With rolling lush green landscapes and views over the sound to Morar, Knoydart and Glenelg, the Sleat Peninsula is one of Skye’s hidden gems. Often bypassed by those arriving on the Skye ferry the peninsula is also one of Skye’s quieter corners – which makes it perfect as a base to explore. The best accommodation in the ‘garden of Skye’? A glamping yurt, of course! We checked into the Skye Yurts for two nights of peace and quiet… well, apart from the chickens!
isle of skye accommodation – glamping at Skye Yurts
Skye Yurts offer up a glamping alternative to camping on Skye. Set peacefully in the owner’s garden surrounded by trees are three yurts, Water and Earth, which are perfect for families and our yurt, Fire, which is designed for couples. With no wifi or mobile phone signal you are guaranteed peace and quiet – a luxury on this most popular of islands.
Outside our yurt was a small deck, strategically positioned away from the other yurts, inside was a double bed and a wood burning stove, offering up cosy comfort in a rather nontraditional way.
On-site at Skye Yurts there is also a glamping kitchen, complete with stove and fridge to store your tea, and plugs for charging those essential electricals. There is an electric shower and compost loos, as well as playroom/dining room for wet days, this is Skye after all.
For dinner, we forgo’d Skye Yurt’s microwave for cooking a rather luxurious tea on our portable bbq. We use our Everdure Cube by Heston Blumenthal (℅ Kettler) on all our camping trips – it is a perfect camping bbq; with an easy removable coal tray for cleaning, a chopping board, and food storage tray to store your tea away from Scotland’s reliable midgies, and its size makes it great for dinner for two! Pull up a seat at your outdoor dining table, and dig in.
Mornings at Skye Yurts aren’t punctuated by cars and campervans departing, instead, the only noise is from the surrounding woodlands which are filled with chirping birds.
Oh, and the chickens might need a little encouragement to take their noses elsewhere, as they arrive just in time for your breakfast…
Skye Yurts is a lovely little gem of a glamping site in Scotland, and with the grass tickling your feet and gin & tonic in hand, life couldn’t be more perfect.
Things to do on Skye at Skye Yurts
For glampers, the Sleat Peninsula offers up a lot. Isleornsay is a pretty hamlet with a gallery and a local pub with a friendly welcome and real ales as well as a lighthouse and beautiful Sound of Sleat views.
Nearby is the remote Elgol Peninsula with boat trips into the heart of the Cuillin. One of Skye’s main settlements, Broadford, is just down the road – try the woodfired pizzas from Cafe Sia – they are also available to take away if you prefer the peace of your yurt. Fabulous food can be found further afield at the Three Chimneys and Loch Bay restaurants.
More things to do on the Isle of Skye
How to get to Skye Yurts & the Sleat Peninsula
The Isle of Skye is connected to the mainland by both a bridge and three ferry services.
- By the Skye Bridge: If you are arriving on Skye via the bridge, then the Skye Yurts are a 20-minute drive via Broadford.
- By ferry: The Mallaig to Armadale ferry links the mainland direct to Sleat, the Skye Yurts are a 15-minute drive once you leave the ferry terminal. There are up to 9 ferries a day in summer and it 30/40 minute crossing. Make sure you book in advance as if there is no ferry crossing available from Mallaig it is about 3-hour drive round via the bridge! You can also arrive on the island at Uig from Tarbert on Harris in the Outer Hebrides. You can also catch the tiny Glenelg ferry – great fun.
Stay at the Skye Yurts
You can book the Skye Yurts via Airbnb. For families, I recommend the Water or Earth Yurts, and for couples, the Fire Yurt. Yurts are from £80 a night.
Love, from Scotland x
The travel blogger and photographer behind Love from Scotland