Lonely Planet™ · Thorn Tree Forum · 2020

walking on Skye

Country forums / UK & Ireland

Heading to Skye in mid May and hoping to do some walking. I'm travelling alone, and used to solo walking on unmarked trails, but they've been fairly obvious and haven't required anything like topographical maps or compass to navigate. I'm wondering how the walks on Skye are ie would I be able to avoid becoming hopelessly lost on my own on short-ish walks. I was hoping to check out the Cuillins specifically, though I'm not particularly interested in Munroes.
Thanks

You will definitely needs maps and compasses and navigation skills of the highest order for the Black Cuillins. People fall off them regularly. They also affect compasses, so even that may not be reliable.

Not advised for the lone walker, unfamiliar with the area. However, lots of other options on Skye. Red Cuillins may be OK, and the Quirang, etc.

The Ordnance Survey have walking books for all the main areas in Scotland, and Skye must have more books on walking that any other part of Scotland....

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tis true. you won't be able to move without stumbling over a walk. even just a meander around the various villages is enough for many ppl. my sister climbed Marsco (Red Cuillin) as well as a shorter walk/climb out the back of Portree (not the one that goes around the harbour) as well as the Old Man of Storr. I am telling you this because she is the least 'walky-type' person that I know so that should give you some idea of the difficulties. She did not go alone and only the Marsco expedition had any real thought in it (and they still arrived back in the middle of the night, covered in mud from top to toe and what was supposed to be a slightly demanding walk turned into a Kokoda style epic. They tried to walk from Sligachan instead of the Broadford side, which they were later told was a monumental error). Just get some books and local advice and you should find plenty to occupy yourself! And waterproofs. I used to walk in wellies and I still lost about 3 inches off the bottom of all my trousers.

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