Staffin, Isle of Skye - What to see and do

Stenscholl
Staffin
Isle of Skye
IV51 9JS

Tel: +44 (0)1478 612200
Email morag.ceolnamara@btinternet.com

"Ceòl na Mara" means "the music of the sea". In the Isle of Skye you are never far from the sea, and you are never far from music either. If, while visiting the ruins of Duntulm Castle (pictured above) you seem to hear the haunting strains of a pibroch wafting through the air, don't think it is a ghost from the past. Local pipers still come here to play, keeping alive a centuries-old tradition that harks back to the days when the Castle was home to some of the best pipers in the land.

Not far from the Castle ruins you can discover more about our former way of life at the Skye Museum of Island Life (pictured above) a group of thatched cottages which contain the most astounding collection of memorabilia from days gone by. Having seen how we used to live and work, you can not only see, but take part in a re-creation of the musical evenings that served for entertainment and social life in the days before television. This unique experience will be found at the Skye Scene Highland Ceilidh in Portree.

Even closer at hand local musicians often play at the Flodigarry Hotel just up the road from us. Whether or not there is any music on, you can get a taste of the sea at the hotel which is renowned for its cuisine, as are several other eating places in the area which we will tell you about when you're here. Freshly-caught local seafood is a speciality. And if during the day you stop off at the Whitewave Activities Café for a cup of tea, ask the waitress to give you a song - she may well be Anne Martin, the acclaimed Gaelic singer who has just released her second CD. Canoeing, windsurfing and guided walks are available at Whitewave. Boat trips from Staffin Bay Cruises will get you close to the marine wildlife of the area and give you fantastic views of the local cliff scenery which is best appreciated from the water. From Uig you can take a day sail to the Western Isles with a coach to take you round while you are there.

Staffin is a thriving crofting community made up of a number of townships such as that shown in the picture above. Its backcloth is the Trotternish Ridge, a 20-mile stretch of inland cliff studded along its length with remarkable rock formations, of which the best concentrations are the Quiraing area, just north of Staffin, and the Storr, between Staffin and Portree. Many species of birds of prey inhabit these cliffs, including several pairs of Golden Eagles.

There are spectacular sea-cliffs here too, abounding in nesting seabirds. Good views of these can be had from the Kilt Rock viewpoint, a couple of miles south of our home, where a magnificent waterfall plunges into the sea. The Sea Eagle has its eyrie on one of these lonely stretches of cliffs, and you can watch the fascinating goings-on in the nest via a live video link in the Aros Heritage Centre, Portree.

There is more to the coast than its cliffs, however. Staffin Bay has a sandy beach for the children to play on, and there are plenty of rock and shingle beaches in the area too. This coastline is world-famous for fossils, and the continuing erosion of the Trotternish landslip keeps throwing up more surprises. Several finds of dinosaur bones and footprints have been made here. You can see some of these and many other local fossils in the Geological Museum at Elishader a few miles down the road from us.

There is so much more to tell you about our area... Explore the links below to discover more about our scenery, wildlife, culture and visitor attractions. Then come and explore for yourself and discover the true music of the sea... perhaps you can already hear it calling you...