Everything You Need To Know For A Successful Dog-friendly Trip To Skye

With countless hiking trails and swoon-worthy beaches, a dog-friendly trip to the Isle of Skye seems like a no-brainer. However, there are plenty of factors you’ll need to consider to make the experience go smoothly for you and your dog.

Dog-friendly Skye: Food

Finding somewhere to eat in Skye can be a challenge during the popular summer season. Whilst pre-booking is essential for evening meals, lunches are usually a little more relaxed. Some of our favourite cafes are dog-friendly. Bog Myrtle in Struan and Skye Skyns in Waternish and Portree are particularly welcoming to dogs. For other suggestions, check out our guide to the best coffee shops in Skye.

Dog-Friendly Skye: Accommodation

Dog-Friendly Skye: Transport

Car: We travelled to Skye with our car, and would heartily recommend you do the same. As well as having plenty of room for luggage and space for your dog to relax, having your own vehicle means you have the freedom to explore every part of the island at your own pace.

Ferry: On the Calmac Ferries dogs can travel for free. However, spaces must be booked in advance especially if you want to bring your dog on deck with you (rather than leaving them in the car). The ferries are a great way to travel to Skye and visit the rest of the Outer Hebrides, but space on deck is limited so be mindful of this. If your dog in anxious or reactive around other dogs and people, it would be best if you kept them in your car.

Boat trips are a very popular activity on Skye due to the awesome marine life you may potentially spot. Some operators advertise as being dog-friendly (the Bella Jane is awesome). Alternatively, you could find a private charter (we did this via our accommodation Viewfield House, Portree). This gives you the reassurance that your dog won’t have to contend with other dogs or strangers plus you have the flexibility to travel where you want at a pace to suit you. Some dogs may suffer with sea sickness, it’s probably best to test them on a short ferry ride before booking a boat trip!

Bus: A small but reliable network of buses connect the major beauty spots in Skye. Great for tourists, but unfortunately dogs (except assistance dogs) are not welcome on board the Citylink routes. Some local services do allow dogs. The Tourist Information Centre in Portree is a great resource to check.

Taxi: Given the inaccessibility of much of Skye, the plethora of local taxi drivers offer a good range of personalised service. Some are dog friendly but be respectful and honest in advance, especially if your dog is a shedder!

There are no trains on the Isle of Skye.

Dog-friendly Skye: Health & Wellbeing

The sun: Skye may have a reputation for wet and windy weather conditions, but on days when the sun is shining, the landscape provides little shade. The main terrain is rocky heathland meaning you and your dog will be exposed to the elements. Even if you set out on a cloudy morning, be sure to pack more water than you expect to need. Luckily, many of the forest trails are dotted with streams and waterfalls for your dog to cool off in. It’s also a good idea to bring dog-friendly sunscreen if your pet has any sensitive/exposed areas. We always dab a little on Belka’s pink nose patch!

Ticks: Ticks thrive in the grassy areas of Skye due to the island’s famous deer population. It is essential that your dog is treated with anti-tick treatment pre-travel to provide full protection against the many diseases that ticks carry. Humans need to be vigilant too! Most tourist shops, pharmacists and even cafes sell tick removers and insect repellents.

Midges: Everyone we talked to about our trip to Skye mentioned midges. Everyone warned us. Still, nothing could have prepared us for just how prevalent midges are. There are a range of dog safe midge repellents on the market. We’ve relied on Avena as well as a daily Piriton to keep itching at bay.

Adders: Adders are shy and elusive creatures and are likely to slither away if they sense humans or dogs approaching. However, their bite is venomous if they strike. There have been a couple of reports of adders biting dogs in Scotland recently, especially in South Skye. Having some first aid knowledge as well as planning ahead and having local vets’ numbers stored on your phone is a sensible precaution if you’re planning a dog walk in adder territory.

Vets: There are a couple of great vets practices in Skye that will see visiting dogs by request. We were treated very well at O’Connor-Pierce.

Dog-friendly Skye: Walking

Lambing season: Spring is a great time to visit Skye. The weather is perfect and there are fewer tourists than the summer. However, travelling with a dog means being considerate of the farmers whose land you’ll frequently be walking through on your adventures. April and May are lambing season, meaning extremely cute lambs (and calves) are all over the island. Most well-known walks have clear signs requesting you keep your dog on a short lead, and some walks are out of bounds entirely. The great thing about Skye is that walking opportunities are endless, so you’ll have plenty of good alternatives if your first choice of walk is off limits. Beaches and forest tracks are usually far more dog friendly during the spring and offer spectacular views without the risk of scaring livestock.

Cleaning up dog mess: Even though it may be tempting to leave your dog mess where it is when they go to the toilet in the great outdoors, be aware that dog faeces can be harmful to young or pregnant livestock and wildlife. Bagging up in degradable bags or burying dog mess is the right thing to do to look after the native wildlife. Skye has reminder posters and bins throughout the island, you don’t want to end up with a hefty fine so bag and bin even while you’re out on hikes.

We’ve been lucky enough to see orcas, otters, minke whales, seals and all manner of birds while walking with Belka

Dog-friendly Skye: Wildlife

From otters and dolphins, to golden eagles and even the occasional orca, Skye is bursting with wildlife. However, if you’re interested in close sightings it’s a good idea to leave your dog at home or in the car. That being said, keeping your dog under control and/or on a short lead does mean that they can tag along on your excursions. We’ve been lucky enough to see orcas, otters, minke whales, seals, deer and all manner of birds while walking with Belka. Be a responsible dog owner and you can still enjoy exciting glimpses of wildlife on your adventures.