A Round of Ben Chracaig with a Twist.

Start. Portree.

Route. Portree - Bosville Terrace - Scorrybraec Road - Scorrybraec Trail - Memorial Calm Viewpoint - Sgeir Mhor - Bile - Cuillin Hills Hotel - Scorrybrarc Road - Bosville Terrace - Portree - Bank Street - Meall na h-Acairseid (The Lump) - Sron a Mhill (nose or headland) - Bank Street - Portree.

Notes. This was a gentle walk from the centre of Portree, which included everything from tarmac strolling, coastal rambling and a leg burner of a 300ft climb, it’s short and we’ve done it before so decided to give it a bit of a twist in the form of The Lump.

From the centre of Portree we made our way passed the rows of terraced cottages overlooking the harbour, on reaching Scorrybreac Road we descended, the tarmac surface guided us to the shoreline passed Skye Sailing Club and a slipway then onto the Scorrybreac Trail, a rough path that guides the walker around the headland. We visited the Memorial Calm Viewpoint before vanishing round the headland.

Continuing walking we passed a couple of memorial wells and memorial stone seat before reaching a dry stone wall, ignoring the gate we turned up hill, the path zig-zaged to ease the gradient, 300ft later it leveled off as the houses of Portree tilted into view. After turning left at the next path junction we descended through mixed woodland stepping onto tarmac behind the Cuillin Hills Hotel, our descent continued to access Scorrybreac Road, all we had to do was re-trace our steps of earlier.

Wandering through the streets of Portree we stopped at the An Talla Mor (Eighteen Twenty) cafe bar, grabbed some lunch, sat outside in the sun and watched island life slowly drift by. Lunch over we decided to explore Meall na h-Acairseid (The Lump). An Talla Mor sits on the corner of Bank Street and the main road, a few yards up Bank Street a footpath cut off to the left, this we followed round a rocky headland dividing the towns waterfront, when the path reached a tarmac lane we ascended to what I could only describe as Portree’s village green. Dr Alrxander MacLeod, Lord MacDonald’s Chamberlain of Estate layed out this area as a pleasure garden in 1829, there’s a tower built to inform sailing ships of medical services and, serve as a dispensary. So if your in Portree visit The Lump it’s a nice surprise, a great place to while away a few hours soaking up the views and idling in the sun, of course that's after you’ve completed a round of Ben Chracaig.

view route map.

home.

The colourful harbour front at Portree seen from Bosville Terrace.

Stunning views across Loch Portree taking in the mighty Cuillin hills.

Portree Harbour backed by The Lump.

From Memorial Calm Viewpoint views to the Black Cuillin.

Striding out over the Scorrybreac Trail looking back to Portree.

Near Sgeir Mhor looking to the northern cliffs of Ben Tianavaig with the island of Raasay beyond.

Sron a Bhainne with the cliffs of Creag Mhor falling to the sea, to the left Ben Chracaig.

Sue strides out into stunning coastal seascapes.

A heart thumping climb, stopping to view Ben Tianavaig through the trees.

Climbing the last few feet and the houses of Portree tilt into view.

The gentle rolling landscape north of Portree.

Descending through dappled light.

Loch Portree seen through the tree cover of The Lump.

Apothecary's Tower built to inform sailing ships of medical services and, serve as a dispensary.

Lucky for us there's a spiral staircase ascending the tower, from the top, the cliffs of The Storr with the Old Man of Storr clearly visible.

On view from The Lump, Ben Tianavaig.

The Lump laid out as a pleasure garden in 1829.

Again Ben Tianavaig seen from The Lump.

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