If you like picturesque natural landscapes - feel free to go to the Isle of Skye. This is one of the most beautiful places not only in the UK, but throughout Europe. In addition, the island is interesting for its architectural monuments.
Isle of Skye: photos and description
Skye is an island in the western part of Scotland. Geographically, it belongs to the Inner Hebrides archipelago, and administratively - to the Highland area. Isle of Skye is the second largest off the coast of Great Britain. Its total area: 1656 sq. km The length and width of the Isle of Skye are 80 and 42 kilometers, respectively.
The terrain here is hilly, and the highest point reaches a height of 993 meters. The sky above the island is almost always covered with gray clouds. The local climate is characterized by high humidity and frequent precipitation.
About 10 thousand people live on Skye. Many of them speak a special language - Scottish Gaelic. Students and linguists from all over the world come to the island to study it.
There are two ways to get to the Isle of Skye. Only one bridge connects the mainland (if you can call it Britain), near the town of Kyle of Lokolsh. Sky can also be reached by ferry, which runs between the villages of Mullay and Armadale. The length of the crossing is 7 kilometers. There is an airport near Broadford, but there is no regular passenger service with it.
The island is mentioned several times in popular Harry Potter novels. So, according to the book, the Hebrides black dragon lives here.
Isle of Skye: attractions and interesting places
The pearl of Scotland, a reserve of natural, pristine natural beauty. This is how the British often call the Isle of Skye. Here you can admire amazing landscapes woven from gentle hills, rocky ledges and sea bays. Sometimes these landscapes are harmoniously woven or
The Isle of Skye is not only picturesque nature, but also a huge number of legends, traditions, legends. And all this is carefully preserved by the locals.
Here is an incomplete list of objects that you must visit on Skye:
- dunvegan Castle;
- Magic bridge;
- kuirang Plateau;
- fairy pools.
Dunvegan Castle
One of the most famous attractions of Skye is located in the western part of the island, in the vicinity of the village of Dunvegan. The castle was founded in the XIV century and belongs to the famous MacLeod dynasty in Scotland. It still lives one of its representatives - Hugh MacLeod. True, his apartments are located in one of the buildings, and the rest are free for tourists to access.
Dunvegan Castle is very interesting from an architectural point of view, because several historical styles can be traced in it. Around the fortress there is a wonderful park with flower beds, ponds, waterfalls and delicate bridges.
Magic bridge
This popular tourist attraction is close to Dunvegan Castle. A miniature arched bridge made of large boulders is thrown over a small stream near the A850 highway.
One of the local legends is associated with this bridge. So, one of the representatives of the Makloud dynasty, Jan Kiar, was allegedly married to a fairy. They had a son, but a year later the fairy-wife was summoned back to her magical land. Ian fell in love with his wife and did not want to let her go. But the fairy still soared into the sky and flew away to her people, leaving Yana a flap of the finest silk. “Three times he will save you in difficult times,” she managed to say goodbye. All this happened just on the bridge, later called the Magic.
By the way, the fairy presented flap was used twice in history. Now it is stored in Dunvegan Castle.
Fairy Pools
A charming, heavenly place on the Isle of Skye - Fairy Pools. This is a whole complex of waterfalls and cascades formed by a water stream flowing down from the mountains. The attraction is located in the southern part of the island, near the Glenn Brittle forest (3 km. From the coast).
Waterfalls are surrounded on all sides by picturesque rocky ledges. The water here is clear and clean. It is best to come here after heavy rains when the Fairy Pools become especially stormy and full-flowing.
An interesting point: a curious photograph of this marvelous natural corner of Skye “walks” on the Internet. But in the picture, Fairy Pools are surrounded by bright purple trees. Many tourists who come here, for a long time trying to find these unusual plants on the ground. In fact, purple trees are nothing more than a Photoshop’a trick.
Cuirang Plateau
Cuirang Plateau is another picturesque place of Skye, located in the far north of the island. This is a grand plateau with sharp rocky peaks, deep depressions and colorful meadows. The whole area is generously rugged with hiking trails. A walk here will be very impressive and informative.
The plateau began to form at the end of the ice age and is an actively collapsing mass of frozen lava. Here you can see many outlandish geological formations. For example, the Prison ledge, which resembles a massive medieval fortress, or the sharp 37-meter-high Igla rock. From anywhere in Cuiranga, the traveler can see landscapes of incredible beauty.
Harris Island is a small Scottish island, smelling of wildflowers and surprisingly diverse landscapes. In the north and east are rocky mountains (Mount Klisham is the highest point of all the Hebrides), in the west are numerous lakes, yellow-sand beaches and emerald water, dolphins and eagles, whales and seals.
The island does not have such clearly marked historical monuments, and there is no need for them in moments of enjoying the untouched civilization of these wildly beautiful places.
Harris takes a ferry to the largest of the western islands of Scotland - the island of Skye (Skye).
Coordinates: 57.91042500,-6.82997700
Isle of Skye
The Isle of Skye attracts with charming uninhabited landscapes, Kulin Mountains, ancient castles and boundless coasts.
The island is the fourth most populated island in Scotland. According to the 2001 census, more than 9,000 inhabitants live on it. The largest populated city is Portree. The most common language on the island is Gaelic Scottish.
The highest point of the island is the Kulin Mountains, 993 meters high above sea level. The tops of the mountains are almost always shrouded in fog, as the climate of Skye is marine, humid and with frequent rainfall. Nature captivates with its sea lakes, coastlines, hills, lush vegetation, peat wasteland, forests, rocks and mountain formations, waterfalls, as well as beautiful castles. On the Waterish Peninsula, Dunvegan Castle is home to the leaders of the MacLeod clan.
The island can be reached from Glasgow or Inverness via the Sky Bridge, or from Glasgow to the village of Mullag, and then by ferry to Ardvasar Marina.
Coordinates: 57.25528100,-6.20178200
Butte Island
Butte Island is located in Argyll Bay, on the west coast of Scotland. This island was once an aristocratic Victorian resort.
The climate on the island is temperate, sunny and almost calm. The island is dominated by hills and coastal lowlands. Its largest city is Rossey, which preserved the ruins of a 13th-century castle, which testifies to the aristocratic history of the island. This castle used to perform a defensive function. Now on the island is the residence of one of the richest families in Britain - Mount Sewart Castle. There are also many architectural monuments on the island, testifying to the military history of Butte and the surrounding territories.
The waters that wash the island are cold, and swimming is cold, but the fresh sea air, parks and gardens contribute to a successful walk that can bring true pleasure and relaxation.
One of the main components of the local economy of the island is fishing.
Coordinates: 55.83383100,-5.10014500
Arran Island
On the north side of the island there are high mountains and deep gorges, and on the warm soft south there are swamps, forests, agricultural land and even some excellent sandy beaches, which are however quite difficult to reach. On the southeast coast, there are more affordable resorts of Lemlesh and Whiting Bay, and in the west there are vertical Mehri-Moor stones, where six stone circles have been preserved since Neolithic times.
For thousands of years, the island has been inhabited by Britons, Romans, Varangians, and all of them have left their mark, which currently represents a large collection of archaeological sites. On the island you can find a variety of outdoor activities, there is a wonderful road for cyclists, which goes around the whole island.
On the eastern shore, near a wide bay, surrounded by mountains, is the main city of Arran and the ferry pier - Brodick. And at the foot of the highest mountain of Goat Fell, a little to the north, is Brodick Castle with wonderful gardens containing one of the best collections of rhododendrons in Europe.
In the northern part of the island you can visit Lokhranzu - this is a remarkable village with the ruins of a 13th-century castle that stood on the isthmus. The northern territory of Arran is the territory of amazing golden eagles. Bare granite cliffs and enchantingly harsh surroundings provide an amazing opportunity for walking and climbing.
Coordinates: 55.58261400,-5.20820600
Scotland Attractions
Isle of Skye - uncharted Europe, here time seems to have stopped. For some, the island is a European outback, for some it is the amazing beauty of Scotland. In general, Scotland is striking in its beauty, and the Isle of Skye is proved by the mountainous terrain with little vegetation and heavy rainfall at any time of the year, it would seem that it could be worse, but visiting the island you understand that this is a real fairytale paradise. 
Isle of Skye is the second largest island of Great Britain, not counting Great Britain itself, located in the Inner Hebrides archipelago, in the west of Scotland. Administratively located in the Highland region, Scotland, it is a rare area where the local population speaks the nearly extinct Gaelic language. The size of the island is small, a little more than 10 thousand people. The main city is Portree.
- Area: 1656 km²;
- Water area: Atlantic Ocean;
- Population: 10,000.
Get to the island
The only sure way to get to the island is to cross the Sky Bridge, which connects it to the mainland in the village of Kyle of Lohals. This can be done by bus or car. In addition, you can consider the water option, as Portree and Kyle of Lochals are port settlements. 
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sights
Nature itself is the main attraction of the island. In summer and in sunny weather, the island looks just great, combining juicy green and blue colors. Black basalt cliffs on the horizon give this landscape a more unrealistic setting. All the same, it is best to go to the island by your own or rented car, since the transport infrastructure is not developed around the island. But the locals are happy to drive up the voters on the road. To get the best view of the island, you don’t need to work out any route - follow the road and stop at each View Point. This is a kind of observation deck, where there are signs with a description of the place. 
Mandatory places to visit can be recommended such - these are the rocks of “Old Man of Storr”, which from far away resemble the Cambodian temple complex. There is a lake nearby. The next observation deck is worth a visit under the name Diatomitova Road, where the miners' villages were once located. Today, only ruins remain of them. Near the Diatomite road there is a gorge. Another interesting place is the Kilt Mountains and the waterfall known here. This place is definitely worth a visit if you come to the Isle of Skye.
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Scotland consists of more than 750 islands, but only one of them is so beautiful that National Geographic magazine included it in the list of the most beautiful islands in the world. It is described in all the guides of Scotland, as a must-see place - this is Sky.
If you have little time, and you do not have time to call in all corners of the country, then choosing the island of Skye as the main point of visit, you will not go wrong. This is an amazing place that combines waterfalls, valleys, mountain peaks and unique landscapes. It is often called “Scotland in Miniature”, but here I do not agree with this a bit, because Skye is something else, incomparable.
Edge of the earth So, since 1995 it has not been difficult to get to the island, since it connects to the main part of the country with the Sky Bridge. The bridge is not very picturesque, but worthy of attention, since without it you would have to wait your turn on the ferry to get to your destination. On our first trip, we passed this bridge without even paying attention to it, and only on the way back we appreciated its significance for local residents.
Since 1995, the bridge connects Scotland with the Isle of Skye. Skye is the largest island that is part of the Inner Hebrides archipelago and the second largest in Scotland, after the Lewis-i-Harris archipelago. On its territory of 1656 square kilometers, only 10,000 inhabitants live, which makes it practically deserted, so there is an opportunity to retire and enjoy nature with beautiful landscapes. The main thing is that the weather should not let you down during the trip. The most numerous city of the island is Portree. If you settle there, you can easily get to any part of the island by car in half an hour maximum. Places to stay should be taken care of in advance, as usually the number of tourists here is much larger than in other parts of Scotland.
The landscapes of the Isle of Skye are very diverse The island is shrouded in a huge number of legends and secrets, which still excite the minds of many visitors. The main attraction and visiting card of the island is a mountain range called Trotternis, on top of which there is a lone stone - old storr (Old Man of Storr) . Legend has it that earlier it was a huge giant who lived on Trotternis. And when he died, he was buried, but several fingers remained from under the ground, which petrified and took the form of the famous Old Man Storr. According to another legend, these were giants who fled from the pursuit, but turned around and turned into stones. Indeed, from afar, this statue looks like a pensive old man sitting, looking into the endless distance. The fancy stone rises 50 meters above the ground, and it looks truly mesmerizing nearby. Especially if it is also shrouded in fog. The path to the top to the old man and back takes up to 5 km.
Trotternis mountain range in sunny weather is clearly visible 
When there is no fog, Old Man Storr is clearly visible from afar There is no need for special preparation for lifting, as the road to the top is quite simple and does not require a lot of physical activity. In time, the ascent and descent will take you about 4 hours. If you are lucky with the weather, then you will see the amazingly beautiful landscape that surrounds this area. When we went up, the summit was so foggy that we almost slipped past Old Man Storr himself. They only saw him when they came close to him. Fog only added mysticism to this amazing place. By the way, the mystery of this place was noted by the famous director Ridley Scott, who showed Old Man of Storr in his film Prometheus. According to the plot of the film, it was here that a cave was found, on the walls of which alien creatures were depicted. The landscape near the stone does not really look very earthy. Huge blocks of black stones are scattered in a chaotic manner, and most interestingly, rockfall here still happens, so you need to be very careful when walking.
Here is the fog that met us the path leading up 
A sufficiently dense fog dispersed many who wish to climb up 
Winding path up 
From time to time, Storr's outlines made their way through the fog 
Climbers climb to the top of the stone very often. 
This area was familiar to us from the movie "Prometheus" 
In such a fog all the stones look like huge giants 
A little further from the trail there is a magnificent view of the stones. And even fog is not an obstacle for a beautiful panorama. 
So sit and look at Storra - a real pleasure 
The road goes further into the fog Saying goodbye to Storr, we moved on to explore the island. And on the way we were waiting for one of the very picturesque waterfalls - Kilt Rock (Kilt Rock) or Kilt Falls (Kilt Falls) . He gained his fame due to the fact that the flow of his water from a height of 90 meters falls directly into the Atlantic Ocean. It got its name due to the fact that its rocks are very similar to the folds of the subject of Scottish men's clothing - kilt. It is surrounded by tall basalt pillars. The waterfall appears in all its beauty if you remove it from the water, but we did not have such an opportunity, so we enjoyed the view from the shore.
Waterfall falls directly into the ocean. 
View from the top of the waterfall 
Basalt cliffs are located along the coast of the island. Next to the Kilt Rock Falls, there are dinosaur tracks that lived here more than 170 million years ago. Isle of Skye is also called the “Scottish capital of dinosaurs” due to the fact that archaeologists still find fossil traces of sauropods. Fingerprints are very well preserved due to the fact that they were left on sandstone and limestone, which were exposed at low tide.
The list of dinosaurs, traces of which are preserved 
All traces are very well preserved. 
Near the waterfall is a museum with various artifacts related to the era of dinosaurs Almost in the north of the island is a picturesque plateau Quiraingwhich is definitely worth a visit. It is unique in that it was formed during the ice age, and is now actively destroyed, because it consists of frozen lava. Its slabs are in constant motion, so rockfall is a very common occurrence. The general route of the trail to the plateau is 6.8 km, but we, as very active tourists, went much further and almost walked around Kuirang from the back, taking a walk 18 km long. And because of their heedlessness, they made a very big mistake, which turned all the trekking into a little stress - we went on the trail in the afternoon, and did not take into account that the sun sets in the mountains much earlier than everywhere else. Even before we realized our flaw, a strong wind rose, which made it difficult to move along narrow paths. Apart from us, there were no people on the trail, and countless sheep grazed along the way, and they ran so freely along the mountain slopes that at times it seemed to them that it cost nothing to knock us off our feet. We were already walking back in pitch darkness, gibbling and holding hands, because it was easy to stumble. So, a fairly simple walk turned into an exciting journey with a bunch of memories. But we learned the lesson well.
Beginning of the Quirang Trail 
Quirang is beautiful in sunny weather 
The farther down Kuirang, the stronger the wind 
The symbol of Scotland 
At this point, Cuiranga had the strongest gusts of wind 
Sunset quirang We were in a hurry to visit a very famous castle, which has been the patrimonial estate of the "immortal" MacLeod clan for more than 800 years - Dunvegan () . This is the oldest castle in Scotland in which people still live. Today, the 30th chapter of the legendary Hugh MacLeod clan lives with his family. On the ground floor of the castle is a museum that stores relics of an ancient kind, and it is open to visitors. The upper floors are closed to the public and this is where the Hugh family lives. At the time of our visit, the owner of the castle went on business to London, but the workers told us that he would love to go out to the visitors and communicate with them. In the castle you can see a large number of portraits of all members of the ancient clan, their relics, awards, trophies, weapons, uniforms and much more, which for 800 years could be used by people living in this castle. But the most famous of the family heirlooms, which is shrouded in a lot of secrets, is the Fairy Banner. According to legend, the Fairy Queen, who was very fond of the head of the MacLeod clan, gave the heir a piece of silk that could protect the clan from danger three times with the help of fairy magic. After the third time, he will lose his strength. According to history, this banner has been used twice already, and both times to defend against the warlike MacDonald clan, who from time to time tried to conquer the Isle of Skye, which belonged to the MacLeods. Also in the castle is the Dunvegan Cup, which some consider the Holy Grail Cup, which gives immortality and happiness to its owner.
The castle stands on a basalt rock 
Unapproachable and inhospitable castle The castle itself is located on a basalt rock on the shore of Lake Loch Dunvegan and from the side looks pretty impregnable and inhospitable. A large amount of funds for the maintenance of the castle is allocated for the care of the huge garden that surrounds it. Judging by how well-groomed the plants are, one can understand that the owners put their soul into the trees and flowers. Here you can find a huge number of varieties of tulips, pine trees, palm trees, exotic plants in greenhouses. Also in the garden you will see a very nice waterfall, which is dedicated to the fairies living here. You can buy entrance tickets separately to the garden, and to the garden and castle.
Fairy Waterfall 
The garden has a wide variety of trees 
A large collection of tulips grows in the garden 
Fancy trees And finally, I want to tell you about the biggest disappointment that awaited us on Skye, these are very famous Fairy Pools (Fairy Pools) . In most guides to Scotland, this place is described as unique. The sight of the photos from there makes your heart beat faster, in anticipation of seeing such beauty. Fairy pools are multi-level cascading waterfalls in which the crystal mountain water flows in several streams and merges into one large pool. It looks stunning .... But only in the photo. The first time we came here in early May, hoping to see the splendor of the water, which was shown in the photographs. But we were very disappointed, because it did not reflect a tenth of the beauty that should have been. Taking a picture, we decided to return here at another time of the year, in the hope that the picture will change. Our second visit was at the beginning of October, and here, as in the case of Kuirang, we walked a distance twice as long as the path to the Pools. And they went so far that they almost climbed the mountain that stood far behind these waterfalls. And all because we could not believe that what they saw was the very Fairy Pools. Therefore, we decided to go even further, and a little more .... Most interestingly, we were not the only ones who refused to believe our eyes. Several people who walked near us also asked everyone where these Pools are. As a result, having overcome the distance twice as much as before the waterfalls, we nevertheless returned to the Basin and decided to photograph what we saw. The third time I do not want and I will not return to this place, because I still will not see what is on the photos on the Internet. Because the excess of Photoshop in the pictures can play a very cruel joke with tourists, as in our case. In no case do I discourage you from going to this place, because I believe that everyone should come and assess the situation on their own. Maybe you are lucky and you will discover the secrets of magical waterfalls that are so beautifully described.
Isle of Skye (Scotland, UK)Isle of Skye is located in the west of Scotland. It is the largest northern island of the Inner Hebrides (part ofHebrides Islands), has an area of \u200b\u200b1656.25 km², which is also the second largest island in the country (not counting Great Britain). The terrain is mountainous. The highest point -993 m above sea level is located near the town of Skur-Alasdair, and the largest of the settlements of the Isle of Skye is the city of Portree. The climate is humid, marine, with frequent rainfall at any time of the year.
Skye Island is well known to tourists for its nature, amazing deserted landscapes of grassy hills, lakes, rocky places and ancient castles, where magical folklore abounds. That is why the Isle of Skye is considered the real pearl of Scotland, the abode of myths and legends. Traces of dinosaurs have also been found here - another “in favor” in favor of a visit to this island.
The most famous and most visited places on the Isle of Sky for tourists are: Fairy Pools, Dunvegan Castle, Fairy Bridge, The Quiraing.
Fairy pools (the Fairy Pools) are considered one of the most beautiful places not only on the Isle of Skye, but perhaps one of the most beautiful sights in all of Scotland. The pools are located southeast of the Glen Brittle Forest in the south of the Isle of Skye, three kilometers from the beach. Formed due to the flow of water flowing down the mountains of Cullin (Cuillin). Fairy pools are a cascade of small but very beautiful waterfalls, and all the lakes are crystal clear and surrounded by large rocky cliffs and walls and lush foliage.
Dunvegan Castle has belonged to the famous MacLeod family for eight centuries. There is a beautiful garden in front of the castle, and in the castle itself you can see many paintings and other relics of a known kind. The castle is open to the public.
The Fairy Bridge is best known for the legend that the MacLeod clan leader's wife, the fairy, gave him a flag to protect him from danger before returning to the magical land. By the way, this flag is kept in the castle (see photo).
Cuirang (The Quiraing, in Gaelic Cuith-Raing) is a beautiful and amazing place combining various landscapes: a majestic plateau, sharp peaks, sharp cliffs, meadows and trails.
