Explore Strathpeffer, Ullapool, the Fairy Pools and Skye’s whisky distilleries on part three of our Skye road trip through the Highlands
When devising our road trip to Scotland, apart from taking in as many distilleries as possible and taking in the beautiful scenery, we didn’t have many preconditions. Our aim was to reach Skye, a place I had not visited, but really the route there was left much to my own devices.
This explains how we ended up spending our fourth night in Strathpeffer, a sleepy Victorian spa town in the Highlands.
Strathpeffer Spa Town Scotland
I knew nothing about the place, apart from the hotel had four rooms that were very affordable – for Scotland. Upon arrival I further learned The Retreat Hotel was a recently refurbished Victorian hotel with a slight touch of the Fawlty Towers about it. Absolutely perfect.
As the restaurant was not open, a solitary member of staff – far more efficient than Manuel – informed us of our dining options in town, and later on served us whiskies and shared the Rabbie Burns anthology to read to each other. I’m not quite sure if my American friends realised quite how much British culture was imbued within these walls.
Strathpeffer itself developed as a spa town in Victorian times due to its sulphur springs. This is a mini Baden-Baden, though devoid of tourists. It was the most northerly spa in Europe. At its centre is its pavilion where Emily Pankhurst once spoke, and The Beatles visited but never performed.
We dined at the excellent Deli in the Square to which we returned the following morning for breakfast, where Shawn and August discovered haggis. And didn’t mind it.
The town really is a quiet gem, surrounded by beautiful hills, and easy to walk around. The staff at the Deli suggested we visit Rogie Falls, just up the A 835 from Strathpeffer to see a lovely waterfall just about a quarter mile from the car park. Shawn was lagging behind us, earnestly exclaiming about the “Scottish mist” that was so good for moody photographs, unaware that he was actually following a pair of vaping Brits. We all had a good laugh over that.
Skye Road Trip via Ullapool
For the first time on our trip, time was on our side. So, instead of taking the direct low road to Skye, we opted for the scenic high road via Ullapool snaking along the coast.
Our journey there was dogged by RVs – a summer plague in Scotland far worse than the midges, but having stocked up on provisions for the night ahead we took the coastal route towards Skye.
Arguably this was the most beautiful and deserted road on our trip. The views were amazing and reminded me very much of my travels in the Faroe Islands a few years back, which I observed to my friends on a few too many occasions. There was hardly a soul there not counting the sheep.
As the road continued its winding path and the rain unrelented, we decided to male a pitstop for late lunch. I turned blindly off the road at a place that at least seemed open. Scurrying in as fast as we could we had no idea where we were entering. I always say that serendipity is the essence of good travel. Pool House was most serendipitous.
Churchill visited here in 1939 and decided to make it the headquarters for the Arctic Convoys. All this is explained in an exhibition spread around the billiard table. Shawn told us that his grandfather was on a Navy Liberty ship that had guarded this convoy route during WW2. Small world, and a heart softening moment for him to realise his grandfather had been in this region during the war. Now, its North by Northwest Café serves excellent home made soup and pastries. Its a veritable curiosity shop and the perfect place to hide from the rain.
Sufficiently warmed, I even allowed Shawn to have his first drive on the ‘wrong side of the road’ which we all managed to survive.
Isle of Skye
Eventually we found ourselves beneath the bridge to Skye where we picked up some salmon to cook at the small fishing cottage we had rented for a night at a rate that would have made any fisherman blush with shame.
The setting however, right on a small beach was amazing. Shawn cooked. We ate. Then gazed at the water and the rain as we passed around the whisky before crashing for the night.
I had vague plans to go on a walk on Skye myself, but looking at the weather and my inadequate footwear, and realising I had my mother to look after, I soon shelved those plans for a drive around the island.
My American friends were undeterred, so after breakfast I dropped them off at the car park for the walk to the Fairy Pools. I arranged to pick them up in a few hours before setting off for a drive.
Once more apart from the occasional bout of dodge the RV, the drive was amazing. Vast swathes of open land, forlorn landscape you might have seen in many a film, and space – bucketloads of space. Every so often the clouds would break apart and illuminate the velvet green sheep dotted landscape.
It was all that my imagination had imagined and more. We even had time to stop at the oldest bakery on the island for a secondary breakfast.
Skye Fairy Pools Walk
I have never seen any creature wetter than my friends as they emerged into the car park after their walk. I have swum with drier fish in the sea.
Apparently, it was amazing, and comparatively dry – this is Skye – until a downpour on the final leg which engulfed them like a tsunami. The Fairy Pools are a succession of rock pools and waterfalls, fuelled by the Allt Coir a ‘Mhadaidh river and Cullin mountains.
However, the smile on their faces showed how much they enjoyed themselves. Although I very much doubt that August’s trainers ever recovered.
Skye is best known for Talisker whisky, which is distilled there. We opted for Torabhaig a lesser known distillery. By the time we arrived the distillery was closing but the staff kindly allowed us to sample a couple of whiskies and we responded accordingly, restocking our boot. I think the Sound of Sleat whisky was my favourite malt on the trip.
Fort William
After the amazing wildness of Skye, the mainland seemed something of an anti-climax. We drove onto Fort William, where we had booked into the Alexandra Hotel, an imposing place popular with tour groups. There were a couple during our brief stay.
Fort William itself is a one road town set on Loch Linnhe. One of its main attractions is its proximity to Ben Nevis, which was draped in clouds during our stay. We strolled into town avoiding the raucous bars and had some excellent fish and chips, and some less excellent haggis, before heading back to the hotel for a wee dram before bed. Our final whole day in Scotland was to take us to nearby Glencoe, scene of its famous massacre.
Isle of Skye Road Trip
July 2025 Mark, his mother and three friends from the States, took a 10-day road trip to Scotland, visiting Whitby, Edinburgh, the Highlands, Isle of Sky and Chester. You can continue reading his travels here, or catch up with the first two parts of their Skye road trip here and here.
Article written by Mark with additional content from Lesley, as well as most of the photos.
