Searching Scotland

A student’s guide for a trip to the Isle of Skye

Coming to Edinburgh, I was not only excited to live and study at the University of Edinburgh, but also at the chance to explore the beautiful nature Scotland has to offer. One of the must hit spots for the semester was the Isle of Skye, and it did not disappoint! Here is my guide to visit this spectacular place as a student, and my own favorite moments from the weekend.

The logistics:

With Skye being five hours away from the university, no car to use, and countless bus connections necessary, getting to this top destination can seem like a tricky feat. The best way to get around this and have a smooth weekend is to visit on a bus tour (preferably with a few friends as well)! Luckily, the Exchange Student Network (ESN) at Edinburgh coordinated four separate weekend trips to Skye, along with countless other trips throughout Scotland. More friendly to a student’s budget and class schedule, these ESN trips are one of my favorite ways to explore beyond Edinburgh. Although they can be a bit crowded at times, I chose to think of it as another opportunity to meet more exchange students!

The route:

You are in good hands on this ESN tour, as they have prepared an action-packed weekend to see so much of what Skye has to offer. Not only that, we also traveled through the highlands and made many stops at iconic spots like Loch Lomond, Ben Nevis, and Loch Lochy. My personal favorite stop was seeing the Three Sisters of Glencoe, and we got to spend some time hiking around and soaking in the beautiful fall colors.

We stopped by stunning mountains and lochs throughout the entire journey to Skye, and we arrived at our hostel just in time for dinner. I highly recommend bringing some card games to get to know your fellow travelers better before an early wake-up the next day.

Skye exploring

We spent the second day soaking in as much of Skye as possible, starting with a hike to Old Man of Storr! This iconic landmark is a must-see, and the views along the hike were just incredible.

If you are lucky enough to have clear skies, you can see for miles across the water. We also stopped at many different cliffs and waterfalls along the coast, and the bright blue water contrasted the sprawling green fields as the sun shone down on both.

We also ended with a great lunch in the capital town of Portree, stopping to see the colored houses along the way. Though the journey back to Edinburgh is not a short one, we were still able to see the beautiful nature all along the drive back to the city while we reminisced on our favorite parts of the trip.

My tips:

No matter how long you are studying in Edinburgh, I highly recommend fitting this weekend trip into your schedule. At a more affordable price for students, this action-packed itinerary has been one of my favorite trips of my exchange. To make the most out of your trip, I suggest that you spend as much time as possible exploring when you get off the bus and take advantage of the scenery along the drive. Packing a lunch for the first day can help relieve some time stress, and packing snacks to keep your energy up will only improve your trip. My final tip is to catch the sunrise on Skye on your second day because trust me, the earlier wakeup will be worth it.

I hope I’ve convinced you to add on this well-known part of Scotland to your study abroad experience, as I will continue to reminisce on my trip long after I’ve finished my exchange. Best of luck with your journey!

– Katie