Winter In Scotland: Scottish Highlands and Isle Of Skye Itinerary (2023)

FAQs

Is it worth going to Isle of Skye in winter? ›

Another of the best things about the Isle of Skye in winter is that there's beautiful light. Winter light is famous for its soft, warm qualities and is great for enjoying views and taking pictures. It also makes the scenery look better for more of the day than in the summer, when stronger light can cast harsh shadows.

A minimum of two days is ideal. On a map, the Isle of Skye may look small, but there is a lot to do here. Even if you only have a day to spare, you still have enough time to see the best of the island. Those with three days or more have enough time to cover the majority of the Isle of Skye.

Planning Your Trip to Scotland

With one week, you can roam much of the highlands, and 10 days would allow you to explore both the Lowlands and Highlands in depth. And two weeks would give time to explore the Isle of Skye or one or two of the other whisky-scented islands.

Best Time to Visit the Isle of Skye

The weather is the best between May and September. However, the summer months, in particular July and August, are peak season.

The Northern Lights can provide an amazing spectacle in the Winter months. The incredible, shifting columns of light appear like search lights in the skies over Glendale. Most auroras on the Isle of Skye appear white to the eye. It is extremely rare for colours to be visible at this latitude (57.5° North).

The Isle of Skye is an island set off the west coast of Scotland and is known to be a good location for aurora sightings in Scotland – especially to the north of the island. There are many remote regions which are away from light pollution, so you won't struggle to find somewhere quiet to sit and wait.

By car: Travelers will generally find that it is not necessary to rent a car for travel throughout the Isle of Skye, because the other transportation options for the area are sufficient for all internal travel. However, car rental is an option.

Many of the roads on Skye are single track. These roads are only wide enough for one vehicle. They have special passing places. If you see a vehicle coming towards you, or the driver behind wants to overtake, pull into a passing place on your left, or wait opposite a passing place on your right.

The Isle of Skye is one of the best places to visit in Scotland. If you want to see some truly spectacular scenery, then you must come here. We were amazed at the beauty of this island. In this post, we cover the best things to do in the Isle of Skye with tips to have the best experience.

It's surprisingly easy – and cheap – to get around Scotland without a car thanks to the rail network operated by ScotRail and the inter-city bus services run by Citylink and Megabus.

Is it easy to drive in Scottish Highlands? ›

We find that on two land roads in the Highlands, it is difficult to drive more than 40-50mph due to slow drivers and tailbacks, and sometimes will be forced to drive as slowly as 20-30mph.

The Isle of Skye is a walkers' paradise. From family walks on the spectacular coastline to dramatic scrambles in the Cuillin mountains, the most challenging in Britain, the island provides fantastic walking for everyone.

If you do not have riding boots, walking boots are perfect, and 'wellies' are also recommended. Trainers can also be worn. We tend to encourage people to bring waterproofs with them – we are on Skye of course!

You can usually expect to see snow between the months of December to February. In milder winters you can just expect to see a lot of rain so make sure you come prepared. So there you have it, your ultimate guide to visiting the Isle of Skye in winter.

The aurora borealis are potentially visible under dark skies from late August to mid-April preferably under a clear, cloudless sky. While they occur year round they are weaker than sunlight and therefore sightings aren't possible from May to July and for most of August.

The best month to see the northern lights in Iceland is December, as it's the month when the nights are longest and darkest. As a result, you have the opportunity to see the aurora borealis from the hours of 15:30 in the afternoon to 11:30 in the morning.

Places like Applecross, Lochinver and north of Ullapool are great spots on the far north west coast of Scotland to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis.

Rubha an Dùnain, an uninhabited peninsula on the isle of Skye. Game of Thrones has filmed in Scotland once before, for the pilot episode, when the Castle of Doune stood in for Winterfell.

A Golden Eagle is near the top of any bird watchers list. The Isle of Skye is a great place to see them in the wild. With a wing span of up to 8 foot they are one of the largest birds of prey in Briton.

Isle of Skye

For some of the best views, head to Glendale which is often aglow with auroras. Rubha Hunish, the northernmost point of the island, and Duntulm Castle are also brilliant spots to see the lights dance amongst the Milky Way.

Is there a train from Edinburgh to Isle of Skye? ›

There is no direct train from Edinburgh to Isle of Skye. However, you can take a train from Edinburgh to Inverness in the Scottish Highlands which takes about four hours. From there you can either hire a car and drive, or take a bus, through Northern Scotland and over the Skye Bridge to the island.

After years of campaigning, legal challenges and then the setup of the new Scottish parliament in 1999 the leading political parties made it a priority to have the tolls abolished. On the 21st of December 2004 the bridge was purchased by the Scottish Government and made free to cross.

The drive between Broadford and Elgol is renowned as one of the most scenic on Skye, offering spectacular views of the brooding Cuillin Mountains. It lives up to the hype. The spectacular Cuillins accompany much of the drive from Broadford to Elgol.

Visitors can embark on the stunning 2.4km walk from the car park to the Fairy Pools via the gravel path bordered with grass, heather, peat and rocks up towards the largest waterfall, or walk further up the path and explore some of the smaller pools which lie ahead.

Lovely Hike Cold but worth it. We thoroughly enjoyed our visit to the pools. I'd probably have a different view if visiting in peak holiday season. The pools were lovely and we were able to take some photos of the colours of the different pools.

The Isle of Skye is known for its rugged landscapes, medieval castles, picturesque fishing villages, it's history and the outstanding scenery. Skye is connected to Scotland's northwest coast by both the Skye Bridge and the Malaig – Armadale ferry and is the largest island in the Inner Hebrides of Scotland.

Overall, driving in Scotland is not scary. If you're a confident driver then you'll be completely fine. Just remember to pay attention and not get distracted. Going on a road trip through Scotland is a truly magical experience.

Whether you're visiting Scotland from the US, India or even Australia, you can rest assured that as long as your licence is valid and in date, you can drive in Scotland and the rest of the UK.

What does an American need to drive in Scotland? ›

You do not need an international driver's license.

For non-EU visitors, your domestic driver's license allows you to drive in Scotland for up to a year provided it is in English or has an English translation. You must also have a valid passport.

You can expect the average trip to Scotland cost for travellers that want to vacation in Scotland to be £70 to £190 per person per day (approximately $84 – $228 USD). This can, however, be reduced if you plan on spending some nights camping, not doing many paid activities and cooking most of your own meals.

The NC500 (The North Coast 500) is, without doubt, the most popular and famous Scotland road trip there is. It's Scotland's answer to Route 66 and it's amazing! We actually spent a couple of weeks doing the NC500, but it doesn't take anywhere near as long as that.

Most people visit the Scottish Highlands between May and September which is when we have the best weather and also the most daylight. Avoiding the peak months of July and August is a wise move if you can manage it, although given the nature of the Highlands there is plenty of wide open spaces for everyone to enjoy.

Get to know this 128.1-km point-to-point trail near Isle Of Skye, Highlands. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 39 h 28 min to complete. This is a popular trail for backpacking, camping, and hiking, but you can still enjoy some solitude during quieter times of day.

Often called 'the gateway to the Highlands', Inverness is the nearest city to Skye and probably the easiest answer to how to get to Skye.

You can drive around the Isle of Skye in half a day without stopping. But because there's so much to see, I recommend spending at least 2 full days. Plus you should schedule an additional half day to drive up from Fort William, and another half day to get back.

Waterproof trousers are not essential but, if there is a forecast for heavy rain, then they could come in really handy. I have these Berghaus ones which are great, as they have zips and buttons up the side to enable you to pull them on over your shoes and trousers as you need them.

The midge season usually runs from late May until September. But the worst months by far are July and August. So if you want to avoid midges, avoid those months.

How long does Isle of Skye take to complete? ›

A minimum of two days is ideal. On a map, the Isle of Skye may look small, but there is a lot to do here. Even if you only have a day to spare, you still have enough time to see the best of the island. Those with three days or more have enough time to cover the majority of the Isle of Skye.

The Isle of Skye is an island set off the west coast of Scotland and is known to be a good location for aurora sightings in Scotland – especially to the north of the island. There are many remote regions which are away from light pollution, so you won't struggle to find somewhere quiet to sit and wait.

The basic building blocks of the Highland diet were traditionally oats and barley; hardy vegetables such as kale, turnips and potatoes; dairy products; all kinds of seafood and occasionally lamb or mutton. These might be supplemented by wild plants such as nettles, sorrel, seaweed and berries.

You have to be a wee bit crazy to go to Scotland's Isle of Skye in January. It's cold, it's dark, and it's empty. Except if it's unseasonably warm, the sun rises late enough to see the sky glowing orange and pink at nine in the morning, and you like visiting beautiful places free of crowds.

Is it worth travelling to Scotland in winter? Absolutely! There are so many reasons why travelling to Scotland in the offseason is a good idea – it's cheaper, less crowded and the snow-capped peaks of the Highlands are breathtaking.

What's the temperature like in Isle of Skye during January? The temperature reaches around 7℃ during the daytime in January, falling away to 5℃ at night. The UV index will be low at this time of year, so not something to worry about.

Although daylight hours are fewer and the weather can be wild, visiting Skye during the winter months offers a unique and magical experience. The lack of crowds means you can fully enjoy the mesmerising landscapes and attractions, without constantly battling for somewhere to park or a space on the trail.

Come between late September and late May

If you arrive in Scotland, before the weather has warmed up too much you are unlikely to see many midges. Also if you visit in May or early September, you are also likely to encounter the best weather conditions Scotland has to offer.

Places like Applecross, Lochinver and north of Ullapool are great spots on the far north west coast of Scotland to catch a glimpse of the Aurora Borealis.

No. There is no legal requirement to use winter tyres. Central Scotland's relatively warm and wet climate means many drivers will not need them for drives in typical conditions, with all season tyres being sufficient. However for drivers in the Highlands and throughout rural Scotland, they may be necessary.

Is it safe to drive in Scotland during winter? ›

We're not saying you shouldn't drive in Scotland in winter, but you should definitely drive to the conditions, and stick to the more major roads where possible, which are more likely to have been treated for snow and ice. For more advice, see our guide to driving in the UK.