Colbost - settlement on the Isle of Skye, Scotland, UK

: Not to be confused with Carbost, the source of Talisker whisky Colbost (Gaelic: Cealabost) is the first of a straggle of tiny settlements on the Duirnish Peninsula in the northwest of Skye. The others are Totaig, Glendale, Lephin and Milovaig, then the road dead-ends. Cealabost probably means "cold farm" - it also translates as "farm of the rounded tops" but the hills hereabouts are abrupt scarps, great scenery.

Get in

See Skye for long-distance travel options. By car take A87 then A850 to Dunvegan, finally B884 west.

Stagecoach Bus 56 runs 3-5 times M-Sa from Portree via Skeabost and Edinbane to Dunvegan and Lonmore, with a couple continuing west to Colbost and Glendale / Milovaig.

Get around

You need wheels for this strung-out area. A car shelters you from the rain, buffeting breeze and midges.

See

• Dun Osdale 📍 is the heather-clad outcrop you pass without noticing on the road to the village - it's actually an Iron Age broch. See Dunvegan for points further east.
• Colbost Folk Museum, Colbost IV55 8ZT, 57.4463°, -6.6500°, +44 1470 521296. Closed. This 19th century crofter's heather-thatched blackhouse has suffered storm damage and is closed for repair. 2022-06-11
• Glendale Corn Mill 📍 has seen better days. It's an 18th century overshot waterwheel with 19th century millhouse, and was restored in the 1970s. But the thatched roof caved in and was replaced by corrugated metal, the machinery has been removed and it's no longer open as a museum. Still you can look in and shine a torch around, and give the mice something to talk about.
• Neist Point Lighthouse 📍 is a 62 ft / 19 m tower built in 1909 and automated in 1990. It's a half-mile walk from the road end, along a well-paved but initially steep path. A longer walk leads to the Point.
• MacLeod's Maidens 📍 are sea-stacks, a five-mile hike from the road, see Dunvegan.

Do

• Wildlife: always be watching, especially close to shore.
• Macleod's Tables: see Dunvegan#Do for the hike to these plateaux.

Buy

• Glendale Shop and Post Office is open Oct-May M-Sa 11:00-18:00, June-Sept M-Sa 10:00-19:00.
• Craft shops and artisan studios dotted along the lane are Raven Press Gallery, Skye Silver, Skye Weavers, Triskele Giftshop and Sarah Wiggins Ceramics.

Eat

• The Three Chimneys, Colbost IV55 8ZT, 57.4434°, -6.642°, +44 1470 511258, eatandstay@threechimneys.co.uk. Mid Jan - mid Dec daily 12:00-14:30,18:00-22:00. Acclaimed restaurant, book early. It went through an indifferent phase and changed owners in 2019, but by 2022 was again gathering the rave reviews of before. With rooms, the "House Over-by". 2022-06-11
• Cafe Lephin on the road to Milovaig is licensed. It's open Su-F 10:30-16:00.

Drink

• There's no pub or off-licence here, and the illicit still was another casualty of the storm that damaged the museum.
• Talisker, remember, is the fluid that doesn't come from Colbost but from Carbost. This and other whiskies are widely available but byob.

Sleep

• B&Bs and self-catering cottages are found all along the lane through Colbost and west.
• Silverdale Guesthouse, 14 Skinidin, Colbost IV55 8ZS, 57.4393°, -6.6395°, +44 1470 521251. Charming small B&B open Feb-Dec. 2022-06-11
• House Over-by is the upscale accommodation of Three Chimneys, see Eat.
• Hillstone Lodge, 12 Colbost IV55 8ZT, 57.4499°, -6.6553°, +44 1470 511434. Wonderful welcoming B&B open April-Oct with great views. No children. B&B double £190 2022-06-11
• Carter's Rest, 8 Upper Milovaig IV55 8WY, 57.4463°, -6.7395°, +44 1470 517143. Great reviews for this small B&B open March-Oct, serves dinner with notice. B&B double £160 2022-06-11

Connect

As of June 2022, Colbost has 4G from EE, O2 and Three but no signal from Vodafone. 5G has not reached Skye.

Go next

The only road leads back to Lonmore and Dunvegan. From there either head east to Trotternish, Uig and Portree, or follow the west coast past Carbost to rejoin the main road at Sligachan.