Skye's inclusion in Lonely Planet's Gourmet Trails Europe guide shows how far UK has come in terms of hospitality – Scotsman comment

Britain has been on an almost magical culinary journey in the past few decades

Once upon a time, the industry known, rather incongruously, as “British hospitality” could be summed up by signs advertising the availability of both hot and cold running water (oh, the luxury!) and the sitcom Fawlty Towers. While fine dining was to be had, genuine examples were unlikely to be found in the country’s farthest corners.

So it shows how far the sector has come that Lonely Planet has included the Isle of Skye in its new guide, Gourmet Trails Europe, joining the likes of Bordeaux and Tuscany. The reasons include whisky and the quality of local produce such as hand-dived scallops, venison and wild garlic. “This mythical Hebridean island produces some of Scotland’s finest foods, which talented local chefs use to create dishes inspired by the epic landscapes,” it says.

We would very much like to reassure the world’s travellers that Skye is very real and not at all a myth. But then again, isn’t a ‘real myth’ all the more enticing? And when it comes to food, Skye, and the UK as a whole, have been on an almost magical journey.