It’s been exactly 10 years since I first visited the Scottish Isle of Skye.
We took the kids camping there for an autumn school holiday (also known as Tattie Holidays). It was the last year we still had four kids under our roof and I was determined to make the most of every family holiday we had together. We explored the Isle of Skye from top to bottom and east to west. We camped near the Cuillin Hills at night and visited the Fairy Pools, Talisker, the Old Man of Storr, and Neist Point Lighthouse on the far western shore of the island. Our favorite hike was the often photographed Quiraing.
Last summer we returned to the Isle of Skye with a group of friends and stayed in some of the many glamping cabins that have popped up on the isle since we lived in Scotland.
I had been warned by folks from Aberdeen that the island is somewhat overrun these days and we would struggle to find parking for our day hikes. It was much busier than I remembered it, but it wasn’t unbearable.
Taido and I gave early wake up calls so we started hiking before the masses on the days where we were headed to the overly instagrammed, honey pot areas. (I’m looking at you, Fairy Pools.)
But also, I spent time researching less popular hikes. In case we were overwhelmed by the crowds, I wanted to have at least one hike where we experienced the Isle of Skye as I remembered it on my first visit: a wild place full of remote hiking trails that you have all to yourself.
I recalled Skye as an island where you can hike for hours and only meet one or two other people on the way.
And I am happy to say that I found a part of Skye that still felt like the place in my memory.
Oronsay.
While part of our group went off to tour the Talisker Whisky Distillery, the rest of us headed to hike this new-to-me walk that crosses a tidal causeway from the small settlement of Ullinish to Oronsay Island.
I had been watching the tide times, because the causeway out to Oronsay is covered in water during high tide, but the stars aligned and we managed to get out there at just the right time.
For our whole week in Scotland, we had a mix of sun, fog, rain and mist each day. Almost all my pictures are full of moody clouds and brightly colored raincoats dotting the trails.
Unsurprisingly, we experienced a lot of the classic Scottish weather on our trip.
I expect fog and rain in Scotland, and indeed, in the UK. I think it’s part of what makes the blue skies feel so special.
We had already been hiking in the rain on this very day, but in the afternoon across the causeway on Oronsay Island, the sky cleared a bit and we had sunshine on our faces as we wandered the short three mile loop to Oronsay and back.
We stripped out of our jackets and down to our t-shirts for what I think was the only time all week.
From the cliff tops on Oronsay, you can see far out southwest into the inner seas of the Scottish Isles.
When we reached the highest point, we sat there in the grass for as long as we dared, just watching the water and the clouds.
But as the tide was on its way in, we soon headed back to cross the causeway while it was it was still uncovered by water.
On the walk back we stopped for a quick dip just off of the pebble causeway, our only swim all week, so I was so glad I jumped at the chance.
When we got back to our car, we drove to meet the rest of the group at Neist Point, where we hiked out to the lighthouse. The sun was long gone by then, but we still enjoyed our third short hike of the day, and we all had hardy appetites after our full day on the Isle of Skye, which was good because we ended the day with the 8-course chef’s choice meal at the Kitchen Table in The Three Chimneys. A Very Special Treat.
But I have to say, even with the gorgeous meal and several more stunning Scotland hikes in the days following, the hidden gem of Oronsay Island ended up being my favorite part of last summer’s trip to Scotland and a little reminder to me to always look for some new treasure at the edges of my trail maps.
You can find this trail on Alltrails if you’re looking to do it yourself. If you find yourself on the Isle of Skye, I highly recommend you check out Oronsay.
