Portree is the largest town on the Isle of Skye and it’s a natural stop for those touring the island to get lunch or dinner. But Portree is more than just a convenient food stop. It’s a quaint town surrounded by gorgeous nature that invites you to explore it.
If you ever find yourself in Portree with some time to spare, do go hiking. My younger brother and I spent 2,5 months living and working in the town, and discovered some wonderful hikes during our time off. Below are five beautiful hikes in and around Portree that I recommend!
1. Around the Lump
My favourite short walk in town is the Am Meall path, which circles the Lump, a rocky outcrop by Portree’s harbour. The trail offers gorgeous panoramic views over Portree, the island of Raasay and the Cuillin Hills in the distance.
The trail starts to the left of the Portree Free Church of Scotland on Bank Street. Follow the trail around the rock. At one point, you’ll reach a flight of stairs to your left. Ignore them and continue straight ahead. At the end of the trail, take a right turn and walk up to the top of the Lump where you’ll find the Apothecary’s Tower. Don’t miss out on the view from the top of the tower! Descend and walk down the street back to Bank Street where the hike ends.
- Duration: Ca. 30 minutes
- Distance: Ca. 1 km
- Difficulty: Easy with hardly any changes in elevation
2. Glen Varragill Forest
The forest above the Aros Centre is a gorgeous, overlooked nature spot in Portree. There is no obvious loop trail, but instead, I recommend just exploring. Take the trail that seems most interesting. The forest is beautiful and offers gorgeous views over Portree and its mountainous surroundings – you can even see all the way to the Storr!
To enter the forest, take the footpath at the furthest end of the car park by the Aros Centre.
- Difficulty: Moderate with some steep trails.
3. Scorrybreac Circuit
The Scorrybreac Circuit is a beautiful short hike of about 3 km, just north of Portree, which can be extended as much as you like with plenty of opportunities to explore in the area.
The trail begins beneath the Cuillin Hills Hotel, following the coast around until it starts going inland around midway. There, you’ll meet a longer trail to the Storr going right, ignore this and take a left turn. Continue along the trail and you’ll end up just above the Cuillin Hills Hotel. If you fancy some more hiking, I recommend hiking up the Scorrybreac hill. You can find a staircase near the beginning of the hike, by the memorial, which will lead you to the top. In addition, you can also extend the hike by walking to the village of Torvaig, north of the trail, and walk back to Portree following the main road.
- Duration: Ca. 1 hour (without extensions)
- Distance: Ca. 3 km (without extensions)
- Difficulty: Moderate with an elevation gain of 164 m.
- Full post about the hikes in the area: Skye’s Scorrybreac, a hiking paradise near Portree
4. The Black Rock
The best place to spot seals in Portree is on and around the Black Rock, a tiny tidal islet off the coast of the Scorrybreac trail. It’s a short and adventurous hike, but it can also be treacherous. Only attempt to do this if the tide is low (and make sure you get back on time too!), and do wear boots with good grip as the rocks are extremely slippery.
To reach the Black Rock, follow the beginning of the Scorrybreac trail from beneath the Cuillin Hills Hotel. Ca. 600 meters in, before the trail turns around the corner, you’ll reach the islet. Tread carefully as you approach the islet and don’t get too close to seals if you’re lucky to see any.
- Duration: Ca. 1 hour return
- Distance: Ca. 1,5 km return
- Difficulty: Moderate as the walk itself is easy, but you need to be careful due to changing tides and slippery rocks
- Full post about the Black Rock: Close encounter with a seal at the Black Rock
5. Camas Ban, a hidden black sand beach
The longest hike on the list is also the most beautiful, and it includes a rarely visited black sand beach! Plus lots and lots of wonderful views throughout.
The hike begins in the village of Penifiler just south of Portree (you can reach the village from Portree in about an hour by walking along the main road). Follow Penifiler Road to its end and then continue along a footpath following the coast to the last house, known as the Faraway House. Then hike up the hill behind the house following a sheep trail until you see the beach below you. Make your way down to the beach. When returning, hike back up the hill and cut across the landscape towards Penifiler Road and walk back to the village.
- Duration: 1-2 hours (+2 hours if walking from and back to Portree)
- Distance: Ca. 4 km (+ 10 km if walking from and back to Portree)
- Difficulty: Moderate with some steep ascending and descending with an elevation gain of 130 m.
- Full post about the hike to Camas Ban: Hidden Skye: A hike to the beach behind the Faraway House
I hope these hikes will give you a greater appreciation for Portree and its beautiful surroundings, which – unfortunately – are often overlooked by travellers looking to explore Skye’s more well-known sights.
Let me know in the comments below if you have suggestions for more hikes in and around Portree!
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