MacBrayne Limited, and Glenelg–Kylerhea is owned by a community company.
Mallaig–Armadale Ferry
The road journey from Fort William to Mallaig is one of the most scenic ways of approaching the Island; it is matched by an equally beautiful rail journey, which, during summer months, can be accomplished on steam trains. The onward route on Skye takes you from Armadale and via Broadford.
Caledonian MacBrayne LtdThe Ferry TerminalGourock PA19 1QPTel: 01475 650100Fax: 01475 637607Booking hotline: 08000 66 5000
Port offices:Armadale Tel: 01471 844248Mallaig Tel: 01687 462403Uig Tel: 01470 542219.
You can book online at www.calmac.co.uk. Crossing time is 30 minutes. Vehicle reservations are strongly advised. The number of sailings varies seasonally, with up to eight crossings daily (six on Sundays).
Glenelg–Kylerhea Ferry
Approached over Mam Ratagan from Glen Shiel, the subsequent journey to the main Skye road climbs through the rugged Kylerhea Glen, a single track road with passing places and a very steep incline. This is not suitable for large vehicles or vehicles with trailers of any kind.
The Ferry is run by The Isle of Skye Ferry Community Interest Company. For further details email [email protected] or visit the website: www.skyeferry.co.uk. Anyone can apply for membership of the company, which will provide a 5% discount on ferry fares.
Sailings between Easter and the end of October are from 10am–6pm (7pm June–August), seven days a week, with crossings every 20 minutes. Journey time is five minutes, and the ferry – the Glenachulish – can transport six cars, with standing room only for foot passengers.
By rail
For National Rail Enquiries, call 08457 48 49 50 (24 hours, seven days a week). See also www.thetrainline.com.
There is no rail service on Skye; the closest points you can reach are Mallaig via Glasgow (Queen Street) and Fort William (not Sundays), or Kyle of Lochalsh via Inverness. Frequent daily services run from Glasgow and Edinburgh to Fort William for the Mallaig connection, and to Inverness for the service to Kyle of Lochalsh.
An overnight sleeper service operates from London (Euston) to Fort William and Inverness, stopping at a number of intermediate stations. This service is provided by First Scotrail. You can buy your ticket in advance by visiting www.scotrail.co.uk, or calling 08457 55 00 33 between 7am and 10pm.
By air
There is a small airport on the Island, near Broadford, but no scheduled flights. The nearest airport with scheduled services is Inverness (Inverness Airport, Inverness IV2 7JB; Tel: 01667 464000; website: www.hial.co.uk).
Facilities and accommodation
Portree is the main town on the Island, with a full range of shopping facilities; Broadford also has most facilities.
The range of accommodation on Skye is extensive, including simple bunkhouses, camp sites, bed and breakfast, guest houses and highquality hotels. The Tourist Information Offices will help you with finding accommodation, or you can consult the annual Skye Directory, available from tourist offices. The holiday guide The Visitor is available free at tourist offices and elsewhere.
In addition to that given above, detailed contact information and other useful information is listed in Appendix C.
Using this guide
The Isle of Skye ranges from simple, brief outings not far from civilisation, to rugged, hard mountain and moorland walking – as tough as any in Britain – in isolated locations, where help is far away.
Almost all of the routes covered demand a good level of fitness and knowledge of the techniques and requirements necessary to travel safely in wild countryside in very changeable weather conditions, including the ability to use map and compass properly (but note that the magnetic property of the rock in the Cuillin makes the compass unreliable).
Coire Gorm Horseshoe from Strath Suardal (Walk 2.2)
The walks in this book are widely varied in character and will provide something for everyone, embracing high mountains, lonely lochs, coastal cliffs, peninsulas and forests. Many walks visit places that are less well known, where self-sufficiency is as important as it is among the Cuillin.
But every walk is just that, a walk, and does not require rock climbing or scrambling skills beyond the most fundamental. Even so, the ‘walker’ must be fit and experienced enough to accomplish ascents of the more accessible Munros and high peaks on the island, ascents which, although classed as ‘walks’ remain arduous and demanding. The point of division can best be explained as the moment when hands cease to be used simply for balance and security, and become necessary as an aid to progress. On this basis, Inaccessible Pinnacle remains inaccessible, but Sgurr Alasdair, the highest summit of the Cuillin, is included, in spite of the latter’s toilsome scree slope and airy situation.
Where a walk is substantially available to non-scramblers, the route is described up to the difficulties. For example, the ascent of Sgurr nan Gillean is described as far as the topmost hundred feet or so; beyond that point the walker enters the realms of the seasoned scrambler. When a walk is one that only competent scramblers or rock climbers could realistically attempt, no more than a brief description is given in orange text illustrating that the walk is not suitable for walkers.
All parts of the island are visited, and the chosen walks will provide an excuse for many visits to Skye, and allow walkers to evade inclement weather in one part of the island by taking on walks in another.
Each walk description begins with a short introduction, and provides start and finish points, as well as a calculation of the distance and ascent. The walks are grouped largely within the traditional areas of Skye, and, within those areas, in a reasonably logical order – allowance should be made, however, for the author’s idiosyncratic brand of logic!
Peak bagging
This book has not been written to facilitate peak bagging; in any case, some of the Skye peaks cannot be reached by walkers. But, for the record, Skye has 12 Munros and 2 Corbetts. And if you collect Marilyns, then you have 51 to contend with on Skye and the adjacent islands.
Distances
Distances are given in kilometres (and miles), and represent the total distance for the described walk, that is from the starting point to the finishing point. Where a walk continues from a previously-described walk, the distance given is the total additional distance involved. When a walk is to a single summit, the distance assumes a retreat by the outward route.
Total ascent
The figures given for ascent represent the total height gain for the complete walk, including the return journey, where appropriate. They are given in metres (and feet, rounded up or down). Where a walk continues from a previously-described walk, the ascent figure is the total additional height gain involved.
No attempt is made to grade walks, as this is far too
