Skye is full of incredible scenery - anyone travelling around the island will want to make sure they have their camera at the ready at any moment!
There are a wide range of walks to suit all abilities, tastes, and - pretty much whatever the weather - you'll always find somewhere beautiful to go for a stroll on the Isle of Skye. With 11 Munros, the island is a hikers paradise.
Short walks
These short walks on the Isle of Skye are rewarding despite not taking very long or covering a large amount of distance. They're perfect for those with limited time or who are perhaps not able to walk very far.
The walk from the car park to and from theFairy Pools is just 2.5km long, although the terrain can be tough going at times. It's incredibly rewarding and follows alongside a pretty stream that quickly opens out into beautiful blue pools, which look almost magical - hence the name. As well as being a great walk, it's also a very popular wild swimming spot, and of course the two can be combined! There is a dedicated car park for the fairy pools at the foot of the Black Cuillins.
On the Trotternish peninsula, Fairy Glen also has an air of magic about it. Paths meander around this collection of mysterious grassy hills and you can choose one to suit the length you feel like. Wherever you start and end your walk, you're guaranteed some fabulous views.
Skye is full of small car parks and laybys, from which short, level walks of a few hundred metres lead to beautiful sights and viewpoints, which is particularly good for those with limited mobility. Waterfalls are in abundance at such locations, including the breathtaking Mealt Falls, which flows over the cliffs at Kilt Rock, Lealt Falls just to the south of Brother's Point, and Rha Falls, not far from Uig.
The Old Man of Storr is Skye's most popular walk, and as a result it can be busy. It's just under 4km long and follows clear paths. It can be steep in places but neither climbing nor scrambling is required to reach the foot of the 'Old Man'.
Longer and more challenging walks
Skye is also a paradise for hikers and climbers who like more of a challenge.
The Cuillin, separated by Glen Sligachan, are divided into two ranges - the Black Cuillin and the Red Cuillin. The ridge of the Black Cuillin has an incredible 11 Munros (distinct summits over 3,000ft), including the famous Inaccessible Pinnacle, which does what it says on the tin and is said to be the most difficult Munro of the 282 to 'bag', as well as Sgurr nan Gillean, Am Basteir and Sgurr Alastair, which are also up there with the most challenging of all Scotland's peaks and require a good deal of scrambling and some climbing to summit them safely. The Red Cuillin horseshoe is - by comparison - a much more accessible 10km loop, which rewards the hiker with excellent views but does not require climbing or scrambling to complete.
Bla Bheinn, near Broadford, is said to be one of the UK's most stunning and rewarding peaks. It's an 8km round trip mostly on good paths, although it requires good navigation skills for the stretches where the path is less visible.
For a longer hike but less challenging (at least from the point of view of terrain) than the Cuillin, try the walk through Glen Sligachan starting at the Sligachan Hotel. Here you get the views of these splendid peaks on all sides without the ascent required to summit the Cuillins. This is a 24km walks, so still requires a reasonable level of fitness.
The Quiraing is a spectacular and much-filmed location which forms part of the Trotternish ridge. This walk rewards with incredible views from the very start, and it can be tackled as a 7km loop. There are some tricky sections with very steep drops, but the views are certainly worth the effort.
For more walks on Skye to suit every ability, check out the wealth of information on Walk Highlands.