Six of the best camp sites on the Isle of Skye

Skye is one of the easiest of islands to get to and it's a dream destination for hikers. Pack up your tent for a low budget, high thrills holiday.

Glenbrittle. Picture: Marion Boyle/Geograph

Glenbrittle Campsite

Glenbrittle is an ideal campsite as a base for hikers with loads of walks up to nearby peaks, Eas Mor Waterfall and the Fairy Pools. It has a great location on the rugged west coast at the foot of the Cuillin mountains and on the beach of Loch Brittle. Unusually the campsite has its own coffee shop, Cuillin Coffee, which offers fresh bread and pastries, tray bakes, teas, artisan hot chocolate and their speciality coffee. It even has a stove to dry you off after a rainy hike. They also have a wee van at the fairy pools. It has over 30 electric hook-up pitches and 150 tent pitches. Not too far away is the Talisker Whisky Distillery.

Uig Bay Campsite

Quiraing. Picture: Stephan Krause/Wikimedia Commons

What more could you need than a brewery within walking distance? After a long day’s hiking, Uig Bay Campsite offers a good night’s rest with everything a mountaineer might need. Uig village also has a few shops and pubs so you won’t be stranded if you’re travelling on foot. Uig is on the northwest coast of Skye and it’s a good base for touring the other islands because the ferries for Lewis and Harris leave from here.

Kinloch Campsite

Kinloch is a small and family run campsite, perched on an idyllic hillside. The camp site is terraced with camping pitches on grass among banks of wild flowers. Camp fires are permitted in the raised pits and there’s a shelter for cooking. There’s also a disabled person’s toilet and shower. Dunvegan village is a five minute walk, with shops, restaurants and bars. Nearby is Dunvegan Castle and Gardens.

Skye Camping and Caravanning Site

Kinloch. Picture: Iain Lees/Geograph

Set on the shore of Loch Greshornish with a view across the water to the hills beyond, this site is on a working croft where there are Highland Cattle and sheep grazing close by and otters in the water. You can buy freshly laid hen and duck eggs to make our own breakfast. It also has two camping pods available with camp beds. Nearby is Edinbane Pottery.

Staffin Campsite

Set on the breathtaking landscape beneath the Trotternish Ridge and with views over the Hebridean Minch, Staffin Campsite is another great base for walkers wanting to see the spectacular Quiraing and offers hot showers. There’s also access to routes along the rest of the Trotternish Ridge or into the Fairy Glen. It’s close to Staffin Bay and and the unspoilt village of Staffin where ceilidhs are often held.

Skye Eco Bells Glamping

For those in need of a bit more comfort but still keen on the outdoor fire experience, there’s an Eco Glamping site with three furnished cabins and the Cuillin Bell Tent. There’s a unique greenhouse shower and a composting toilet. The site has no electricity or wifi, only solar-powered phone chargers so you can completely switch off and enjoy the landscape. There’s a social camp kitchen, a BBQ area and a wood burning stove to keep you cosy on chillier evenings.