The Skye Trail - September 2023

[lras]

The Skye Trail in September 2023

Before I start, I'd like to thank all the other walkers who have taken the time to write their own reports. I was torn between wanting to discover the trail myself and reading them to be well prepared for what was ahead.

For those interested in the equipment I used, there is a list at the end.

I was looking for a challenge when researching my next adventure and this trail seemed to fit the bill perfectly. I left myself some flexibility when booking the flights. This would allow me to visit Edinburgh and buy a gas can that I couldn't take on the plane. I stayed one night at the Castle Rock hostel before leaving early the next morning. The bus system was very good and I had no trouble getting around Scotland on the CityLink network.

Day 0 - Red Phone Box to Rubha Hunish [2,4km]

I arrived at the phone box an hour before sunset. The bus driver was kind enough to drop me off right in front of it. With not much sunlight left, I walked to the shelter at Rubha Hunish. The path is well marked and I had no trouble finding it. There were already a few people there who had already set up their tents for the night. Most of them had walked the trail from south to north and had just finished. There was only one person, Paul, who was going to start at the same time as me. We had a great evening chatting about the trail and those who had just finished gave Paul and me some tips. The night was very windy and none of us got much sleep.

The red phone box and sunset.

Day 1 - Rubha Hunish to the Trotternish Ridge [18,8km]

This was the first real day of walking on the trail. I could see in the distance that the weather on the ridge wasn't going to be ideal. The trail follows the coastal cliffs and can be a bit scary at times, but overall very doable. I'm not even a big fan of it, but the geology of the island is very interesting and beautiful. If geology isn't your thing, then cute woolly sheep should be, as they are everywhere. Arriving at Flodigarry the path heads up towards the ridge and the climb to Quiraing begins. It was windy and a bit rainy, so the path was a bit muddy and slippery. At the Quiraing car park there was a small food truck where I had a grilled cheese in the pouring rain. I met up with Paul again and we discussed whether we should set up camp near the car park or continue walking. As it was only around midday I decided to walk on. The weather on this first part of the ridge was worse than before, with heavy rain and wind. Finding the path wasn't too difficult that day. After a few kilometres I found a small stone wall where I could put up my tent (57°36'15.1"N 6°17'35.3"W). Not far away was a small stream where I could fill my water tank, but it clogged my water filter a bit, which made filtering water a bit slower for the rest of the trip. The rain and wind stopped just in time for sunset.

Sheep and fog, great summary of the first day...

Day 2 - The Trotternish Ridge to Bearreraig Bay [22,4km]

The weather seemed to have improved a little, and I left quite early to make the most of it, as the forecast didn't seem optimistic. I caught up with Jim, another recurring character of my journey. We talked a bit, filled our water bottles at the same stream and went our separate ways. The trail was harder to follow that day. Especially on one of the climbs where I simply lost the trail (maybe there wasn't one, I can't say). I told myself that if you keep the ridge to your left you should be fine, but still checked the map or GPS occasionally to make sure I was still on track. It was reassuring to see the occasional footprint or ATV track. Up to the Old Man of Storr it had been a physically challenging day due to the many steep climbs and the bad weather. I was glad to see that I was approaching the Old Man of Storr, which was supposed to be a highlight of the trip. Unfortunately, the fog decided otherwise and I didn't even get a glimpse of the geological formation. I marched on to the campsite I had spotted on the map, Bearreraig Bay. I must have looked quite weathered because I got some strange looks from tourists on the way down to the Storr car park. The real challenge of the day was the path down to the bay, which was very slippery. The bay was a perfect campsite. The sea flat as a mirror, small waves crashing on the pebble beach, no wind, no rain, alone. I also got to see my first white-tailed eagle, which was nice after all those sheep...

Sunset at the Bearreraig Bay

Day 3 - Bearreraig Bay to Gedintailor [24,2km]

After a good night's sleep I got an early start. On my way back up the bay I met up with Jim who was camping next to the hydro building. The stretch between there and Portree was really windy. Walking with cliffs to the left and the sea. It wasn't easy to find the "right" way as this part was quite boggy. I would suggest looking behind you at some point. If you're lucky you'll see the Old Man of Storr in the distance and the rest of the Trotternish Ridge to your left. A few miles before Portree I had to cross a field (and climb a fence) with some Highland cows. This led to a nice path over a boulder field and along the sea to Portree. There I stopped to get some food for lunch, a bowl of soup and a coffee and donut to go. The rest of the day was quite pleasant, not the most remote as I would be walking on roads, but still fun. Water wasn't really a problem as there are plenty of streams to filter water from. I pitched my tent next to the water at Gedintailor and finally enjoyed the donut I had been carrying for hours...

A quick look back to the Storr


Day 4 - Gedintailor to Cladach a'Ghlinne [27,2km]

This was probably the best day for the weather. The section along the bay to Sligachan was a bit tricky, with no clear path, but all in all doable. I caught up with Paul at Sligachan and we walked a good part of the valley south of Sligachan together. The sky was blue, there was no wind and no rain. I almost regretted not bringing sunscreen. Paul took the more direct route to Camasunary Bay while I wanted to take the detour to Bad Step. The climb was a bit brutal after the last two days which were quite flat. The view at the top of the ridge over Loch Coruisk was well worth it. The descent though... It was a bit dodgy. Big wet, sometimes mossy stone slabs. At one point my foot slipped and I slid down a few metres. Maybe I was unlucky with the rock conditions, but please be careful there. Back down to sea level you can see the Bad Step. It was a bit higher than I thought. It is definitely doable, especially if you have some climbing experience. From what I have heard from other walkers, it is easier the other way round (from Camasunary Bay). Once past that, the path to Camasunary Bay is a bit easier, again without a strict path to follow. It might be tempting to camp in the bay for the night, but trust me, there is a better spot a bit further on. A few kilometres further on there is a perfect spot for a tent. It's a pebble beach with some flat grass and sheep. Paul was already there and had the time (and courage) to go for a swim. We had a quick chat and it was already sunset.

Camasunary Bay


Day 5 - Cladach a'Ghlinne to between Torrin and Suisnish [25,4km]

This was probably the most "boring" day. The scenery was there, but there's a lot of walking on roads and the sections on the trail aren't very interesting. You walk through a forest, which I think is the first real forest since the beginning.
Just before arriving in Torrin I had a haggis roll with a view of Blà Bheinn. I also tried IRON BRU, a mistake I probably won't make again. A quick look at the Torrin Pools and off I went. All this just to find a small café a few hundred metres further on. Had something to eat and talk to a guy from America. He had walked parts of the Skye Trail and was planning to RUN the whole thing... Some people really are crazy. I wished him luck and set off. The rest of the day was windy and I struggled to find a sheltered spot to pitch my tent. I found a small niche to set up camp in as it was getting dark. Apparently this little hole wasn't enough. The wind picked up and somewhere in the middle of the night a guy line snapped. With such strong winds and darkness, I quickly gave up trying to repair the line and basically used my tent as a bivvy bag for the rest of the night. As you can imagine, I didn't get much rest that night.

A view of Ben Na Cro at the end of Loch Slapin


Day 6 - Between Torrin and Suisnish to Broadford [13,1km]

The wind died down a bit in the morning. While I was packing, Paul came along. He had set up a few hundred metres ahead of me and had also broken his lines. We walked up to Boreraig together. The path up was a bit slippery and the wind was still strong. The rest of the day was fairly easy, with some nice ruins at Boreraig and the wind dying down. Seeing Broadford in the distance was both heartwarming and sad, knowing that this trip was coming to an end. I was a little disappointed that there wasn't a landmark like the red phone box to mark the end of the trail, but the sign for the River Broadford did the trick. With some time left I took the bus back to Fort William. I checked into the hostel and had dinner at the campsite restaurant where I met Paul again. We had a nice meal and a few beers to celebrate.

The view before arriving at Broadford


Day 7 - Ben Nevis Bonus [13,0km]

As I had some time before my flight, I decided to hike up Ben Nevis as it can easely be done in one day.
The first part from the hostel is steep before easing around the lake. There were a lot of people walking which was a big contrast to the previous days. I would recommend good walking boots for the last part as it is a big field of rocks just waiting to twist some ankles. The summit was shrouded in mist and very crowded so I didn't spend much time up there. I went back down and spent an extra night at the campground a bit further down as the youth hostel was fully booked. The next morning I got the first bus back to Edinburgh where I could admire the Highlands one more time.

Some crows at the top of Ben Nevis


Gear
When I go on these 'long' trips I try to take only the essentials without compromising on safety. So the total "base weight" was around 12kg. I had a fleece and a down jacket, where normally I take one or the other. I also had rain trousers which were a lifesaver. For clothes I had one set for walking and one for camping/sleeping. For food I had dehydrated meals for the evening, oats for breakfast, whatever I had for lunch and bars/nuts for snacks.

Weight distribution

The gear layed out

Tips

• The bus system in Scotland is really good. If you can make use of it.
• Bring good rain gear, especially in the wetter months.
• Personally, I wouldn't recommend trailrunner shoes for this walk, there's just too much mud and bogs. Bring at least one pair of dry socks that will stay dry no matter what.
• Try to wild camp as often as you can. The sunsets and sunrises on the island are beautiful. Leave no trace.
  

Thank you for reading.