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How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?


Postby Jasmine_21 » Mon May 10, 2021 12:54 pm

Hi guys, I am planning to climb a couple of munros near Fort William this summer. I also thought extending my visit and go to Skye for some hikes and climbs. Do you know how one can get there by the public transport? And do you have any specific place in mind one could stay in Skye?
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Re: How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

Postby WalkWithWallace » Mon May 10, 2021 12:59 pm

Catch the Glasgow/Skye Citylink bus at Fort William, timetables here:

https://www.citylink.co.uk/timetables.php
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Re: How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

Postby Jasmine_21 » Mon May 10, 2021 1:01 pm

Thanks alot for the quick response.
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Re: How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

Postby Kendrum » Mon May 10, 2021 1:07 pm

Citylink run a service 3 times a day to Skye (Portree)
I've got buses around Skye before. You could head to Broadford and do the red hills.
If it's climbing rather than hill walks you want then You may want to head to Glen brittle.
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Re: How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

Postby Caberfeidh » Mon May 10, 2021 1:24 pm

Jasmine_21 wrote:Hi guys, I am planning to climb a couple of munros near Fort William this summer. I also thought extending my visit and go to Skye for some hikes and climbs. Do you know how one can get there by the public transport? And do you have any specific place in mind one could stay in Skye?


From Fort William you can get a train to Mallaig and take the ferry from there to Armadale on Skye. The train does not take long, (1hr 23mins), you may wish it took longer with excellent views out to sea if the weather is nice, and dramatic views if the weather is stormy! The ferry takes about twenty minutes.
https://www.scotrail.co.uk/train-times/fort-william-to-mallaig https://www.calmac.co.uk/article/2121/Skye
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Re: How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

Postby simon-b » Mon May 10, 2021 2:24 pm

Hi Jasmine. Accommodation on Skye sells out pretty quickly even in normal years. When Pam, her partner and I went 5 years ago, we only just got rooms in the nick of time at the Old Inn in Carlbost. That was booking in December 2015 for a stay in June 2016. I've had a quick Google at some random dates this summer on Booking.com, there are rooms left on Skye but I didn't see any for less than £100 per night for one person. A further search of the web might widen your options but I think you'll need to be quick.
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Re: How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

Postby davekeiller » Mon May 10, 2021 5:55 pm

Citylink bus is the best option. If camping, your best option is probably the campsite as Sligachan, but I expect most places will book up quickly this year.
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Re: How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

Postby Giant Stoneater » Tue May 11, 2021 9:30 am

davekeiller wrote:Citylink bus is the best option. If camping, your best option is probably the campsite as Sligachan, but I expect most places will book up quickly this year.


Sligachan bunkhouse is supposed to be closed for the year so i presume the campsite is not open to campers, does anyone have updates on this.
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Re: How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

Postby Jasmine_21 » Wed May 12, 2021 12:11 am

Thank you so much all for your most helpful advice. It should be very easy to get there from Fort William then. I'll try to book some bnb already for the summer.
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Re: How to get to the Isle of Skye by public transport?

Postby Caberfeidh » Wed May 12, 2021 9:06 am

I forgot to say, once you get from Fort William to Mallaig then the ferry across to Armadale, there are buses from Armadale to Broadford and Portree.But if you don't mind hiking and hitching a lift, and the weather is nice (everything on Skye is weather-dependent) the hiking along the road to Tarskavaig and Tokavaig is very nice and scenic, with views out to the Cuilin hills, the Ises of Rum, Eigg, Canna, and the Western Isles.

Armadale, Skye,Scotland May 09 050.jpg
Armadale, Skye


Skye and Lochalsh Summer 2009 006.jpg
Cuillin hills from the Tarskavaig road.


Dun Sgaith and Rum Cuillin.JPG
Dun Sgaith and Rum Cuillin


June 09  Dun Sgaithe 03.JPG
Ruined fort of Dun Sgaith
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