Itinerary
- Optional: Meet outside Euston/Birmingham New Street/Crewe train station and board The Caledonian Sleeper train for an overnight journey to Inverness (bed in a twin-share, single-sex room)
- Meet your guide in Inverness (airport/train station) at 10am and be transported to The Isle of Skye.
- You will have an opportunity to explore the town of Portree for a couple of hours before packing your bags and heading to the north of the island.
- Take a short hike to the most northern tip of the island for our first night of wild camping
Distance: 15 km
Ascent/Descent: 350m/250m
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
- The trail starts from Skye’s most northerly tip, Rubha Hunish, and follows a spectacular but rough section of the coastline, continuing above dramatic cliffs to reach Flodigarry for a night of wild camping
Distance: 22 km
Ascent/Descent: 1,700m/1,400m
Hiking Time: 9-11 hours
- The most challenging stage of the trail as you climb from Flodigarry beneath the amazing rock formations of The Quiraing, continuing south on the Trotternish Ridge towards the Storr where you will setup your campsite
- The rewards are tremendous – this must be one of the most dramatic ridge traverses in Britain!
- The day will end with a wild camp amongst the dramatic scenery of your surroundings
Distance: 17 km
Ascent/Descent: 500m/900m
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
- The third stage of the Skye Trail, takes a short section of road which leads to a fabulous parade along the top of dramatic coastal cliffs with superb views.
- You will restock supplies in Portree and spend the night in a local hostel and dinner in the pub (after a hot shower, of course!)
- You have the option of either hiking stage 4 of the trail, or seeing the trail in the comfort of the minibus.
- You can also visit some other local attractions that are not on the trail (e.g. Fairy Pools, Talisker distillery, Glenbrittle Beach).
- You will spend a night in a bunkhouse overlooking a beautiful sea loch and next to our favourite pub on the island (perfect for dinner and refreshment).
Distance: 15 km
Ascent/Descent: 400m/400m
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
- You hike beneath the famous Cuillins to a remote beach. From here a vertiginous cliff path with fantastic views across the water to the Cuillin reaches Elgol (you may camp on a beach before you reach Elgol).
- This will be a shorter hiking day, to allow you to ease back into the trail after the rest day
Distance: 17 km
Ascent/Descent: 400m/400m
Hiking Time: 5-7 hours
- A lovely day with great views to Sleat and the small isles, ending at the small village of Torrin – Depending on the weather, you may be spending our final night on a summit with views over the bay, the ocean and the mountains, or next to a beach which often has visits from the local seal colony.
Distance: 18 km
Ascent/Descent: 500m/500m
Hiking Time: 6-8 hours
- The final stage 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
- You will check-in to your accommodation and celebrate the completion of the Skye Trail with a hearty meal and drinks
- After a leisurely breakfast you will be transported back to Inverness for drop-off at either train station or airport (expect to arrive at Inverness for approximately 2pm)
- Optional: Board The Caledonian Sleeper train at 7pm for a relaxing journey to London/Birmingham/Crewe. The train is scheduled to arrive at London Euston around 8am on Monday
| Guided hiking by an experienced and qualified guide |
| Travel and logistical support from Inverness |
| All food whilst on the trail |
| Use of camp stoves and water filters |
| All accommodation (tents provided for wild camping sections, hostels/bunkhouses/B&Bs) |
| Optional: Return Travel on The Caledonian Sleeper Train between London/Birmingham/Crewe and Inverness |
| Your personal hiking kit |
| Your personal travel insurance |
| Any food/drink when not on the trail (pubs/cafes/restaurants) |
| Travel between home and Inverness (unless that option is chosen) |
Note: The weather and ground conditions will not be known until closer to the date and full winter conditions, whilst expected at this time of year, cannot be guaranteed. The trip will go ahead regardless of conditions (The only exception being if the prevailing weather is too dangerous e.g. Thunderstorms)
Clicking the ‘Add To Cart’ button is taken as confirmation that you have read and understood the Participation Statement.
Trip Highlights
- Spectacular mountain views – passing under the shadow of the jagged Red and Black Cuillins, quite possibly the finest mountain range in Britain
- Coastal scenery – from beaches to cliff-tops in areas that are remarkable but almost unvisited
- Haunting ruins of villages, deserted in the highland clearances
- Visiting remote island communities
- Superb opportunities for watching wildlife such as otters, golden eagles and the enormous white-tailed sea eagle (nicknamed the ‘flying barn door’!)
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Small groups, with a mix of solos and new friends
Expert guides, authentic mountain adventures
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9 reviews for Hike The Skye Trail
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City Mountaineering trips are so thoughtfully planned and are always a perfect combination of immersing in mountain air, challenge and being so well looked-after all the while. Stuart is a fabulous, enthusiastic and extremely knowledgeable Mountain Leader who has a wonderful way of ensuring that everybody has a great time no matter what. Thank you Stuart!
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I did the Skye trail with Stu, Nathan et al, it was a ridiculously awesome trip! Absolutely gorgeous scenery and landscapes. Everything was impeccably organised, Stuart did an amazing job sorting out all the logistics and had a great ability to adapt and modify plans as required to suit the fickle western Scotland weather and maximise the enjoyment for everyone in the group. Food was good, chocolate bars were a nice and appreciated touch. I’m already planning my next trip. For anyone looking to get out of London and into the outdoors, this is a perfect way to do it.
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Just back from my first trip with City Mountaneering (the Skye Trail) and struggling to come back to reality because of how good that was! The trip planning was impeccable and City Mountaneering delivers what it promises: it brings you far from the crowds amidst the most beautiful landscapes. Jonathan (our guide) was really supportive and knowledgeable and the whole experience was amazing. I can’t wait to sign up for another trip. If you haven’t tried City Mountaneering yet… you should!!
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Done “The Skye Trail” with City Mountaineering, can say it was one of the toughest but best experiences I’ve had in life. City Mountaineering was helpful with any questions before the trip and made it enjoyable throughout it. Its hard to find many businesses these days that have a lot passion with what they do.
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Fabulous Isle of Skye trek with Stuart at City Mountaineering! All bases were covered and coordinated for our group coming from all different locations: food requirements, gear supplements, accommodations fit for all, special requests such as DARK chocolate 😉 and a surprise touch for us bubble lovers with a toast at the top. City Mountaineering goes the extra mile with you to tweak your trek, even spur of the moment, to provide the experience you want; changing the route, lolly gagging with the group and providing extra sandwiches at lunch! 😋 Thanks City Mountaineering (and my hiking mates) for leaving me with lovely memories of the Isle of Skye. I would hike with Stuart and his joyful spaniel Beinn anytime!
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A week with Stuart, Jonathan and Bienn hiking the Skye Trail was wonderful! I highly recommend a hiking adventure with them!
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City Mountaineering trips are fantastic and well worth it. Stuart is a great guide always finding the least traveled routes And the most stunning scenery. Go, go , go one one of his trip!
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This has been my second trip with CityMountaineering, this time on the Skye Trail. It was an unforgettable experience, and the guides always make sure you have a great time along the way. Whether that’s through little treats like cake and wine or attending to blisters, ticks and damaged kit. They take extra care of you during river crossings and can take your pack on difficult descents too. And they do all this with a smile, creating a friendly and fun atmosphere along every step of the hike. I cannot recommend them enough!
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We were looking for a hiking trip on the Isle of Skye and the internet led us from Switzerland to city-mountaineering and the Isle of Skye Trail. It turned out to be a stroke of luck! We had a great time on this challenging trail, thanks to the good organisation and our experienced guide. To my delight, he is also very knowledgeable about the local birdlife and showed me many birds that I have never seen in the wild before. Thank you very much, Jonathan!