Isle of Skye Walking Holiday – The Best of Skye
Spend a week properly exploring the Isle of Skye, combining some of the island’s best-known walks with coast, communities, local makers and plenty of places you might otherwise drive straight past.
Over seven nights we’ll explore different parts of the island, from the Point of Sleat and Glen Brittle to the Quiraing, Coral Beach and the Old Man of Storr. But this isn’t simply about ticking off walks. We’ll also spend time in Portree, visit local cafés and makers, discover quieter corners of Skye and, weather permitting, have the option of heading out by boat towards the Small Isles.
With a maximum of eight people, transport from Glasgow and all our transport around Skye included, it’s an easy and sociable way to get to know the island.
Trip Overview
Location: Isle of Skye, Scotland
Duration: 7 nights
Group Size: Max 8 (small group)
Style: Sociable walking break
Walking Grade: Leisurely
Steady-paced, sociable walking with manageable distances and varied terrain, with time to stop and enjoy the surroundings.
Typical Distance: Around 6–10 miles per day
With plenty of time for breaks and photos at a relaxed pace,
Accommodation: Cottage
Room Type: Shared twin rooms, with twin/double rooms for two people booking together and selected single-room options
Transport: Car-free option with Glasgow city centre and airport collection; all transport around Skye included
Meals: Breakfast each morning, packed lunches on walking days and three evening meals at our accommodation. On the other evenings, we’ll eat out locally and these meals are not included.
Price: From £1250 per person
Check Dates & Book Your Place
Select a date to view availability, room options and prices, and book your place to join Large Outdoors.
Dates & Availability
We run this trip on selected dates throughout the year.
Upcoming dates:
Saturday 29 August - Saturday 5 September 2026
Saturday 1 - Saturday 8 May 2027
Saturday 15 - Saturday 22 May 2027
Saturday 24 - Saturday 31 July 2027
Saturday 7 - Saturday 14 August 2027
Saturday 14 - Saturday 21 August 2027
Simply select your preferred date in the booking box to check availability and book.
Can I Book with a Deposit?
Book more than 12 weeks before departure with a 20% deposit. Within 12 weeks of departure, full payment is required at booking.
A Good Fit for You If…
You want to explore different parts of Skye rather than stay in one area or concentrate on mountain summits.
You enjoy walking but also want time for villages, cafés, local makers and other places along the way.
You’re comfortable with walks that can include short steep sections and rocky, boggy or slippery ground.
You like travelling as part of a small, sociable group.
You’d rather have the driving and daily logistics taken care of for you.
You’re happy with a flexible itinerary that allows us to make the most of Skye’s changeable weather.
Probably not for you if…
You’re looking for a mountain-focused holiday climbing Skye’s major summits.
You want every day to involve a long or challenging walk.
You prefer a fixed itinerary where every activity happens on a particular day regardless of the weather.
You’re looking for hotel accommodation with private en-suite facilities.
You prefer completely independent travel rather than exploring as part of a small group.
What People Say
“A fabulous trip. Well organised and paced, with a lovely group. The guide and support throughout the week made it a top experience.”
Exploring the Isle of Skye
Skye deserves more than simply travelling between its most photographed landmarks.
Throughout the week we’ll get to know different parts of the island and the communities within them. Broadford gives us a convenient base in the south, while our days take us from Sleat to Trotternish and from Dunvegan and Glendale across to Portree.
We also make a point of supporting and visiting independent businesses along the way. Depending on opening times, our travels might include artists’ studios, local weavers, community craft fairs, cafés and small shops producing things here on Skye.
There’s history too, from Dunvegan and the island’s clan connections to the Norse influence still found in Skye’s place names.
And because we have our own transport, we're not tied to one particular corner of the island. We can adapt our plans and explore where conditions are best that day.
Highlights
Walk through some of Skye’s best-known landscapes, including the Quiraing, Glen Brittle and the Old Man of Storr.
Explore quieter areas including the Sleat Peninsula, Coral Beach, Talisker Bay and Neist Point.
Discover more of island life through local communities, cafés, artists, makers and independent businesses.
Optional wildlife boat trip from Elgol towards Canna and Rùm when weather and availability allow.
Maximum group of eight, with transport from Glasgow and around Skye taken care of.
Here’s what’s included in your trip:
Seven nights’ accommodation in our cottage near Broadford.
Six full days of guided walking and exploring across the Isle of Skye.
An experienced Large Outdoors walking guide throughout the holiday, with local knowledge to help us make the most of each day.
Maximum group size of just eight people.
Collection from Glasgow city centre or Glasgow Airport and return transport at the end of the holiday.
All transport throughout the week, including travel to and from our walks, communities and places we visit.
Breakfast each morning.
Packed lunch on each walking day.
Three evening meals at our accommodation.
A flexible itinerary, allowing your guide to plan around Skye’s weather and conditions and make the most of different parts of the island.
What’s not included
Travel to and from Glasgow or Skye if you are making your own way there.
Four evening meals. We’ll arrange group meals at local restaurants where you can order and pay from the available menu.
Optional excursions or activities with an additional charge, including the Aqua Explore boat trip if available (around £80pp).
Alcoholic drinks.
Food, drinks or purchases you choose to make in cafés, pubs, restaurants and shops during the trip.
Personal toiletries.
Travel/activity insurance.
Suggested Itinerary
One of the advantages of this holiday is that we don't need to rigidly follow the same plan every week.
Skye's weather can be very different from one part of the island to another, so your host will use the forecast and local conditions to decide what works best. We may change the order of days, swap walks or make the most of other opportunities we discover along the way.
The following gives you a good idea of the places and experiences we aim to include.
If you’re a keen dipper, although this is a walking-based holiday, there are plenty of chances to explore Skye’s lochs, beaches, and waterfalls. So, if you fancy a refreshing dip in Scotland’s wild waters, don’t forget to pack your cosy!
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Our holiday starts with collection in Glasgow before we head north towards Skye.
Rather than treating today simply as a transfer, we'll make the journey part of the holiday. We normally stop around Tyndrum before continuing through Glencoe, with time to appreciate the landscape and hear a little about the area's history.
We'll continue via Fort William and Fort Augustus, where we can stop for lunch and stretch our legs beside Loch Ness. We'll also aim to stop at Eilean Donan Castle before crossing the Skye Bridge.
Before reaching our accommodation, we'll call for supplies so you can pick up any extras, including snacks or something to drink during the week.
Once we're settled into our cottage, your host will prepare our first evening meal and we'll get together to talk through the week ahead.
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We start our exploration at Skye's southern end on the Sleat Peninsula.
Our walk to the Point of Sleat is around eight miles and takes us through a gentler side of the island, eventually reaching the remote southern tip.
There's a mixture of tracks and rockier sections, plus a beach along the way where there may even be an opportunity to dip your feet in the water. On a clear day, we can look across towards Eigg and Rùm.
After the walk, we'll aim to stop around Armadale for refreshments before returning to our accommodation.
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Today takes us north towards Trotternish.
We'll explore Fairy Glen near Uig and make a short stop at Rha Waterfall before continuing towards the Quiraing.
Our main walk is around seven miles and takes us through the unusual landslip landscape, including formations such as the Prison and Needle. We'll also head out towards the coast, where clear conditions can give us views towards the Outer Hebrides.
We'll normally stop for dinner on our journey back.
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Today is deliberately different, combining a shorter walk with more time exploring the people and places of northwest Skye.
We'll start with an approximately three-mile walk at Coral Beach near Dunvegan. Its pale shoreline isn't actually coral but fragments of calcified red coralline seaweed.
From here, we'll spend more of the day exploring locally. Depending on opening times, this may include Dunvegan, the studio of local artist Cath Waters, the Hebridean Alpaca Shop and Skye Weavers in Glendale, where traditional weaving is carried out using a bicycle pedal-powered loom.
We also like to call at Glendale Community Hall when its local craft events are running, where you can meet and buy directly from island makers.
We'll aim to finish around Neist Point, with its lighthouse, cliffs and views west towards the Outer Hebrides, before finding somewhere for dinner on our return journey.
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Weather permitting, today gives us the opportunity to see Skye and the surrounding islands from a completely different perspective.
Aqua Explore operates fast RIB trips from Elgol towards the Small Isles. The journey can include the cliffs of Canna, time ashore on the island, seal colonies and views of Rùm.
These waters are also home to a wide range of wildlife, with possible sightings including dolphins, Minke whales and seabirds.
The boat trip is optional and carries an additional charge. It is also completely weather-dependent, so we will normally place it on whichever day offers the best conditions rather than being tied to Day 5.
If the boat cannot operate, we'll use the day to explore another part of Skye.
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We'll begin with an approximately two-mile walk at Talisker Bay before heading towards Carbost for refreshments.
Depending on timings, there may be the opportunity for an optional visit to Talisker Distillery before we continue towards Sligachan.
Our main walk follows the Glen Brittle path for around eight miles, taking us through the valley beneath the Cuillin rather than onto their summits.
Towards the end of the route, we'll see the cascades above the Fairy Pools from the quieter upper approach, avoiding the busiest section below.
We'll return to our accommodation for one of our home-cooked evening meals.
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For our final full day, we'll head back towards northeast Skye and one of the island's best-known landmarks – the Old Man of Storr.
The walk is relatively short but includes a steep climb, taking us up amongst the rock formations with views across towards Raasay and the Scottish mainland when conditions are clear.
Afterwards we'll continue to Portree, with free time to explore the harbour, browse the shops or find a café.
We'll finish our week with dinner together and a chance to look back over everything we've managed to fit into our time on Skye.
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After breakfast, we'll leave our cottage and begin the journey south.
Again, there's no need to make this simply a dash back down the road. Depending on timings, we'll stop for lunch and may call at Highland shops or cafés along the way.
We aim to reach Glasgow between 15:00 and 17:00, with drop-offs available in the city centre and at Glasgow Airport.
Road conditions can make journey times unpredictable, so please leave plenty of flexibility when arranging onward travel.
Check Dates & Book Your Place
Select a date to view availability, room options and prices, and book your place to join Large Outdoors.
Dates & Availability
We run this trip on selected dates throughout the year.
Upcoming dates:
Saturday 29 August - Saturday 5 ~September 2026
Saturday 1 - Saturday 8 May 2027
Saturday 15 - Saturday 22 May 2027
Saturday 24 - Saturday 31 July 2027
Saturday 7 - Saturday 14 August 2027
Saturday 14 - Saturday 21 August 2027
Simply select your preferred date in the booking box to check availability and book.
Can I Book with a Deposit?
Book more than 12 weeks before departure with a 20% deposit. Within 12 weeks of departure, full payment is required at booking.
Getting There & Accommodation
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Glasgow Pick-Up
You don't need a car for this holiday.
On Day 1, we offer an optional collection from Glasgow:
Glasgow City Centre: 08:30 at ibis Styles Glasgow Central, 116 Waterloo Street, Glasgow, G2 7DN.
A discount code for the hotel is available if you would like to stay there before or after the trip, with details provided in your booking confirmation.
Glasgow International Airport: 08:45 from the Pick-up & Drop-off area outside the main terminal building in Car Park 2.
We'll return you to Glasgow on Day 8, aiming to arrive between 15:00 and 17:00, with drop-off available at either Glasgow Airport or in the city centre.
Please allow plenty of flexibility when booking onward trains or flights, as road and traffic conditions can affect our return time.
Making Your Own Way to Skye
You're equally welcome to drive to Skye and meet us there.
Our accommodation is near Broadford and you can arrive from 17:00 on Day 1, when your Large Outdoors host will be there to welcome you.
Dinner is normally served at around 20:00. If you expect to arrive later, please arrange to eat beforehand.
Once you've arrived, you won't need your car for the holiday – we'll provide the transport required for our walks and activities.
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For the full seven nights, we'll stay together in a self-catering cottage near Broadford.
This gives our small group a sociable base for the week and means there's no need to pack up and move accommodation as we explore different parts of Skye.
Shared rooms are twin rooms. Twin and double rooms are available for two participants booking together, with selected single-room options available depending on the departure date.
Bedding and one towel are provided, but please bring your own toiletries.
Three evenings include a home-cooked set two-course dinner at the cottage. On the other four evenings, we'll eat out together locally, giving us another opportunity to experience different parts of Skye.
Breakfasts are deliberately informal and self-service, with toast, cereal, fruit and yoghurt provided. You'll also be able to prepare a sandwich and snacks for your packed lunch on our six days out.