It wouldn’t feel that strange to bump into a sprite on the Isle of Skye. With its lush glens and ghostly peaks, this Inner (Hebridian) island is otherworldly. Arriving is like stepping into the pages of a fantasy novel, except it’s populated by real friendly locals, as well as crowds of hikers - in the summer months. If you are not afraid of a little unpredictable weather? Visit off-season to get this amazing place to yourself.
Take in the technicolour seafront at pretty Portee. The buildings that line the harbour form a rainbow of pastel shades. Stop for fish and chips before exploring the rest of the tiny town, which is the capital of Skye.
The Talisker Distillery, perched on the edge of Loch Harport, is the oldest working whisky distillery on the island. Take a tour of stills and taste a dram of single malt before striding across the sweep of grey sand at nearby Talisker beach.
Drive north, and pass through mind-bogglingly different landscapes: bleak coastline dotted with Nordic-looking homes. The Quiraing, a landslip on the Trotternish ridge famous for its ruggedly dramatic scenery; and the fantastical Fairy Glen, a world of grassy hills and ponds in miniature that could be home the a Hobbit or Teletubby.
There is no shortage of opportunities to don your walking boots on Skye, but if you want to avoid other ramblers, climb the less frequented Ben Tianavaig. The coastal hill rewards your efforts with vistas across mirror-still lochs to the islands and mainland Scotland - plus the kind of silence that’ll confuse your city ears.