Plan your trip
GETTING THERE
KLM flies to Edinburgh from Joburg via Amsterdam, with a two-hour connection, from R10 899 pp return ( klm.com). Qatar Airways flies from Joburg and Cape Town with overnight layovers in Doha, from R10 399 pp return ( qatarairways.com). The return drive to Skye from Edinburgh is about 1 000 kilometres. Take the 30-minute ferry from Mallaig to Skye, then the Skye Bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh when returning, passing Loch Ness on the A87.
NEED TO KNOW
South Africans need a visa for Scotland; it costs R1 600 pp. Apply online ( gov.uk) and then visit a South African application centre to provide biometric information ( uk. tlscontact.com). Allow three weeks for processing. From April to July are the driest months; April and May are less busy. Pack warm and wetweather clothing, including waterproof trousers and boots, and bring bug spray for midges. Buy hiking food and supplies on the drive to Skye and book the ferry in advance to save time ( calmac.co.uk). There’s a good camping shop in Portree on Skye if you forget anything ( inside-outskye.com). Take potable water, although water from highland streams away from human habitation is drinkable. Also very drinkable is Talisker single-malt whisky from the distillery on the island. From R640 a bottle ( malts.com). Bothies can’t be booked, so try to arrive early ( mountainbothies.org.uk). Facilities are basic – bring a hiking mattress, camping stove and candles.
STAY HERE
Peanmeanach bothy is a twoand-a-half-hour hike from the A830, overlooking a sandy beach. The stone cottage has two cosy ground-floor rooms and an open-plan attic. Camasunary bothy is a twohour hike from the Kilmarie car park in south-western Skye. Completed in 2014, this new bothy sits on the eastern edge of Camasunary Bay, beneath imposing peaks on a wide, stony beach. Lookout bothy, or Rubha Hunish, is one of Scotland’s finest. It’s an hour-long walk from the car park and sleeps only three, so get there early. The Croft in nearby Staffin village has a comfortable room for freshening up before the drive back to Edinburgh. R500 pp sharing. airbnb.com/ rooms/6311794 This Airbnb apartment in Leith, Edinburgh, has free parking and is a short walk from the centre. R650 pp sharing. airbnb.com/rooms/ 6486057
COSTS
Five nights on Skye and two in Edinburgh will cost about R17 500 pp sharing, including your flights. Car hire About R2 300 for a week if booked ahead ( travel supermarket.com). Check the mileage allowance – you’ll need at least 120 miles (193km) a day. Budget about R1 000 for fuel. Ferry R260 (single journey for two with a car). Accommodation Bothies are free, but book one night in a cottage on Skye to freshen up at the end of your trip. Expect to pay R500 to R650 pp sharing for mid-range self-catering, including in Edinburgh. Food R2 400 pp for groceries and eating out in Edinburgh. *Prices and conversions correct at time of going to print