Reaching for the Skye
> Scotland’s picturesque island with its gorgeous and unique landscape has played host to a number of big Hollywood productions
THE OPENING scenes in Transformers: The Last Knight, featuring Merlin and a medieval battle, were done on Scotland’s Isle of Skye.
Scenes for other recent movies, including King Arthur: Legend of the Sword, The BFG, Macbeth, and Prometheus, have also previously been shot on Skye.
Skye is one of Scotland’s most visited destinations, and is the second largest of Scotland’s 780 islands. Many tourists choose to visit this island because of its impressive landscapes and rugged cliffs, and to explore the terrain and epic mountains.
An island steeped in myth and legend, Skye is best explored on a guided holiday, with a local expert sharing stories of the local area.
With Trafalgar Tours, guests can book a Best of Scotland seven-day country explorer holiday to the Isle of Skye. Prices start from US$1,373 (RM5,899) per person, based on twin share and excluding airfare.
Guests travelling from Aug 2 to 26 also get complimentary tickets to watch the Edinburgh Military Tattoo in Edinburgh.
Trafalgar has listed four places to see when visiting the Isle of Skye.
The Quiraing This landslip is a must-visit stopover for anyone seeking to capture a glimpse of the filming location of movies like the most recent Transformers film, where the ancient battle was shot with the Quiraing’s moody landscapes as the backdrop.
Around 60 million years ago, the water covering the land disappeared, and what is seen today is the impact of volcanic activity and movements in the earth resulting in landslides, thus creating rugged cliffs, sweeping hillsides and jagged pinnacles.
To get the most out of this world-class location, plan a hike to explore its hidden canyons and ridges.
The Cuillin Also known as the Black Cuillin (as opposed to the round-topped Red Hills sometimes known as the Red Cuillin to the east), this mountain range rises to its highest point of 992 metres at Sgurr Alasdair.
The sharp peaks of the Cullin stand out from the surrounding flat terrain, and can be seen from miles away.
This mountain range is a result of a once great volcano which now forms a chain of jagged peaks along a narrow 12kilometre ridge, rising straight out from the sea with little vegetation above 300 metres.
Coming from the Scottish mainland, visitors are likely to pass a beautiful old stone bridge – the Sligachan Bridge – close to the Cuillin.
There’s a legend that says the mountain-fed waters that run beneath the bridge are enchanted and if you hold your face in the water for a full seven seconds, you’ll be granted eternal beauty.
The Old Man of Storr The Old Man of Storr is one of Skye’s most famous landmarks.
At 535 metres in height, this large pinnacle of rock stands out against green grassy slopes, and is visible from the main road between the towns of Portree and Staffin on the west coast.
The rock pinnacles were formed as a result of the weight of basalt lava on sedimentary rocks causing countless landslides during the Jurassic Age.
One legend suggests the Old Man of Storr is the thumb of a giant buried beneath the Storr.
Neist Point Overlooking the North Sea, one of Scotland’s most photographed lighthouses is also located here.
With its striking sea cliffs of jutting rock, it is a magical spot to stand on the rock formations and admire the emerald blue sea down below.
It is also a great place to see whales, dolphins and basking sharks.
Dinosaur fans should also visit the beach at An Corran, Staffin, where a herd of these prehistoric creatures had left their footprints on the rocks 165 million years ago.
At the Staffin Museum, visitors can learn more about dinosaurs such as where to find the world’s smallest dinosaur footprint, a dinosaur leg bone and various other fossils.
Dunvegan Castle Dunvegan Castle is the oldest inhabited castle in the north of Scotland. It has been occupied continuously by the 30 different chiefs of the Clan MacLeod for almost 800 years.
Visit the castle to learn about the history and clan legends.
Built on a rock on an idyllic loch side setting, this Highland estate boasts over two hectares of formal gardens that include green landscapes set amidst shimmering pools, waterfalls and streams flowing down to the sea.
Visitors should also take a boat trip to Loch Dunvegan to see the seal colony.