Boat Trips to the Fascinating Island of Eigg

Another of the small isles which is well worth a visit is the Isle of Eigg. A boat trips to Eigg can be a great experience for the whole family as Eigg is an island which is rich with all sorts of history. Leaving from Elgol pier it will take Skye Boat Trips boat “The Islander” about just over an hour to get you across. This may change depending on whether or not there is any wildlife about on the day however as the skipper of the boat, Oliver, will try to take you to see as much wildlife as possible.

A boat trips to Eigg is a great family day out.Eigg is such a beautiful island with a big white sandy beach so it is the perfect place to visit and relax if the weather is nice. The beach is a quartz beach known as the “Singing Sands” because when it is dry and you walk along it, it makes a squeaking noise.

Eigg is now the most populated of the small isles with around 87 people living on the island however numbers used to be much higher. During the 16th century there were around 400 MacDonalds of Clanranald living on the island however after a lengthy feud with the MacLeods of Dunvegan and Harris the whole Island was massacred in what is known as Massacure cave. The MacDonalds took refuge in a cave which is on the south west of the island but were all suffocated after a party of MacLeod entered the island and lit a fire at the entrance of the cave. The MacDonalds had no choice but to stay in the cave as it was either that or be killed by the MacLeods. The story states that 395 MacDonalds were killed which was the entire population of the island bar 1 old lady who had decided not to take refuge in the cave. If you wish to visit the cave it is about a two hour walk but the cave can only be entered at low tide and a torch is needed.

A boat trip to Eigg will take you to see the worlds first wind, water and sun powered electricity grid. During the 20th century Eigg had a lot of problems with absentee landlords so in 1997 the residents of Eigg took over the island for themselves. Eigg’s electricity was not supplied by the main grid but instead the individual houses were powered by different types of generators. Because of this when the island was then owned by its inhabitants they grouped together to create a mains electricity grid which is powered by renewable sources.

Although Eigg is only a small island being only 9 kilometers long and 5 kilometers wide with only 85 residents, it is an island that is rich with history and history that is still being made to this day.  If you wish to book a boat trip to Eigg then please get in touch with us at Skye Boat Trips.

Elgol Boat Trip Adventures

Skye Boat Trips is a family run company who run their business out of the small village of Elgol on the Isle of Skye. The business is owned by Local fisherman Alisdair Mackinnon and the boat is skippered by local fisherman Oliver. They both have an amazing amount of knowledge about the area, The boat, known as “The Islander”, does the trips from Elgol pier to the beautiful Loch Coruisk and to the surrounding small Isles including Soay, Eigg, Muck, Cannan and Rum. Elgol boat trips are a must do activity when you are visiting Skye as there is so much beautiful scenery and wildlife around the island.

 When on board the Elgol boat trips you may be lucky enough to see some of the wildlife. If you decide on a trip to Loch Coruisk, there is a seal colony just before you reach the steps and depending upon the time of year there may even be some seal pups. Oliver will take you as close to these as possible so you can get some great pictures. If you decide that you would like to see one of the small Isles then you have a chance of seeing some other wildlife.

Cannan is famous for its Puffins which can be found along the cliffs. There is also a chance that you may see some dolphins, minke whales, basking sharks or porpoise when on route to the islands. If any of these happen to be about on the day then there is an underwater camera on board the boat which will let you get an even closer look.

If you want to get an even closer look at the wildlife when on an Elgol boat trip then Skye Boat Trips also offer fishing trips. The boat is totally kitted out to take up 12 people diving so if this is something you would be interested in then please get in touch to arrange a time and a date.

A day out on an Elgol boat trip can be the perfect family trip. Young children will enjoy the trip as going on a boat can be a fun and exciting adventure for them, also getting a chance to see some seals up close will be a memory which they can cherish from their holiday. You do not have to worry about leaving your four legged friends at home as dogs are more than welcome on board Skye Boat Trips boat The Islander.

If you want to book an Elgol boat trip which takes you to one of the small isles you would be best to get in contact with us so we can arrange a day which suits you best. The boat can take up to 12 passengers so it is best to book in advance in case it is busy. You do not want to miss out on what could be an amazing family day out!!

Web Videos at The Cuillin Collective | Explainer Video

Web Videos at The Cuillin Collective | Explainer Video

Boat Trips to Loch Coruisk

Taking a boat trips to Loch Coruisk is an amazing experience and something which everyone who visits the Isle of Skye should do. Loch Coruisk is famous for its extremely beautiful scenery and wildlife. It is only a short 20 minute boat ride from the Village of Elgol and is surrounded by only the water and the Cuillin mountain range.

Take a boat trips to Loch Coruisk on board Skye Boat Trips boat “The Islander”. Skye Boat Trips is a family run business who are local to the village of Elgol, so they are the perfect people to get to know if you are looking to get some information about the area.

Boat trips to Loch Coruisk can be the perfect family day out. Skye Boat Trips have trips that leave from Elgol pier at 9:50, 12:45, 2:45 and 4:45 so you can choose a time which suits you the best. The trip itself is only a short 20 minute journey over however if there is any exciting wildlife around such as basking sharks or Dolphins then Oliver, the skipper of the boat, will take you over to see these first. Just before your boat trip to Loch Coruisk lands at the steps you will be able to see a seal colony. Depending upon the time of year there may even be some seal pups, June and July are the best months to see these. Oliver will take you over to see these so that you can get some pictures. If you have children with you then this can cause great excitement and be a memory that they can cherish.

When the boat trip to loch coruisk lands there are mezzanine steps that can be a bit tricky if you have a dog with you. Oliver will be happy to help you get your dog up them. The Loch is then just a short 5 minute walk along a path. The loch is stunning with many people choosing to get married over there as it is the perfect backdrop to a fairytale wedding. There are stepping stones at the loch that can be a great adventure for older children to cross. Be careful if it has recently been raining however as they can be very slippy.

Skye Boat trips do boat trips to Loch Coruisk and also to the small isles which surround Skye. They do trips to Muck, Eigg, Cannan, Soay and Rum. If you are interested in a day trip to any of these islands then please get in touch so that a suitable day and time can be arranged. The Boat also has an underwater camera on board so if you are lucky enough to see any wildlife you can hopefully get an even closer look. If you want to get even closer to the wildlife then The Islander is also fully equipped to take up to 12 people diving. If you are interested in any of the trips above then please do not hesitate to get in touch with us at Skye Boat Trips.

A Boat Trip to the historic Island of Soay

If you are interested in a boat trip to Soay and want to know a bit more about the island and what it has to offer then a boat trips to Soay on Skye Boat Trips boat the Islander is the perfect answer. Especially since the skipper of the boat, Oliver, lives on Soay.

Soay is the closest of the Small isles to the Isle of Skye and lies to the West of Loch Scavaig. Soay has much to offer in the way of wildlife. There is a Seal colony not far from the island and depending on the time of year there may even be some seal pups. There is also a chance of seeing minke whale, porpoise, dolphins and basking sharks.  On land people very often see red deer and if you are there very early in the morning then there are sometimes some otters around the coast. There has also been an increase in sea eagle sightings recently so you may be lucky enough to spot some of them.

Although Soay is a very small island compared to Skye with the highest part of it, BeinnBhreac, only reaching just over 140m it is rich with history. Soay is famous for having Gavin Maxwell’s basking shark factory. Gavin Maxwell was an author who bought the island of Soay in 1944 and soon after opened a basking shark factor in 1945. His plan was to process shark oil and sell it on to Glasgow, however due to lack of funding and bad planning the business failed and he soon sold the island to Tex Geddes and his wife in 1952. Tex Geddes was also an author however he decided that instead of selling the processed shark oil he would continue to hunt basking sharks and sell the unprocessed livers instead. In 1953 most people left the island and moved to the neighbouring Isle of Mull due to the lack of emergency telephone services and the threat of stopping the postal services. Tex Geddes and his family stayed on the island however and protested the closure of the postal service. They were successful in their protest as post would still arrive to the island once a month.

If you were to take a boat trips to Soay now, you would still see the remains of Gavin Maxwell’s and Tex Geddes’s basking shark factory on the coastline of the island. Thankfully the number of basking sharks in the area is starting to rise again. If you wish to find out more about Gavin Maxwell’s basking shark adventures then he wrote about it in his book called “Harpoon at a Venture”.

Although Soay does not have many people living on it any more it is definitely well worth a visit. If you wish to book a boat trip to Soay then please get in touch with us at Skye Boat Trips and we will be happy to arrange a time and date.

The Beautiful Isle of Muck

When on holiday in the Isle of Skye one of the most popular activities is to take one of the boat trips which run from the small village of Elgol. One trip which is particularly beautiful is to take a boat trip to the Isle of Muck on Skye Boat Trips boat, “The Islander”.

The isle of Muck is one of the small isles of the west coast of Scotland. It is only two miles long and one mile wide with a population of about 38 people. As with the rest of the small isles, the Isle of Muck is full with history. In 1821 the population of Muck had reached a staggering high with 320 people living on the island so in 1835 the owners of the island, the MacLeans, evicted 150 people and sent them to live in Cape Breton. The remaining people were allowed to build houses and make a living for themselves through fishing however a lot of them emigrated.

Since 1916 the island has been in the hands of the same family. Lieutenant MacEwan took over the island in 1916 however soon after he was recalled to the navy to fight in WW2 so the island was left the hands of his wife. When the war was over the department of agriculture paid for half of a modernisation scheme in which water was piped into every house, rayburns cookers were installed and tilly lamps were lighting each house. When Lieutenant MacEwan passed away the island was left to his eldest son Alisdair who farmed the island until he moved to the mainland and gave the island to his brother Lawrence who still farms the island till this day. Lawrence’s younger brother Ewan returned to the island in the 1970s and built a hotel.

When you’re on the island there is a tearoom, craft shop and restaurant which are all well worth a visit.  These are all usually open from 11 am from March through to September. During the quieter months of the year it is best to phone in advance to find out when they are open. A boat trips to Muck is a great family activity, especially since it is so flat so it is easy to walk around. There is beautiful scenery on the island and lots of wildlife to look out for on the trip over. The wildlife to look out for is seals, these are in and around most of the islands, porpoise, and these are mostly seen around Muck, minke whale, dolphins and basking sharks.

If you are wanting to plan a boat trips to Muck then please do not hesitate to get in contact with us here at Skye Boat trips as we will be happy to arrange a time and date for your trip.

Elgol Boat Trips

When you are on holiday in the Isle of Skye one of the must do activities is to go on an Elgol boat trip. Elgol boat trips are very popular during the summer months as the trips can take you to Loch Coruisk or to any of the small isles including Soay, Eigg, Rum, Canna and Muck. What better way to go and see these places than with a local on board Skye Boat Trips boat “The Islander”.
 
Skye Boat Trips is a family run business out of the small village of Elgol on the Isle of Skye. It is owned by local fisherman and Elgol born and bred man, Alistair Mackinnon. Alistair employs local man Oliver to skipper the boat as Oliver is also a fisherman who had a great deal of knowledge about Elgol and the surrounding area.

When on an Elgol boat trip the most popular destination to head to is the beautifully stunning Loch Coruisk. Loch Coruisk is only a short 20-minute boat trip from Elgol pier on board The Islander. On your way to the Loch there is a high chance of seeing seals as there is a seal colony on the rocks at the foot of the Cuillin mountains and depending upon the time of year there may even be seal pups. Seal pups are usually only around during the months of June and July though. Once the boat then reaches the steps the actual Loch itself is only a short 5 minute walk away. The steps are mezzanine steps however so if you have a dog with you they may struggle on these, but please do not hesitate to ask Oliver for a hand as he will help get your dog up. Once you get over to the loch you will see the beautiful and famous views, you can even have a shot of crossing the stepping-stones if you are feeling brave. Loch Coruisk is such a beautiful place that many couples even come back and choose to get married over there.

Elgol boat trips can also take you to some of the small isles surrounding Skye. One of the more popular islands to go to is The Isle of Canna as it is so beautiful. You can enjoy some lovely food and drink in the Canna cafe as well as taking a walk to the historic prison and just enjoy being in the peace and quiet of the island. Canna is famous for its wildlife as there are very often Puffins and Sea Eagles spotted on the cliffs.

Elgol boat trips are very busy during the summer months so it is best to book in advance to ensure you avoid any disappointment. Please get in touch with us here at Skye Boat Trips and we will help you find your perfect trip as well as answering any questions, which you might have.