Isle Of Sky

  • Santa's Avatar
    One for FJ if you are there:

    I frequent a cruise forum where someone has posted a question about visiting Skye.

    We'll be on a cruise around Norway and Scotland this summer and are all set for small (4 person) tours the Shetland Islands and the Inverness, and we have arrangements for Edinburgh. However, we haven't had much success with the Isle of Skye.

    We looked into a few companies for tours, but their itineraries are pretty set, with requirements of at least eight people and it seems like it's just bus load after bus load all going around together, at prices similar to the cruise ship's.

    We like the idea of going to Donvegan castle and gardens (and the boat to see the seals) but we might also like to see the fairy pools. Also, we don't want to go to have super-rigid plans for the castle if it's heavily raining because we'd mostly want to go for the garden and wouldn't want to paint ourselves into a corner.

    Does anyone know if this port is doable on our own? Perhaps by hiring a taxi or renting a car? Yes, we know it will likely be stick shift and with the wheel on the right.

    Thanks for your help!

    I wondered if you could offer any suggestions - either through this site or direct to http://boards.cruisecritic.co.uk/sho....php?t=2442013. (you would have to register but it is spam free.)
  • 23 Replies

  • Ken Garrard's Avatar
    Guest
    before I register on the forum, perhaps you can tell me which port he refers to,please
  • Santa's Avatar
    She doesn't specify, but similar cruises call at Tobermory.
  • Beelzebub's Avatar
    She doesn't specify, but similar cruises call at Tobermory.

    Wrong island!
  • Ken Garrard's Avatar
    Guest
    I will mull that over
  • Ken Garrard's Avatar
    Guest
    Finales Cave, and Iona are close by to Mulll worth visiting. Correction Fingles Cave
  • Santa's Avatar
    Then I presume they will call at Portree and tender ashore.
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Truly sorry, Santa, haven't looked at this section for a while. When I go to Skye, it's as an individual and I drive myself so maybe not the best person to answer!!!

    Quick answer - if they're confident about driving in UK, hire a car to get to Dunvegan. The Cruise ship, assuming it is on one of the regular routes, will anchor off Portree and whilst there are buses, the timetables might not be convenient. Except for a short section, the road is twin track. Some car hire firms rent automatics (seeing as a lot of overseas visitors don't like manuals). Allow 45 minutes to 1 hour from Portree, depending on confidence/time of year.

    To get to the Fairy Pools, they'll have to hire a car and cope with single track roads. The footpath to the Fairy Pools isn't too arduous but getting to the car park, doing the walk, exploring the place and getting back really is nearly a full day. Same for Dunvegan, especially if they want the seal boat trip. On the other hand, both types of seals are fairly easy to spot with binoculars around the Scottish islands.

    I've got a manic schedule for the next 72 hours - car club AGM; funeral; event first aid cover plus preparing for a radio control on the Snowman Rally - but will try and find out some info for you to pass on, even if it's just a few email links. Fairy pools walk is
    https://www.isleofskye.com/skye-guid...ks/fairy-pools

    Dunvegan seal boat trips: https://www.isleofskye.com/activitie...eal-boat-trips.

    Car hire in Portree:
    http://www.skyecarhire.co.uk/
    http://www.m2-motors.co.uk/car-hire
    Please note I have no personal experience of these companies, just found them on the web!

    I know there's some individual tour guides that take out small groups for a day, as they do here on Mull. Visit Scotland's Portree visitor information will have more about them. Their tours aren't always cheap (same on Mull) but might be an option for a cruise visitor small group who have specific wishes.

    If you have any more info - I'll try some more digging - got mates in the tourism industry on Skye, though mainly in B&B area.
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Ken Garrard, sorry, mate, wrong on both counts - it's known as Fingal's Cave and it's off Mull's west coast on the isle of Staffa.
  • smudger's Avatar
    I used to drive across Skye quite a lot, to get the ferry over to the further away islands, but I couldn't remember the names of any of the places?................... .........We used to do removals to and from that wee RAF base where they tested out missile flights.................... .........It was great if your moving them off the island, as they were so keen to leave, they used to pack the lorry for us!😁
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Santa, I would have thought that the cruise trip if visiting Skye would have included a general trip to Dunvegan. They do this to Duart and Iona when parked up at Tobermory. Horrendously expensive, I know, though! Some of our taxi drivers are also guides and I suspect this may be true of Portree so another option for them to explore.
  • Santa's Avatar
    Yes, the cruise companies usually offer tours at most ports. May regular cruisers prefer to make their own arrangements, rather than be crammed in a bus with 50 odd other people. In many cases it can be a cheaper option too.
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Smudger, you'd probably have gone to Uig on Skye where you can get ferries to Lochmaddy on North Uist and Tarbert on Harris. I remember pre ro-ro days when vehicles were lifted by crane!
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Santa,

    See what info they want if you can over next few days. I'll be seeing some of my mates from Skye next weekend so may have chance to pick their brains.
  • Santa's Avatar
    This is their original post. It have asked them if they are still looking.

    We'll be on a cruise around Norway and Scotland this summer and are all set for small (4 person) tours the Shetland Islands and the Inverness, and we have arrangements for Edinburgh. However, we haven't had much success with the Isle of Skye.

    We looked into a few companies for tours, but their itineraries are pretty set, with requirements of at least eight people and it seems like it's just bus load after bus load all going around together, at prices similar to the cruise ship's.

    We like the idea of going to Donvegan castle and gardens (and the boat to see the seals) but we might also like to see the fairy pools. Also, we don't want to go to have super-rigid plans for the castle if it's heavily raining because we'd mostly want to go for the garden and wouldn't want to paint ourselves into a corner.

    Does anyone know if this port is doable on our own? Perhaps by hiring a taxi or renting a car? Yes, we know it will likely be stick shift and with the wheel on the right.

    Thanks for your help!
  • smudger's Avatar
    Quote............"Smudger, you'd probably have gone to Uig on Skye where you can get ferries to Lochmaddy on North Uist and Tarbert on Harris."........................ ...............Aye! that sounds about right, I used to go there quite a lot in them days, ......................I miss them in a weird sort of way.
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Santa,

    Purely curiosity, but did you get any feedback on this?
  • Santa's Avatar
    No FJ - since I had nothing to say, I did not follow the thread.
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Not to worry, Santa. It's just I used to work in the tourism industry and quite often still get asked about things to do and places to visit and it's good to get feedback!
  • Santa's Avatar
    Yes - Sky does not generally feature in cruise itineraries. Most questions relate to the East coast - Edinburgh, St Andrews, Greenock and further North to The Shetlands
  • ficklejade's Avatar
    Tobermory gets a good number of cruise ships, excluding the very regular visits of the Hebridean Princess. Oban is also getting a lot more than it used to. The bigger ships have to stay in the roads, rather than the Bay, a similar situation happens at Portree and indeed at Oban (too many ferries - it's mayhem in the summer!) but they've just built some new pontoons to facilitate ship to shore visitors.
  • Santa's Avatar
    Cruise lines are always looking for new ports and the round Britain cruises are very popular with our American cousins.
  • Hometune's Avatar
    Guest
    Yes - Sky does not generally feature in cruise itineraries. Most questions relate to the East coast - Edinburgh, St Andrews, Greenock and further North to The Shetlands

    Sky??? SKYE 😉

    Greenock is on the west coast on the Clyde so if you are stopping there then either to go to one of the resorts there such as Dunoon or Rothesay, or into Glasgow itself.

    When we were married at South Queensferry last September a huge cruise ship anchored in the Firth of Forth and hundreds of cruise people were transferred by boats to South Queensferry. The buses were mainly for Edinburgh or St Andrews and all the car parks were closed to accommodate them.
  • Santa's Avatar
    When cruise ships stop at Greenock the intrepid explorers tend to catch a train to Glasgow or, when the festival is on, a coach to Edinburgh. Otherwise, they do coach tours in the countryside - Loch Lomond is popular - I imagine they think they might see a monster.

    As FJ indicated, many West coast ports require tenders and if the weather is rough (as if) they just give it a miss.