parking | Works in Bad Weather? | Our Backup Plan |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sligachan Old Bridge | Flat and easy, free parking | Yes | The wind and rushing water are half the fun. |
| Untethered Skye (coos & coffee) | None, small car park | Yes | Coffee and coos do not need sunshine. |
| Old Man of Storr | Steep hike, about £6 | Only if the cloud lifts | Enjoy the views from lower down, or skip it in a whiteout. |
| Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls | Under a 2 min walk, a few pounds | Yes | The falls run harder after heavy rain. |
| The Quiraing | Big views near the lot, £3 for 3 hrs | Risky | Wait out the cloud, or enjoy the drive and come back. |
Sligachan Old Bridge
I had my trusty Canon R5 but took this photo with my iPhone. Photo tip - to get this smooth water “long exposure” effect turn on “Live Photo” then select “long Exposure” from the “Live” pulldown on the upper left.
Sligachan Old Bridge was the first well-known site we visited after leaving Broadford. It is an easy stop, because you drive right over it. We pulled into the lot beside Seumas' Bar and parked.
As I said up top, the weather was wild here. It felt like an amusement park ride. Still, we had a great time battling the wind and watching the water rush under the old stone arches.
The bridge dates to the early 1800s and was built by the engineer Thomas Telford. On a clear day you get famous views of the Cuillin. It is free to visit, and the car park is right there.
A rain soaked selfie with Debbie and our son at the Sligachan Old Bridge
Coffee and Coos at Untethered Skye
Just north of Portree, on the way to the Old Man of Storr, we found Untethered Skye. It is a great spot for a coffee and for hand-feeding highland coos. Someone kindly handed Debbie their extra feed.
The coffee comes out of a shipping container, which sounds basic but is far cooler than that. The coos are big but tame. There are no bathrooms. It was a very fun stop.
Debbie feeding a Highland Coo.
The Old Man of Storr
We never saw the Old Man of Storr but the rain slowed a bit to let us visit the gift shop.
After lunch in Portree we headed for the Old Man of Storr. Our first plan was to wake at 4am and shoot it in early morning light. The forecast was terrible, so we slept in. That put us at the Storr in the early afternoon.
The rough weather never broke. So we did not hike the Storr. We did not even see the Storr. From the car park it was a wall of white.
I do have good news. The car park has been upgraded. There are new restrooms and a very nice gift shop. They did a lovely job on the improvements.
For the record, the full hike is about 2.3 miles round trip. Allow around two hours. It climbs steadily and gets steep near the top. Parking is about £6 for a few hours, paid at machines that take cards or coins.
Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls
Kilt Rock offers great views out over the water.
Farther along the A855 we stopped at Kilt Rock. The cliffs here rise about 90 meters, with basalt columns said to resemble the pleats of a kilt. Beside them, Mealt Falls drops straight into the sea.
This one is easy. There is a large car park and a very short walk to the viewpoint. Because it is so easy, it gets busy. It is still worth the stop.
The Hungry Gull
The nice wood tables at the Hungry Gull.
A short drive on brought us to The Hungry Gull. We arrived just after the kitchen had closed until 6pm for dinner. So we had coffee and snacks instead. It was a good stop, though crowded. There are not many places to eat nearby, so it fills up.
The Quiraing
Next came another of Skye's heavy hitters, the Quiraing. It is a walk along a stunning landslip on the Trotternish Ridge. The path follows the cliff edge, and the views are world class. Best of all, you can hike as far as you like. That makes it great for everyone.
To reach the parking lot you take the aptly named Quiraing Road. If you spot a thin line on Google Maps, that is it. This is the classic Scotland single-track road you have read about. One lane, shared by drivers going both ways. Pullouts let you or the oncoming car pull over to pass.
The one gift of the bad weather was light traffic. It was a little nerve-racking, but it worked well. Every driver behaved. Everyone talks about the hiking views, but the drive itself is a highlight. The scenery on the way up was fantastic.
Then we reached the lot. Someone had wrapped a huge white sheet around the whole place. We could not see the view. We could not even see where the path started. Another strikeout. But the ride there was great, and the car park was large.
John driving on the narrow Quiraing Road.
Heading Back to Broadford
We carried on along Quiraing Road toward the other side of the peninsula. This side is not as stunning as the climb, but it is still beautiful. Sweeping views open up as you drop to sea level.
The A87 looped us back through Portree and on to Broadford. As we pulled in, blue skies were finally peeking through. The break came about twelve hours too late for us. We finished the day with a wonderful dinner at Ith do leòr.
What Skye Taught Us
We missed some of Skye's major sights. Some we lost to time, some to the weather. And here is what we realized. Skye is more than a list of attractions to check off. Even if none of those big sights existed, the Isle of Skye would still be a wonderful place to visit.
So let the Scotland journey take you where it wants. Embrace that, and Scotland will reward you richly.
After I took the wide photo of the rainbow I used a telephoto lens to capture a more closeup photo too.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is one day enough for the Isle of Skye?
You can see a lot in one day, but Skye deserves more. We gave it a full day plus travel time and still missed things. If you can spare two or three days, take them. The island is worth slowing down for.
Should I stay in Portree or Broadford?
Both work. Portree is the main town and books up fast. Broadford is quieter and easy for parking and logistics. We chose Broadford and were happy. The trade-off is a slightly longer drive to the northern sights.
Do I need to book Eilean Donan Castle tickets in advance?
No. Tickets are sold on site only, on the day. There is no online booking. For 2026, adults are about £13 and children 5 to 15 are £6.50. A family ticket is £38.
Is the Old Man of Storr hike hard?
It is a steady climb with a steep, rocky final stretch. Most people finish the round trip in about two hours. Wear proper shoes, since it gets muddy and slippery in the rain. You can also enjoy views from lower down without going all the way up.
What is the Quiraing, and is the road scary to drive?
The Quiraing is a dramatic landslip with cliffs, pinnacles, and huge views. The access road is single-track with passing places. It looks intimidating but is manageable if you take it slow and use the pullouts. Traffic is lighter early and late in the day.
What do you do if it rains on Skye?
You put your hood up and carry on. The weather changes fast, so a downpour can clear in minutes. Some of our favorite moments came in the wind and rain. Bring waterproofs and keep your plans flexible.
Can you see Skye without long hikes?
Yes. Plenty of the best spots are quick and easy. Sligachan Old Bridge, Kilt Rock, and the Quiraing viewpoint near the car park all reward you with little walking. The coos at Untethered are a gentle stop too.
When is the best time to visit the Isle of Skye?
Late spring through early fall gives you the longest days and the best odds of clearer weather. Summer is the busiest stretch, so roads and car parks fill up. Early mornings and late afternoons are quieter and often brighter.
About the Authors
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John and Debbie O'Boyle are the team behind The Empty Nest Explorers. John is a professional photographer whose work has been published by The New York Times, NBC News, and Getty Images. He is a member of the American Society of Media Photographers, has been part of a Pulitzer Prize-winning team, and has received two New York Emmy nominations. Debbie is a writer with 30+ years of professional photography experience, formerly with The Star-Ledger and NJ.com. Together, they create in-depth travel guides for couples and empty-nest travelers who want to make the most of every destination. |
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