Neist Point is the most westerly point on the Duirinish Peninsula on the Isle of Skye, providing excellent views over Moonen Bay to Waterstein Head and out over the Minch to the Western Isles. It’s also regarded as the best place on Skye to see whales, dolphins, porpoises, and basking sharks (we didn’t see any of these things but were told when we arrived that we had just missed a couple of basking sharks) and a great sunset. And while the views from Neist Point are some of the best on the island, there are a few things you should know before you go. First of all, it isn’t the easiest place to drive to and takes a bit longer to get there than you would imagine or your navigation system might let on. You can count on about 3 hours round trip from Portree (not including hiking time) with the last 10 miles or so on a single lane road with sheep and cows grazing at every twist and turn. I found the drive charming but some might find it stressful so planning for it ahead and knowing what to expect may take some of the edge off and enable you to simply sit back and enjoy the leisurely drive and beautiful scenery. Secondly, it is quite a walk from the car park to the lighthouse and involves A LOT of steps and a pretty steep hill on the way back up. The views are certainly worth it though and you just need to pace yourself. Thirdly, you cannot get into the lighthouse as it is private property so hiking all the way to it is probably not necessary. Take the time instead to just sit and gaze out at the beauty and maybe you will be lucky enough to spot any of the aforementioned sea life. Please note that I’m not mentioning any of these things to deter anyone from going; only as information so you can plan accordingly. I think it was well worth the trip and I’d do it again in a Scottish minute.

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