NW Capes and Cliffs

Skye's far north-west coast is long on peninsulas, points and cliffs to enjoy, with the inevitable gorgeous views.

Most walkers would only have a day out there, so here are some exciting and varied options – there can be time for more than one walk.

Duirinish Area

Neist Point is a beautiful low protruberance of grass and rocky shoreline (indeed, Skye’s most westerly point), with a sharp little cliff-sheared peak sheltering a lighthouse. It is accessed by an easy, railed path down a short cliff, and can be thronged with people. So much so that Walkopedia steered clear and ate a very enjoyable picnic on a rock above the cliff, admiring the huge views on one of the stillest days we have known, when the sea was like the proverbial millpond, with cliffs and islands and cloud-smeared  sky reflected in unbelievable if slightly surreal detail.

Down the road south, you can head out across country (some rough paths) to the local high point of Waterstein Head, perhaps a mile to the south-east of Neist as the crow flies; and further on is grassy Ramasaig Cliff, a 20-minute walk from the road and sitting above huge.. er..cliffs, from which the views are if anything better than from Neist Point. And there tends to be no one there other than, perhaps, a farmer herding his sheep on a quad bike (when we were there). 

Further south again is the line of huge sea cliffs known as The Hoe (below the Hoe hill), which again have vast and truly spectacular views out across to the sea towards the Outer Hebrides and south to Rum. You can walk a 9km km (3hr) circuit around the Hoe hill from the hamlet of Ramasaig at the roadhead, along behind the cliffs to the deep and beautiful roadless glen where the crofter village of Lorgill once nestled, and then back across the damp grass and heather hillsides back to Ramasaig (or the other way round, if you want to save the visual best to last). This is possibly the best single walk in the area, and the area’s rating is based on it.

The row of three hills on the peninsula out to Dungevan Head look exciting and view-laden, with a track to the masts on top of the southernmost (Scoval), then rough ridge walking after that.

The long Waternish Peninsula in the middle of the north has a superb path from the roadhead above Ardmore bay on the west coast, out across the hillsides above the relatively lower sea cliffs to the houses at Unish, back from Waternish Point, in roughly 10km return. Excellent sea views.

In between these is the relatively stubby projection due north of Dunvegan, and at the end of the little road on the west side lies the hamlet of Claigan.

The 300m+ flattish Beinn Bhreac ridge looks thoroughly attractive and view-rich, on small paths and rough grassy hills. Most easily approached up a track from Claigan.

A short walk up the coast is a superb and fascinating coral beach, composed of tiny fragments of coral and colourful shell. Wonderous views on a good day. Easy walking, so you will not be alone, so a lovely place to end a busy day rather than a serious walk.

For more information and photos, including detailed practical information, see our Isle of Skye walk page.