Skye Trail
The Skye Trail is Scotland's most dramatic unofficial long-distance route — 128 km from Rubha Hunish at the north tip of Skye to Broadford in the south, crossing the Trotternish Ridge, the Red Cuillin and the Black Cuillin approaches.
This route has no official waymarking. Serious navigation experience is required — do not rely on GPS alone. Carry OS 1:25,000 maps and study the line before you go.
About Skye Trail
The Skye Trail is not an official route and has no waymarking, but it has established itself as one of the finest long-distance trails in Scotland on the strength of what it takes in: the full Trotternish Ridge, the Quiraing, the dramatic coastline of the Sleat Peninsula and the approaches to the Black Cuillin — the most technically demanding mountain range in Britain.
Most runners take three to five days. The terrain is varied and frequently rough — pathless moorland, rocky ridge, boggy glen crossings and some sections on road. Navigation is needed throughout. The Trotternish Ridge section is the best sustained ridge running in Scotland outside of the Cuillin itself.
The route was formalised in guidebook form by Helen and Paul Webster (Cicerone) and their version is the most widely used. Several alternatives exist for the Cuillin section, from a safe low-level bypass to a full traverse of the Cuillin main ridge (which requires serious mountaineering skills and is only for experienced scramblers in good conditions).
The route
Rubha Hunish to Staffin (~40 km): North Skye. Duntulm Castle, the Quiraing — one of the most extraordinary landscapes in Scotland — and the long Trotternish Ridge south. Fast ridge running with big views.
Staffin to Sligachan (~45 km): The Trotternish Ridge continues south to the Old Man of Storr, then a long descent into Glen Varragill and the Sligachan Hotel — a legendary staging point for Cuillin mountaineers.
Sligachan to Broadford (~43 km): The Cuillin section. Either take the low-level route through Glen Sligachan and around the Red Cuillin, or the main ridge traverse (serious mountaineering). Most runners use the low-level route. Finish at Broadford.
Getting there & logistics
Start: Rubha Hunish (north tip of Skye). Access by bus from Portree (Skye's main town). Portree is reached by bus from Inverness or Kyle of Lochalsh (with the train from Inverness).
Finish: Broadford. Regular bus connections south to Kyle of Lochalsh and the mainland.
Accommodation: Portree, Uig, Staffin, Sligachan Hotel, Broadford. The Sligachan Hotel and campsite are the key mid-route stop. Book ahead — Skye is extremely popular in summer.
Best time: May to September. June is often the driest month. The midges are severe July to August in still weather — carry repellent. The Trotternish Ridge can be windy and cold year-round.
Safety
The Skye Trail includes some of the most exposed and technically demanding terrain in Scotland. The Quiraing and Trotternish Ridge are straightforward ridge walks in clear conditions but require care in high wind. The Cuillin section — even the low-level route — involves rough, remote terrain.
Do not attempt any Cuillin main ridge sections without mountaineering experience, proper equipment and ideally a guide. Several walkers have died attempting the ridge without adequate skills.
In an emergency: call 999 or 112, ask for Police then Mountain Rescue. Skye Mountain Rescue Team covers the entire island. Mobile signal is limited across most of the route — pre-register SMS 999 (text 'register' to 999). A PLB is recommended.
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