EZTrip.com International Destination Guide and Hotel Listings

The road to ELGOL (Ealaghol), fourteen miles southwest of Broadford at the tip of the Strathaird peninsula, is one of the most dramatic on the island, leading right into the heart of the Red Hills and then down a precipitous slope, with a stunning view from the top down to Elgol pier. The chief reason for visiting Elgol is, weather permitting, to take a boat across Loch Scavaig (March-Sept 2-4 daily), past a seal colony, to a jetty near the entrance of Loch Coruisk (from coire uish , "cauldron of water"). An isolated, glacial loch, this needle-like shaft of water, nearly two miles long but only a couple of hundred yards wide, lies in the shadow of the highest peaks of the Black Cuillin, a wonderfully overpowering landscape.

The journey by sea takes 45 minutes and passengers are dropped to spend about one and a half hours ashore; for booking (essential) and details of sailing times, ring the Bella Jane (tel 0800/731 3089 before 10am and after 7.30pm). Walkers can use the boat on a one-way trip simply to get to Loch Coruisk, from where there are numerous possibilities for hiking amidst the Red Hills, the most popular (and gentle) of which is the eight-mile trek north over the pass into Glen Sligachan . Alternatively, you could walk round the coast to the sandy bay of Camasunary , over two miles to the east - a difficult walk that involves a tricky river crossing and negotiating "The Bad Step", an overhanging rock with a thirty-foot drop to the sea - and either head north to Glen Sligachan or continue south three miles along the coast to Elgol.

The only public transport is the morning postbus from Broadford (Mon-Fri 2 daily, Sat 1 daily; 2hr; check with the Broadford tourist office about connections). Rather than staying in Elgol, head for Rowan Cottage (tel 01471/866287, Rowan@rowancott.demon.co.uk ; £40-50; March-Nov), a lovely B&B a mile or so east in Glasnakille, or the larger, more luxurious Strathaird House (tel 01471/866269, ; £50-60; April-Sept) just beyond Kilmarie, three miles up the road to Broadford. By far the most popular place to stay, though, is the campsite (April-Oct) by the Sligachan Hotel (tel 01478/650204, ; £40-50) on the A87, at the northern end of Glen Sligachan. The hotel's huge Seamus Bar serves food for weary walkers until 10pm, and quenches their thirst with the full range of real ales produced by Skye's very own microbrewery in Uig; there's also a more formal restaurant with splendid food.