UKC

Looking for decent campsite recommendations for Isle of Skye. Will be in a van with a basic conversion. 

Preferably close to a pub, good location both for views and getting about (will be climbing, possible ridge attempt). 

Also prefer slightly less commercialised sites but at the same time keen to have some amenities...basically I want it all. haha

Heard bad things about Sligachan campsite in an old thread, wonder if this is still a thing? 

Cheers
Jon

Sligachan matches your wants. The pub over the road has to be booked way ahead of time if you want a meal. Portree is a hard place to get a seat if you are wanting food so similar reservations apply.

Not been since COVID times (has it now reopened) but always stayed at the Sligathlan site. It's a convenient location being relatively central for shopping trips or getting to other areas of the island, facilities are clean and functional.

Not impressed with the pub, very much restaurant menu/prices rather than the hearty pub grub that I want after a day on the hills. We opted to cook for ourselves instead, so have never actually eaten there.

Sligachan campsite not been open the past few times we've been past (has it ever been open post covid?). If it is open, the pub is good, but I know that isn't the general view on here.

Last 3 or 4 times we have taken the van to Skye we have stayed at Portree Campsite.  Really good facilities and the van pitches especially have great views across to the Cullin. 

It's close enough for a stroll down to the town for pub, fish and chips etc....although we haven't managed to find a pub we really like down there, but they are all OK. Its a bit of a trudge back up the hill to the Campsite after though!

Only other one we stayed in is the little one just beside the Uig Ferry terminal.  It was fine, a bit basic,  but lovely people. Don't remember a pub, but there was a pizza takeaway and the Isle of Skye Brewery,  so that was all our basic needs catered for anyway!!

And as we all know a Scottish pub should never be a five star experience anyway. Two star as a rule. Formica tables even better, and probably only 80 shillings on tap.

If you want a campsite with a pub near the ridge then it's the slig or the slig. It's definitely open, there was a tent/van village when I passed a few weeks ago.

Otherwise glen brittle is famously the starting point for lots of routes. Has an upmarket coffee shop.

I've not stayed anywhere else on the island.

Hi Jon, as mentioned the choice is really Sligachan or Glen Brittle. I'd go for Glen B especially if doing ridge then can start from there. Also great coffee shop, pizzas, cakes etc and good facilities. Only drawback is distance to pub but only 20 min drive to Old Inn at Carbost which knocks spots off Sligachan.

Camas More a few miles north of Uig fits your brief with the exception of a pub. Its in a lovely spot, quiet and basic. Last stayed there about 10 years ago, so things may be different now. 

There's one at Uig though I've never stayed. Close to a pub, but not a pub that I would personally choose to spend time in other than while waiting for the ferry.

I can second the Old Inn at Carbost. Very decent. 

I have only stayed at Glen Brittle,2 years ago and tried to book in to the one at Slighachan - didn't seem overly easy to get hold of the one at Slighachan.

The site at Slighachan is quite close to the road, so don't know what the traffic noise is like.

Glen Brittle is an amazing spot - next to the sea/ looks up to the Cuillin. Has a good cafe, but you need to bring most other things

As people say, it is a 20min drive along the narrowish road, which can get busy because of the fairy pools

Glenbrittle [/thread] 😁

Interesting. What do you like about it? And yes, I do differ. But not from Siward’s stereotypical argument above. I just find it utterly soulless and lacking any character. I don’t think it would be a good pub anywhere, let alone the 2nd favourite tourist destination in Scotland. 

Think it's worth mentioning that if - like me - you're a big fan of malts, the Slig does have a fantastic collection. But otherwise yes, the Old Inn is much better, though it can get extremely busy at popular times. Very handy for a quick two or three pints to settle the stomach before doing the tasting experience at the Talisker distillery across the road.

Well it's there for a start. Make it small to give it character? Maybe, would be utterly overrun by the scale of the passing trade? I'm not experiencing enough for a big view on this but I am struggling to think of any pub that's big and has character?

The beer is generally OK, food standard for pub grub and I've always found the staff friendly. 

It could be different or better, but with such a big and mixed clientele most of whom won't be climbers or mountaineers maybe it could never be the of the character that you are looking for?

I’ll grant you the first sentence. It’s definitely better than ‘no pub’.

As for size, I’m not necessarily advocating smaller, just not a large canteen. They could’ve created all sorts of interesting interior spaces to make it look and feel very different. 

I was there a few years ago, when it was reasonably busy. There was a chap, after looking at the menu of 100+ malts, asked the (foreign) bar maid, 'Do you have any White Horse?'. She scoured the shelves, and all the bottles, and said 'Sorry, no'. He then said 'Do you have any Bells?'. She scoured the shelves again ...

Funny, but cruel.

Brilliant, thanks for the knowledge everyone. 

I think Glenbrittle for camping plus the Old Inn is a win!

Any other recommendations for sights to see, quiet beaches, etc will be gratefully received!

Cheers
Jon

I'm so chuffed that the Old Inn is still going. I thought it closed years ago.

Visited Skye with a mountaineering club just over 30 years ago and discovered the Slig was closed on my mate's birthday. Luckily I had a vague memory of a pub at Carbost from a trip with The Langie, so we drove over there is pissy wet March weather.

Long story short the barman let us camp in the garden all week and we had an absolutely wonderful time.

One good thing I’ll say in defence of the Slig is that they let us leave our car in their car park ahead of a ridge traverse for 24hrs with no bother. 

Good for them but worth noting that last year , during a heat wave and the busiest week on Skye, late May, the two laybys  nearby were never full, busy but always space.

Not mentioned yet but good signal near the Slig, nowt at Glenbrittle until you walk halfway up hill.

Another thing to bear in mind is the midges. I think that they’re even worse at the Glenbrittle than the Sligachan campsite. Also the Sligachan site has the advantage that you can escape them by going into the pub. At Glenbrittle you just have to seal yourself up in your tent. It’s a kind of hell on earth!

Depends what network you are on, EE will get some signal at Glen B and on beach.

I can confirm that I got EE reception in May 2024 about 300m from the Glen Brittle campsite on the track that runs back to the village. Was enough to pick up 4g and download forecasts etc.

The highlight is the reflection of the mountains in the curved window of the hotel corner.  Lord of the Rings CGI has nothing in it compared with that view! 

https://www.facebook.com/SkyeMountainRescueTeam/photos/glen-sligachan-in-re...

Not one to miss, but I generally do give the pub a miss these days, have had some really disappointing and expensive food there in the past as well, just too popular a venue.

I well remember drinking one of the most welcome pints I've ever drunk, collapsed in one of their armchairs after completing a two day traverse of the ridge. Think I drank it in one then rapidly fell asleep.

Another vote for the Slig, although in my experience the midges can be bad and the staff surly. The pub is ok but, as others have said, could be better. Glenbrittle has truly awful midges* and no pub.

(* I once saw a 6'4" Scandinavian biker, who basically looked like Thor, reduced to tears by the Glenbrittle midges.)

Camus More is not near a pub nor the Cuillin, but it is lovely and right next to a seriously impressive length of sea cliff. Bornesketaig

Just a heads up we arrived at 8pm last Saturday and both campsites (slig and glenbrittle) were full with no pre-booking allowed. Apparently slig filled up by 5pm. It was a bank holiday but I still think it might be half term right now so perhaps don't plan to arrive too late on a Friday/Saturday. Ended up staying in Slig the night after, nice campsite and a fancy coffee machine in the reception for the morning. Another vote for the pub being well naff though. Tiny pub section and huge restaurant section which you're not allowed to sit in if not having food even though they're right next to each other. Three or four tables worth of people had to stand even with 20 tables free 2m away! No reasoning with the staff about it either, strange behaviour. 

Thanks for posting. You’ve cemented my opinion of the Slig. Hopefully civilised tourists will vote with their feet and the place goes down the pan. Allowing a more modern approach to managing the place. 

Thanks so much the continued stream of knowledge, very much appreciated!

Nice backhanded insult mate. Well done.

Hope that when your wish comes true it does actually reopen at all. So many don't.

Insult aimed at you? Certainly wasn’t my intention. Apologies if you’ve read it that way.