The final stage of the Skye Trail follows the coast from Torrin to the cleared villages of Suisnish and Boreraig before heading inland to pick up the Marble Line, the old railroad route into Broadford and the end of the Trail. Broadford has all services.
Bog Factor
Coastal paths, track and minor road.
Torrin.
Broadford has buses to Portree, Kyle of Lochalsh, Inverness and Glasgow, Bus 49 to Torrin.
NG574210
Follow the minor road towards Broadford, passing the quarry, until a turning on the right leads to the shore at Camas Malag. From here a landrover track heads gently uphill to the south. Looking back there are sublime views of the southern end of the Cuillin, Bla Bheinn and the Red Hills. After 3km the track reaches Suisnish, passing the remains of a much more recently ruined house on the right and the remains of crofts until a fenced enclosure with a barn in the middle is reached.
The population of Suisnish was forcibly removed as part of the Highland clearances in 1853. The geologist Archibald Geikie was visiting the area at the time of the clearance, and his recollection is worth quoting here: 'A strange wailing sound reached my ears... I could see a long and motley procession winding along the road that led north from Suisnish... There were old men and women, too feeble to walk, who were placed in carts; the younger members of the community on foot were carrying their bundles of clothes... while the children, with looks of alarm, walked alongside.... A cry of grief went up to heaven, the long plaintive wail, like a funeral coronach, was resumed.. the sound re-echoed through the wide valley of Strath in one prolonged note of desolation'.
Pass through the gate and turn left before a barn to head uphill to reach a gate in the fence. Go through this and follow the fence to the right and half way down the far side until a path heads left to follow the coast on a high path. Once the path descends close to the shore there are good spots to watch for seals or otters. Most of the way it is a beautifully graded path as it was originally the main route to Boreraig, but in places the path has been destroyed by the decaying cliffs and you have to weave between the rocks; there are several fine waterfalls cascading down from the black slabby cliffs. Eventually the first of the ruins of Boreraig are reached. Continue on the path to cross the stream by a stone slab bridge just above the shore.
Boreraig is a fertile, sheltered and beautiful spot, but it was brutally cleared by Lord Macdonald at the same time as Suisnish and all residents being evicted and their homes burned to make way for the more profitable sheep. From the ruins look out for a path running up to the right, northeast. The path becomes much clearer as it leaves the ruins behind and it climbs with a stream and small valley down to the right. The path crosses moorland and reaches a gate, go through this and soon the path widens to a track and passes a cairn marking the summit of the pass. Ignore the path to the left and head down to the remains of one of the Skye marble quarries. On the ground a circular structure is all that remains of a winding wheel that once pulled the trains up the incline. Follow the route of the incline downhill, passing spoil heaps.
This is the Marble Line, the route of a railway line that ran between Broadford and a series of Marble quarries which closed in 1912; they had been worked for at least a century and in 1907 a railway was built to transport the marble to Broadford, but the company soon folded. Skye Marble was highly prized, being used in Iona Abbey and Hamilton Palace.
Follow the old railway as it contours along the side of Strath Suardal, passing through two gates above houses at Suardal and ignoring any turnings to the left until the path is running alongside the road with a forestry plantation on the far side.
Look for a short path to the left which soon reaches the road, turn right and follow the road into Broadford. Broadford has a wide range of accommodation (including hostels and campsite) cafes, pubs, shops, supermarket and post office.
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