Skye Trail Day One

 Day One. Flodigarry to Bealach Uige

We arrived in Portree on Saturday 27^th August and we stayed two nights in the hostel until we could get the bus Monday morning. The bus es don’t run on Sundays in Skye.  Portree is based around the square with many eating-places and pubs. The best we found was the isles pub in the square. Good food and local beers. Music on each night.

Start of Walk. Looking towards the Sheering Cliffs

On the Monday we caught the bus to flodigarry. The official routes start up at duntulm. Now depends on the route you follow, we were following two routes. One was Cameron MacNeish and the other was The Skye trail by David.  Our plan was to walk in from Duntulm into the Quiraing. But with the very low cloud we started from Flodigarry where there was a path that led straight into the Quirang. But that the fun of backpacking and wild camping. You can change the route you do.

Loach Hasco

So off the bus and we found the path we wanted. Over the stile a pass the tourists looking up at the mountains. Only if they went over the stile the would have got better photos with Loch Langaig in.   Lovely loch we passed as we headed up the good path. We soon came to another loch. Loch Hasco.  Now we were below the sheering cliffs with the great ridge above.  Dark rock sheering high above. Jagged and weird rock formations. From here we picked up a path the was running south to north. We turned south with cliffs looming up on our right. Down to our left we could see the road and staffing beyond as we approached the entrance to the Quiraing.

Entering Quiraing.  The Prison on the left

Looking Down to The Prison from the Needle

We arrived at the Prison where we climb up towards the needle. From here you can go to the Table.  This is a high flat smooth grassed area. Good enough for bowling green. But with my ankle not 100% I put it for another time. Mainly because of the climb up.  But I walked around below the base and the jagged towering spires are an amazing.  You could spend many hours there a camera in different weather.

Area above the Needle but just under the Table area.

Rock Formations around the Needle

On we went back down the scree slope to the path. Watching the tourists in front knocking rocks down to the path below. Not a care in the world who was below him. The path then heads to the road the leads up from Staffin. Here is where of the tourists park up and you will also find a tea wagon. Serving hot drinks, cakes and pies. We went for hot drinks.  Settled down for lunch of tuna and cheese.  Carmel slice.

After lunch we pushed on up the easy gassy slop of Bioda  Buidhe 466m. As we walked along the edge you see head the hills we had to do over the next few days.  Then the would be gone in the cloud. To our right the cliffs dropped down steeply to the rocky ground. Again the area was covered with different rock formations.  From the top we had to drop down to Druim Na Coille. With mist coming in we had to resort to gps and compass bearing. As we had to follow the edge, but in the mist it was easy to loose it as we did keep about 20 feet away from the edge.

Looking back towards the Quiraing. From the road

The plan was to get to Bealach Uige 289m and turn left down the slope to pick up the start of the river down to Uig.  From the map there was some buildings marked next to river and this would be our campsite for the night.

Soon we found the course of the river and then found the ruin buildings, which they provide our wind, break for the night. We had water next us. If a little brown in colour. Views down to Uig when the cloud lifted.

First Night Camp Site.

So first day camp set up and we settled down to our Mountain House dry meals. Followed by swiss roll and custard.  This was washed down with Red wine. Small little foil bags of wine from Aldi, which they stopped doing now. You must have some luxury.   Then by 9.30pm it was time to settle down to sleep.

Day  1 Route