BUCKET LIST

Skye has been on The GET AFTER IT Family bucket list for a while now and boy was it worth the wait!

We struck gold with glorious sunshine, clear blue skies and a warm gentle breeze for the duration of our stay. With it being May Bank Holiday in Edinburgh and East Lothian only, we felt it would be a good time to visit to avoid the summer crowds.

We were fortunate enough to be hosted by the The Camping and Caravanning Club who have a beautiful and tranquil site on the banks of Loch Greshornish, Edinbane nestled in the heart of Skye’s northern peninsula. This site is perfect for couples and families travelling in a self-sufficient caravan, campervan, motorhome or tent.

The site is dog friendly and offers modern shower and laundry facilities, with the bonus of an onsite shop for when you run out of gas in the middle of dinner prep!!!

The owners are so friendly and helpful, actively encouraging the kids to visit the local goats, pigs, piglets & chickens! This kept them entertained for ages and they loved the freedom to roam safely within the site!

NOT TO BE MISSED

With a beautiful coastline to explore and a fabulous adventure playpark a twenty-minute walk (or five-minute drive) up the road to burn off some of the kids excess energy, there is something for everyone!

Not only this but it’s ideally located for all the tourist highlights, including:

· Coral Beach - a one mile / twenty-minute pretty coastal walk to a striking shell beach with turquoise water, perfect for paddling! Don’t forget to search for the ‘lucky’ ‘Groatie Buckie’s’ (a.k.a cowrie shells) along the high tide mark. The hill behind the beach offers spectacular views of Lewis and Uist Isles just beyond. Take a picnic and spend a few hours here paddling, swimming and exploring!

· Dunvegan Castle - this castle is inhabited by the MacLeod family with beautiful gardens and interactive games for the kids to enjoy along the way.

· Neist Point and Lighthouse - a dramatic coastline, stunning scenery and a beautiful but challenging climb for little legs and/or frail. Best enjoyed around dusk and/or sunset. Carry on from the path beyond the lighthouse to create your own or add to the numerous stone stacks. Find a comfy spot on the stone steps, lie back and watch the birds, sheep and marine life go about their business. Bring the binoculars to spot puffins nesting on the cliffs. Off the beaten track but well worth the extra effort.

· Fairy Pools - what a magical place! A striking and dramatic setting at the base of the jagged rocky Cuillin. A well-made path leads you gently up the valley with lots of lovely stepped pools and waterfalls along the way. Let the kid’s imagination run wild with the historical information plaques along the way. Despite the interest and popularity around this absolute gem of a place it is still possible to find your own quiet piece of heaven in amongst the masses to splash in the water and take in the surroundings.

* Old Man of Storr - A short and sharp path leads you up the hillside to the base of the dramatic rock formations you can see from miles around. Walk beyond the base to the next plateau to admire the Old Man, Needle rock and the Isle of Skye from a different perspective! Take plenty of water and snacks to keep you and your little ones fuelled as well as an extra layer for the top as guaranteed it will be windy!

· Kilt Rock and Waterfall - A quick stop to enjoy a unique waterfall, fed from Loch Mealt, cascading over the cliff edge with views of Kilt Rock (due to the formation of the rock being pleated like a kilt!) in the distance. Due to the recent period of incredible weather and lack of rain this waterfall was massively underwhelming however, still worth a stop to take in the coastline.

* Quiraing - Another beautiful example of Scotland in all its glory! Enjoy a quick stop for a photo opportunity or hang around for a stunning ~3hr loop walk taking in the dramatic scenery, this corner of the island offers something for everyone! The windy, zig zag drive up is also fun!

* An Corran Beach - There aren’t many places in the world you can rock up and head out on a treasure hunt for dinosaur prints with the kids! Only visible at low tide and if you time it perfectly you can also see the cows crossing over from the island for grazing. Happy hunting!

Food & Drink:

* Café Cùil, Carbost - a hidden gem en route to or from Neist Point. A lovely wee stop for coffee and/or a locally sourced and inspired brunch & lunch menu. Look out for the bright red roof, you can’t miss it!

* Birch, Portree - for minimalist, carefully considered, speciality coffee and tremendous baked goods. Chances are you’ll have to queue for a seat as it’s small and super popular but worth the wait!

* Relish, Portree - grab a doubler breakfast roll or stuffed sausage roll, traybake and coffee/juice then head on down to the vibrant and bustling harbour to savour these delicious freshly made goods with an epic view from the harbour wall!

* The Cake Fridge, Glendale - I love coming across a totally unique, remote and fun wee local gem like this. It’s easy to spot the colourfully painted box, adjourned with bright animal figurines, sitting happily at the side of the road. Pull over to select your locally made cakes, jams/spreads and freshly laid eggs. Warning - there may be a fight over which one to go for (as you will want everything!) and who gets to put the money in the honesty box!

Skye - you were an absolute blast, and I can see why people travel from all over the world to come here for your beauty and personality! If only we had more time. On the bucket list for our next return:

* The Three Chimneys restaurant, fine dining on the shores of Loch Dunvegan - enough said!

* The Fairy Glen - short, family friendly walk featured in the movie, Stardust.

* Bella Jane boat trip from Elgol to Loch Coruisk to enjoy the dramatic Cuillin mountains and wildlife/sea life from a unique perspective! These trips often spot dolphins, seals and minke whales!

Worth considering before you go:

* Skye is a VAST island with slow, often single track, windy roads with numerous motorhomes and campers along the way. Allow plenty of time to travel between locations. Take your time enjoying the stunning scenery and lesser-known stop offs along the way.

* For the tourist highlights its worth planning an early morning or late afternoon arrival to avoid the crowds and guarantee ample parking spaces.

* Midges - these pesky little critters come out in full force and do their best to cause chaos from early evening/ sundown onwards. Come prepared with your midge repellents, ‘Smidge’ or ‘Avon Skin So Soft’, a midge hat, long sleeve tops and trousers. Thankfully the wind is brilliant at keeping midges at bay or be prepared to go into hiding in your tent or hunker down in your camper at the lovely Skye Camping and Caravanning Club site . After a full day of activities on the island, a chilled night watching the sun set over the loch and hills of Greshornish watching the birds and listening to the sound of wildlife settling in appealed to us anyway!

That was a perfect little family, adventure get away. We will be back to Get After It again, soon and for this we will most definitely be returning to Skye Camping and Caravan Club.

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