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Skye Trail Recommendations?

Skye Trail Recommendations?


Postby fauzool » Mon Nov 29, 2021 11:29 pm

So my plans changes, went from wanting to climb Nevis to backpacking Skye Trail. Since ill be going end of march Nevis was too much of a risk for me as a snowy climb without much mountain climbing experience.

I will be wild camping and not using any city resources for this hike.

Timeframe
I have 10 days, I plan to complete the trail in 6 days.

Gear recommendations?
Ill be using merino wool base layers + soft shell and then hard shell for the rain/wind potential.
What are MUST brings besides the obvious?

Recommended off trail routes that i could add according to my time frame.
Id like to see some castles.
I will be going to the fairy pools.
Couple easy/medium munros along this path for great views?
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby Scottk » Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:49 am

Have a back up plan. Parts of the trail are high level and you may get snow. Best to be flexible and if the weather on the west is poor, head for the east-although you are more likely to have full on winter conditions at that time of year.
Same for any of the Munro’s on Skye-if you are not experienced and there is snow, poor visibility or bad weather- please give it a miss this time.
The days are getting longer at that time of year and you could get lucky but be prepared to go where the weather is best.
Take a decent mat and sleeping bag-at least minus 5 and a down jacket in case the temp drops.
4 season tent and extra pegs.
Keep your eye on the weather for the weeks leading up to your trip.
There are a couple of bothies you can use too.
Best of luck. It’s a lovely place.
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby fauzool » Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:36 am

Scottk wrote:Have a back up plan. Parts of the trail are high level and you may get snow. Best to be flexible and if the weather on the west is poor, head for the east-although you are more likely to have full on winter conditions at that time of year.
Same for any of the Munro’s on Skye-if you are not experienced and there is snow, poor visibility or bad weather- please give it a miss this time.
The days are getting longer at that time of year and you could get lucky but be prepared to go where the weather is best.
Take a decent mat and sleeping bag-at least minus 5 and a down jacket in case the temp drops.
4 season tent and extra pegs.
Keep your eye on the weather for the weeks leading up to your trip.
There are a couple of bothies you can use too.
Best of luck. It’s a lovely place.


What I've research the weather would be in the range of 30-50 degree f. Im looking at needing a minus degree sleeping bag and 4 season tent? I was not under the impression it was going to get that cold on isle of skye.
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby Giant Stoneater » Tue Nov 30, 2021 9:23 am

I have had blue skies and 20c sunshine in March on Skye and have had snow showers at the start of May the only thing you can do is weather watch nearer the time and look at trip reports if any are published.
The weather can changed quickly within a week.
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby al78 » Tue Nov 30, 2021 10:29 am

March is best thought of as a transition month rather than a spring month, and you can get full on winter conditions or borderline summer depending on the weather pattern setup.

For example:

March 2012:
https://blog.metoffice.gov.uk/2012/03/27/whats-causing-the-warm-weather-in-the-uk/

March 2013:
https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-northern-ireland-21919522

Give yourself fair weather and poor weather options when route planning, and be prepared to take clothes for any season. You are advised to keep an eye on the synoptic weather patterns 2-3 weeks before departure, in particular whether the UK is likely to be under the influence of a blocked weather pattern, which is what causes extreme months.
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby NickyRannoch » Tue Nov 30, 2021 12:07 pm

fauzool wrote:
Scottk wrote:Have a back up plan. Parts of the trail are high level and you may get snow. Best to be flexible and if the weather on the west is poor, head for the east-although you are more likely to have full on winter conditions at that time of year.
Same for any of the Munro’s on Skye-if you are not experienced and there is snow, poor visibility or bad weather- please give it a miss this time.
The days are getting longer at that time of year and you could get lucky but be prepared to go where the weather is best.
Take a decent mat and sleeping bag-at least minus 5 and a down jacket in case the temp drops.
4 season tent and extra pegs.
Keep your eye on the weather for the weeks leading up to your trip.
There are a couple of bothies you can use too.
Best of luck. It’s a lovely place.


What I've research the weather would be in the range of 30-50 degree f. Im looking at needing a minus degree sleeping bag and 4 season tent? I was not under the impression it was going to get that cold on isle of skye.


30f is -1c ie below freezing level. A summer bag is right at the limit for those sort of night time temperatures.

Keep in mind it might be colder than that with frozen ground or at least wet.

I tend to think of Scottish winter as running November to April. Spring and Summer is in May and then Autumn is June to November.

As others have said though it might be roasting.

Unless very experienced people tend not to do multi day trips in Scotland October to March due to the unpredictability and changeability of the weather.
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby al78 » Tue Nov 30, 2021 1:37 pm

NickyRannoch wrote:I tend to think of Scottish winter as running November to April. Spring and Summer is in May and then Autumn is June to November.


I think that is a little exaggerated. May is climatologically the driest and sunniest month but June is comparable, and July/August whilst more unsettled are the warmest months of the year. I would thus hesitate to refer to June as autumn and to an extent July.
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby NickyRannoch » Tue Nov 30, 2021 8:38 pm

al78 wrote:
NickyRannoch wrote:I tend to think of Scottish winter as running November to April. Spring and Summer is in May and then Autumn is June to November.


I think that is a little exaggerate.


You think?
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby davekeiller » Tue Nov 30, 2021 10:16 pm

I wouldn't be thinking of Skye Munros in March if you don't have winter experience/kit.
10 days wild camping at that time of year is ambitious.

You'll need a decent tent because Skye is windy. Expect temperatures to drop below freezing overnight. And remember that it gets dark at 6pm, so you'll need a torch with decent batteries.
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby Skyelines » Tue Nov 30, 2021 10:38 pm

Skye weather at the end of March is as noted elsewhere variable from year to year. It is possible to get the extremes of March low temperatures and/or the highs more likely in April.

As most of the Skye trail is relatively low level it is less likely to get day time freezing temps on those parts though 35- 40deg F could be possible. The highest section on the Trotternish ridge has tops between 2000 and 2300 ft. so temps at the tops would be around 7deg F lower than sea level.
Any locations that don't get a good dose of sun during the day can be frosty overnight.

There has been overnight snowfall on the top 500ft of the Storr as late as the second week in April so possible for March too but it tends not to last past the next day. (I can't recall any winter snow on the ridge still laying into March in the last 20 years.)

The Cuillin being that bit higher can keep the snow through April and into early May in the north facing gullies, although sometimes most it's gone before April as it did this year.

Be prepared for rain and wind which is the most probable scenario, anticipate the possibility of cold and hope for the unusual dry, warm and gentle breezes we sometimes have.

If you want to flag this thread up again in March I can look out the widow and give you an update on the conditions on the top of the Storr.
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby al78 » Tue Nov 30, 2021 11:23 pm

NickyRannoch wrote:
al78 wrote:
NickyRannoch wrote:I tend to think of Scottish winter as running November to April. Spring and Summer is in May and then Autumn is June to November.


I think that is a little exaggerate.


You think?


As someone who has visited Scotland many times in May, June and July, yes.
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby prog99 » Wed Dec 01, 2021 12:13 am

NickyRannoch wrote:
al78 wrote:
NickyRannoch wrote:I tend to think of Scottish winter as running November to April. Spring and Summer is in May and then Autumn is June to November.


I think that is a little exaggerate.


You think?

I thought summer was may & september but only in a leap year 😉
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby denfinella » Wed Dec 01, 2021 2:38 am

al78 wrote:
NickyRannoch wrote:I tend to think of Scottish winter as running November to April. Spring and Summer is in May and then Autumn is June to November.


I think that is a little exaggerate.


al78 wrote:
NickyRannoch wrote:You think?


As someone who has visited Scotland many times in May, June and July, yes.


Al, I think Nicky was joking! :wink: (although there is, in my opinion, an element of truth in it!)
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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby WalkWithWallace » Wed Dec 01, 2021 9:39 am

The Skye Trail looks fab, I'm going to do it myself at some point too. I did do part of the Trotternish Ridge back in March 2017. It was so windy we had to bail off and find somewhere sheltered to set up camp, the temperature dropped below freezing during the night. The next again day was stunning, so the weather is pretty unpredictable. You'll want a decent 3 season backpacking tent, a sleeping bag and pad rated to around -3°c minimum.

It would be worthwhile getting the Harvey's map to plan and study to see what's on route:

https://www.harveymaps.co.uk/acatalog/Skye-Trail-YHWRSK.html

Lots of info on this website too:

https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/skye-trail.shtml

Some good videos on YouTube too, check out Hounds of Howgate:

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Re: Skye Trail Recommendations?

Postby Giant Stoneater » Wed Dec 01, 2021 4:44 pm

Before Cameron McNeish and the tourist board decided to jump on the bandwagon, David Patterson had published a excellent book " A LONG WALK ON THE ISLE OF SKYE" which starts at Armadale and finishes at Duntulm which had become known as the original Skye Trail
The first couple of days are hard going though and not to everybodies taste, i know!
Stuart Greig also has a website with lots of information about the Skye Trail though some bits might be outdated, link below

https://lonewalker.net/my-long-distance-walks/skye-trail-2012/
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