What to see and do in the area
The Fairy Glen, Uig, Isle of Skye
Java Croft is an ideal base for exploring the beautiful scenery of Trotternish and North Skye. Within easy reach are:
... and most of all ...
Trotternish
is Skye's most popular walking area with its great variety of natural scenery
including spectacular rock features such as the Quiraing and the Old Man of
Storr.(see
Favourite Walks in North Skye). There are walks to suit every level of taste
and ability, including several that start from our gate or close by.
Three of Skye's best trout and salmon rivers, the Rha, the Conon and the Hinnisdale, enter the sea within a few miles of our croft. Permits are available in Uig. There are plenty of fine lochs for fishing in the area too, including one within walking distance. Permits from Jansports in Portree. Sea fishing is free from any suitable headland. Fishing trips from Uig by boat are sometimes available.
Pony trekking is available at Portree (14 miles) or Suladale (12 miles)
The nearest golf course is in the beautiful setting of the Skeabost Hotel grounds (9 miles). There is another at Sconser (23 miles) with stunning sea and mountain views.
Trotternish is
famed for its rare bird species including the Corncrake, Golden Eagle and Sea
Eagle. A variety of seabirds nest on the cliffs around Earlish and an even
greater number can be seen when crossing the Minch in the ferry. Crofting land
is an ideal habitat for a number of birds which these days find it hard to
survive in other parts of the country. See
Skye Birds for
more details. Several mammals are also found locally including Otters and Red
Deer, while both Common and Grey Seals are plentiful and many kinds of cetaceans
can be spotted from the ferry. Trotternish is also renowned for its plant life,
especially the alpines on the Trotternish Ridge. See
Skye Flora for more
information.
Nature Notes from Skye has many pictures of Trotternish scenery and
wildlife.
Regular
boat trips go from Staffin (10 miles) and there are sometimes boat trips from
Uig. You can also take a non-landing cruise on the ferry any morning or
afternoon for little more than the single fare. This is superb for scenery and
wildlife, and there's plenty of food and drink on board!
A good way to see something of the Western Isles without the need to book your car on the ferry is to take one of Calmac's day sails from Uig. These consist of a combination of ferry and bus rides and enable you to see some of the Outer Hebrides' best scenery and visitor attractions.
The
Skye Museum of Island Life at Kilmuir
(7 miles) is the best place anywhere in the Highlands to get a real picture of
how the ordinary people (rather than the clan chiefs) used to live. It has so
much of interest many visitors say they could happily spend all day there. The
Geology Museum at Elishader, Staffin (13 miles) has a fascinating collection of
fossils from this Jurassic hotspot, including the recent finds of dinosaur bones
and footprints which have shot Staffin to prominence on the geological map. Take
a walk along the shore afterwards - you might make the next big find!
Antiquities
in the Trotternish area range from the 4,000 year old standing stones at
Kensaleyre, Borve and Uig through the age of the Picts (Symbol Stone at Tote,
Broch at Bornaskitaig) to the first Christians (early Celtic monastery at St
Columba's Island, Kilmuir) and on to the days when the great Clans of MacLeod
and MacDonald fought for possession of this fertile corner of Skye from their
castles such as Duntulm (9 miles north of us) and Castle Uisdean which can be
reached from our croft by a beautiful coastal walk (3 miles). Some
information about these antiquities can be found at
The Early Church in Skye
website.
Canoeing, Archery, Windsurfing and Guided Walks are available at Whitewave Activities, Kilmuir (6 miles)
There are any number of quiet side roads to explore on a bike as well as the main loop over the Quiraing to Staffin and back round the North End via Duntulm and Kilmuir. These roads are single-track but have a good surface and very little traffic, especially outside the main tourist season.
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Our croft gives access to a secret bay cut off by inaccessible cliffs from the rest of the world. This is an ideal place for a picnic and an exciting adventure for the children. |
This is the place to come to get away from the noise and bustle of everyday life. We are well away from the main road and there are no sounds from the modern world to compete with the song of the skylark and the calling of the gulls.
More Skye links
Isle of Skye
tour in words and pictures
Internet Guide to
Scotland - Isle of Skye
Weather Forecast
Scottish Sheet Music from Taigh na
Teud, Skye
Access Panel for
visitors with disabilities
Cuillin Guides See our
spectacular mountains in safety
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