Portree

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You know you’re in Scotland when:

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And:

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Though this one has got a good Westeros game going on:

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But Portree, the largest town in Skye, is more than the sum of its puns.

Its most iconic landmark is the harbour, with its colorful buildings and numerous fishing boats.

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With a good concentration of hotels and hostels, as well as regular service by Skye’s bus network (definitely more than Portnalong‘s 0-3 a day), Portree is probably the most convenient place to use as a base for exploring Skye, especially if you don’t have a car of your own. We stayed at the centrally located Portree Independent Hostel, which had lovely rooms and a vast kitchen.

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Just behind PIH, down some steps, is a parking area for campers and the like, as well as a great little map of Skye (by genius J. Maizlish Mole, commissioned by ATLAS Arts) that may not be too informative in the usual sense, but is certainly more entertaining than most maps. Limited edition prints of the map cost £300, but there are postcard-size portions for sale at £1.50 each.

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Aside from reading tongue-in-cheek maps, there isn’t very much to do in Portree — it’s really better as a base than as a destination of its own — but I highly recommend taking the time to do the Scorrybreac Circuit, a 3-4 km walk that will take you past the most gorgeous scenery.

I hope you’re all having a wonderful weekend!

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