Things You Need to Know Before Your Isle of Skye Road Trip

If you had to pick one place in Scotland to do a road trip for a few days, it should most definitely be Isle of Skye! It’s the jewel of the Scottish Highlands and spreads out like an open wing spanning out to sea, embodying the Highlands’ free and brave spirit. Situated on the northwest coast of Scotland, this unique island is the largest of the Inner Hebrides archipelago. It boasts vibrant green turf scattered across the mafic volcanic rocks, flat table hills, jagged sea cliffs and geological wonders that inspired scenes for some of our favourite fantasy films. 

This island has just over 10,000 inhabitants yet 100,000 sheep! That’s practically 10 sheep for every person who lives in Skye. While the sheep roam and graze freely, the landscapes stay preserved and untouched by most human activity, maintaining the natural charm of the Highlands. The rugged landscapes and outstanding scenery of Skye offer us so much to explore and experience a trip back into ancient history.

After spending three nights in Skye this autumn, we’ve put together all the important need-to-know tidbits to get the most out of your journey to this island. From info like how to get here, where to stay, when to visit and what to bring, we’ve got you covered! Once you’ve had this a read, don’t forget to check out our top seven best sights in this slice of Highland paradise that you can explore within a two-day itinerary!

Where Is Isle of Skye?

Isle of Skye is the largest island of the Inner Hebrides archipelago, situated on the northwest coast of Scotland. It connects to mainland Scotland by a single road bridge, the Skye Bridge, which goes over Loch Alsh and passes over the island of Eilean Bàn.

Getting to Isle of Skye

The number one way to get to Isle of Skye is by car. No matter which airport you’re landing in, it’s going to be quite the drive. The closest airport is in Inverness, a 3-hour drive away, which pretty much receives exclusively domestic UK flights. The two other airports you’ll likely fly into Scotland from are Glasgow and Edinburgh, which are both 5+ hours away. After our flight landed in Edinburgh at 11am, it was already dark by the time we reached our place on the island.

To reach and explore Isle of Skye, there are three major methods. You can either rent your own regular car, you can rent a camper van, or if you want to forget about driving altogether, you can go with the hassle-free option of booking a tour. We found a great 3-day tour that allows you to kick back, relax and enjoy the journey, which we’ve linked here! 

If you’re renting your own car like we did, we recommend checking on Rentalcars and Discovercars to price compare all the best companies you can pick your car up from the airport or in town!

Camper Vanning in Skye

With a camper van, you get your transportation and accommodation all in one! The flexibility, convenience and money-savings are well worth it to consider hiring a camper van for your self-guided tour around the island. Camper vanning or renting a motorhome is a popular choice among Skye visitors and we saw so many of them everywhere we went!

The thing people worry about most with a camper van or motorhome is: where do you park to sleep? But here, you’ve got a few options. You can park at one of the campsites where they have all the facilities you might need, you can park at dedicated overnight car parks near or at the major sights, or you can park for free along the streets or roadsides. Just remember to keep an eye out for any signs saying no overnight parking! 

As much as we loved camper vanning when we were in Iceland, we ended up finding a really cozy place near all the major spots on our itinerary that was too good to pass up on! Sometimes having a comfortable home base and driving out from there in a smaller vehicle is the way to go. And for this trip it was! 

What’s It Like Driving in Isle of Skye?

When making your way to and around this region of the Scottish Highlands, the road conditions aren’t the most relaxing to drive on. Single lanes on winding, narrow roads are the majority. And as it was our first time driving on the left side of the road, it took some getting used to.

Once you’re in Isle of Skye, many of the roads are for the most part meant for single file traffic and have dedicated pullouts or passing places to veer into when oncoming traffic needs to squeeze past you. Add in some blind spots from the winding roads and you definitely need to be 100% attentive when driving. Potholes aren’t uncommon either, given the weather northern Scotland experiences! 

Stay alert, stick to the left as much as you can, be aware of incoming potholes and courteous to oncoming traffic and you’ll do great! During all of our drives here, we didn’t have a single near miss. Everyone respected the passing places so well and I hope the same for your journey.

Where to Stay in Isle of Skye

If you aren’t going with a camper van for this trip and will need a home base (or two) during your stay, there are a few regions to keep in mind when looking to book an accommodation. The main towns that people tend to stay in are Uig, Dunvegan and Portree with Portree being the most popular as well as the capital of the region.

These towns are nearest to some of the best spots in Isle of Skye! They’re also the top hubs for great stays, dining and shopping. However, even at the time we went, it was slim pickings for decent properties in these towns when we looked during the two months prior to our trip. Skye gets booked up quick so be sure to stay on top of your trip planning and book your stay – or camper – and dinner reservations in advance! 

Staying in Portree, in our opinion, is the most central option when it comes to visiting all the main sceneries and landmarks on the island. It’s also the least furthest of the major towns from the Skye Bridge, giving you a shorter distance to cover when driving to and from Skye. Portree has some of the best dining, grocery shopping and a much wider variety of accommodation options out of everywhere else on the island.

Best Time to Visit Isle of Skye

The most promising and warmest weather you’ll get here are during the months of July and August. Does that mean it’s the best time to visit? Not necessarily.

We’re typically advocates for travelling during the shoulder season, especially for destinations like Skye! Late spring, as in May and June, are a quieter alternative to the summer months. September and early October are the next best with even fewer crowds. When we went during the last few days of September, it may have been chillier and wet. But on the flip side, we never had to worry about finding a parking spot, dealing with increased prices for peak season or fighting for food at the grocery marts!

Finding a well located accommodation or even a place to dine without booking ahead of time can be near impossible during the height of summer. Isle of Skye has some of the lowest vacancy rates we’ve ever seen!

Grocery Shopping for Isle of Skye

To avoid dealing with not being able to get a spot at a restaurant, we ended up just cooking for ourselves. We managed to find a really great B&B in the deep countryside of Marishader, not far from Portree, that was still just a short drive from all the main spots in the northern peninsula. This quiet ensuite room had a shared kitchen and living space with the host couple and another guest. It was the homiest of homestays we’ve ever had!

With a fully equipped kitchen, we cooked all of our meals and enjoyed some relaxing in the house and we also managed to make some tasty lunches. The great thing about northern Scotland’s cool weather is that food stays cool in the car!

On our way to Isle of Skye from Edinburgh, we stopped at an ALDI supermarket in Perth to pick up our groceries. Even though it was fine in our case, to be on the safe side, it would be best to shop a little bit closer to your destination. If you prefer ALDI, there is one in Fort William. It’s a detour from your route to Skye, but if you’re making a stop at the famous Glenfinnan Viaduct to watch the Hogwarts Express make its way on the bridge, you’ll be passing right by it!

Booking a place that has a kitchen and grabbing your groceries on your way to Isle of Skye will ensure you’ll never have to miss a meal. And you’ll be able to save yourself some money too!

How Long Is Needed for Isle of Skye?

I recommend you spend at minimum two nights on Isle of Skye, giving you one full day to explore the major sights. Ideally, two full days with three nights spent is best! When you’re making a 3-6 hour drive from whichever city you’re coming from, you’ll want to make sure you’re not just up and leaving the next day. This way you’ll be able to hit up all the glorious spots we’ve listed in our two-day Skye itinerary!