Day trip from Edinburgh Isle of Skye
The largest island of the Inner Hebrides, off the north-west coast of Scotland, joined to the mainland by a road bridge and far beyond day-trip range from Edinburgh.
Is Isle of Skye worth a day trip from Edinburgh?
Not in a day. Sleep there.
No, not as a day trip. Skye is on the far side of the country and there is no train to the island and no day tour from Edinburgh that goes there. Anything sold as one day would be spent almost entirely on the road. The sights are also spread out along slow single-track roads, so even once you arrive you need a full day on the island itself. Plan two nights at least, in Portree or nearby, with a car or a multi-day coach tour from Edinburgh. If you have one free day and want Highland scenery, take the Loch Ness and Glencoe tour instead.
The decision sheet
- Travel time
- Not verified yetNo same-day return is realistic · one way
- Transport
- Car or multi-day tour
- Self-guided cost
- Not verified yet
- Tour price
- –
- Time needed
- 48–72 hDaytripo editorial
- Closed days
- Not verified yet
- Best time
- May-Sep; shortest days and many closures Nov-MarDaytripo editorial
- Verdict
- Better to sleep thereDaytripo editorial
What to see and do in Isle of Skye
- 01
Old Man of Storr
A 50-metre rock pinnacle above the road north of Portree. The path climbs steadily for 45 minutes on stone steps and gravel. Allow two hours and start early.
- 02
The Quiraing
A landslip of cliffs and pinnacles at the north end of Trotternish. The full circuit takes about two hours on a narrow path, or walk 20 minutes in and return.
- 03
Fairy Pools
A chain of clear pools and small waterfalls below the Cuillin, in Glen Brittle. The walk is 2.4 km return on a made path, about 90 minutes with stops.
- 04
Portree
The island's main town and the usual base, with a harbour of painted houses, shops and most of the restaurants. Half an hour to see, and where you book dinner.
- 05
Dunvegan Castle
Seat of the chiefs of Clan MacLeod for 800 years, with gardens and seal boat trips on the loch. Open from spring to mid-October only. Allow two hours.
How to spend the day
Treat it as a three-day trip. Day one: leave Edinburgh by 08:00, drive through Glencoe and Fort William, stop at Eilean Donan Castle and cross the Skye Bridge by early evening. Day two: the Trotternish loop from Portree, with the Old Man of Storr at 09:00 before the car park fills, then the Quiraing. Day three: start back by 10:00 and reach Edinburgh in the evening. Book beds months ahead for June to August.
Isle of Skye in summer and in winter
Summer
June to AugustJune to August is peak season, with daylight until after 22:00 and highs of 15-17°C. Car parks at the Storr and the Fairy Pools fill by mid-morning, and single-track roads clog behind motorhomes. Beds and dinner tables are booked months ahead. Midges are fierce on still evenings. May and September are easier.
Winter
December to FebruaryFew people should go between November and March. Days last about seven hours, gales and rain are frequent, and Dunvegan Castle, many restaurants and most boat trips close. The landscape is still there, and beds are cheap and easy to find. Go only with a car, flexible dates and waterproofs you trust.
How crowded it gets
Very busy- Busiest
- Jul-Aug, 10:00-16:00 at the Storr, the Quiraing and the Fairy Pools
- Quietest
- Before 09:00 and after 18:00 in summer; Oct-Apr all day
Use the long daylight. Reach the Storr by 09:00 or go after 18:00, when the day visitors have left. Visit in May or September if you can choose the month.
How do you get to Isle of Skye from Edinburgh?
Car
- Travel time
- Most of a day each way
- Departs from
- Edinburgh, car hire in the city or at the airport
The usual route goes north-west through Glencoe and Fort William to Kyle of Lochalsh, where a free road bridge crosses to the island. Break the drive with stops and do not plan to drive back the same day. On Skye, many roads are single track with passing places.
Coach
- Travel time
- A full day each way, with a change
- Departs from
- Edinburgh Bus Station, St Andrew Square
Scottish Citylink coaches reach Portree with a change in Glasgow or Inverness. It works for getting there, but without a car you depend on a thin local bus network once on the island, so join a local day tour from Portree.
Practical: clothes, food and money
What to wear
Walking boots with ankle support, waterproof jacket and trousers, and a warm layer even in July. Paths are rocky and boggy. Add a midge head net and repellent from June to August.
What to eat
Seafood is the reason to eat well here: langoustines, scallops, mussels and smoked salmon, mostly in and around Portree. Book dinner in advance in summer. Carry a packed lunch for the Trotternish loop, where cafes are few. Talisker whisky is distilled on the island.
What you will spend
Accommodation is the expensive part, and in summer its price climbs sharply. Car hire and fuel come next. The landscapes are free: the Skye Bridge has no toll and the walks cost nothing beyond a parking fee at the main car parks.
How to get the most out of the day
- Fill the tank in Portree or Broadford. Petrol stations are far apart and some close in the evening and on Sundays.
- On single-track roads, pull into a passing place on your left to let oncoming or faster traffic by. Never park in one.
- Reserve restaurant tables when you book your bed. In July and August, walk-ins in Portree are turned away most evenings.
- A multi-day coach tour from Edinburgh solves driving and beds in one booking. Three days is the usual minimum length.