Cycling & Camping on Skye : Dunvegan – Struan – Glenbrittle was the fourth day of five days cycling on my seven day trip to Skye. I travelled to and from Skye on days one and seven.
The trip took place between Wed. 7 Jun. 2023 and Tues, 13 Jun. 2023.
I cycled this route on Sun, !1 June 2023.
In all my previous cycling tours in Scotland I had used hotels and B & B’s as a place to stay at night time. However, Skye is extremely popular with tourists so I was unable to get the bookings I needed for this tour.
Therefore I had planned the route to cycle from campsite to campsite around Skye.
Cycling & Camping on Skye : Dunvegan - Struan - Glenbrittle
- Route Map
Cycling & Camping on Skye : Dunvegan - Struan - Glenbrittle
- My Timings & Distances
Left Kinloch campsite, Dunvegan 10.40 / Struan 12.00 (9.36) / Bog Myrtle Cafe 12.05 – 1.00 / Walked around for a bit / Left Struan 1.15 / Cut-off to Glenbrittle (B8009) 2.25 (17.79) / Glenbrittle campsite 3.55 (27.75).
Cycling & Camping on Skye : Dunvegan - Struan - Glenbrittle
- Log
Thunderstorms & hail had been forecast for most of Scotland last night. Here, though, it was fine – just rain during the night. I was mostly sheltered from it as the pitch I had been allocated was under some trees. In the morning it was cloudy & overcast but it was dry.
I didn’t get up until after 8.00 a.m today, compared to my usual time of about 7.00 a.m. I knew I had a shorter cycling day of about 28 miles today. Also, I was tired from my exertions of yesterday. I also wanted to time my arrival in Struan for about lunch time, as I knew that there was a cafe there that I could go to for lunch.
I therefore took my time with breakfast, etc. and with packing my bags, etc. Consequently I didn’t leave the campsite until 10.40 a.m.
Dunvegan - Struan
As I cycled along in the morning it was cloudy and overcast but not too dull and it didn’t rain.
Taking my time in leaving the campsite at Dunvegan worked out well as I arrived at Struan at 12.00.
The cafe at Struan was the unusually named Bog Myrtle cafe.
Inside, the Bog Myrtle Cafe was quaintly decorated. However, it was very busy, cramped and noisy with families and babies. I managed to get a small table at the window though.
After lunch I still had plenty of time to complete the remaining section of today’s ride. I therefore walked around the part of the village of Struan next to the cafe for 15 minutes.
Struan - Fairy Pools - Glenbrittle Campsite
As the afternoon wore on it got increasingly hotter, although the sun hadn’t come out yet.
By the time I got to the cut-off to Glenbrittle I was quite tired as it had been a series of long hills. Also, I was still tired from yesterday’s exertions. The situation got worse as the climb up Glenbrittle was a series of really steep hills.
Fairy Pools
I eventually reached the car park and path to the Fairy Pools, which is a popular visitor attraction. By this time the sun had come out and it was a nice, warm sunny day.
Originally I intended to spend some time here today but then I remembered that the Glenbrittle campsite didn’t take bookings. I therefore decided just to leave the Fairy Pools today and get straight to the campsite to ensure I got a pitch.
Glenbrittle Campsite
The route down Glenbrittle from the Fairy Pools car park consisted of a series of very welcome steep descents. This allowed me to get to the Glenbrittle campsite just before 4.00 o’clock.
As it happens when I went to reception on arrival at the campsite I was relieved to find out that there were plenty of tent pitches available.
After checking in I pitched my tent on the grassy section overlooking the beach
I had read on the website for the campsite that they had a cafe that served basic meals. Therefore I had planned to have my dinner there. So after I pitched my tent I went to the cafe to have a meal. Disappointingly, though, the cafe only sold cakes & snacks. So for my dinner I had three hot cheese & bacon wraps. I ate them at a table in the cafe.
Afterwards I bought an ice cream and sat at a picnic table outside the cafe for a while.
After organising my tent, etc. I went for a walk around the campsite, whilst admiring the views of the Cuillin Mountains in the background.
