Head to Head: Inis Mor vs Isle of Skye

Island life Do you want to explore the rugged rocks of Ireland’s Inis Mór (this) or Skye off the Scottish coast (right)?

HEAD TO HEAD

INIS MÓR vs

Those seeking something a little wilder in the UK and Ireland only need to

There are almost 200 inhabited

islands scattered off the coast of the British Isles, and many are places where time seems to have stood still. Visiting them gives you a chance to see wild, unspoiled landscapes and explore pockets of authentic culture. Here, our UK and Ireland specialists discuss the charms of two of our favorites.

INIS MÓR, IRELAND

By Andea McLaughlin A tiny, wind-battered archipelago off the coast of County Clare, the Aran Islands are a stronghold of traditional Irish culture. Residents still ride on horse-drawn jaunting carts and call to each other in Gaelic while fishermen carry out their trade in currachs, small woodenframed boats covered in watertight cloth. Inis Mór, the largest island, is easily visible from the coast and you reach it via a short (45 minute) ferry ride or even shorter (6 minute) plane ride. Landing, you can be excused if you think you’ve reached another world or time. Geologically, this is an extension of the Burren and shares the same weathered landscape, the bedrock scoured bare and poking through the sparse top soil.

Tiny stone cottages dot the rocky landscape, surrounded by cows nibbling on the low green turf and the colorful wildflowers that grow in the cracks of the karst.

Despite the island’s small size and sparse population (fewer than 800 permanent residents), there’s enough here to see to fill a whole day. The Seven Churches – locally known as Na Seacht Teampaill – are the skeletal ruins of two early Christian churches dedicated to the 5th-century Saint Brecan, as well as monastic houses and a stillfunctioning burial yard. Those titular seven saints are said to be buried in the cemetery, possibly explaining the confusing name.

Last time I visited, the fog had just rolled in and the whole site had an eerie feel, with high crosses and random gravestones emerging out of the mist like ghostly apparitions. A short ride away, Dún Aonghasa is a semicircular Iron Age fortress on the southern coast. At least 2,000 years old, the seemingly primitive limestone walls are actually a sophisticated lace-like design intended to let the relentless sea winds whistle through.

There are three loosely concentric walls that end abruptly at the cliff’s edge. It’s a sheer drop down more than 280 feet to where the waves batter the rocks below. Like the better-known Cliffs of Moher, Dún Aonghasa offers sweeping views along the snaking coast. Unlike Moher, there are neither crowds nor protective barriers to interfere with the view and you’ll see people lying on the very edge of the bare stone, peering over the precipitous edge. Be careful, the rocks are sometimes shakier than they appear and the wind can gust suddenly.

The only town of any size on the islands is Kilronan, on Inis Mór, where visitors arrive and depart. It’s more like a village than a town, but you’ll find pubs and shops selling Celtic-themed jewelry and the intricately cabled sweaters that the islands are known for.

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HEAD TO HEAD

ISLE OF SKYE head out to the rugged isles that dot their waters – but which is best for you?

ISLE OF SKYE, SCOTLAND

By Emily Sparrow It’s easy to see why fairytales persist in the misty glens and gleaming lochs of Skye. The landscape is unearthly – the rolling moors and green hills are punctuated with weirdly shaped rock formations and silvery waterfalls that are wreathed in rainbows.

Located off the west coast of Scotland, Skye is large enough to support several days of exploration for visitors, especially if you enjoy the outdoors. On an island known for its natural beauty, it’s not surprising that hiking is one of the most common pastimes. Be sure to pack sturdy boots and waterproof gear – the weather is changeable and damp.

A common destination for travelers is a series of waterfalls called the Fairy Pools, made popular thanks to images shared on social media. But sadly the site is often thronged with tourists and the pictures are heavily filtered, so as an alternative I suggest visiting the Fairy Glen instead. Located near Uig Bay on the western side of the island, the glen is a typical Highland landscape – grassy hummocks, ridged hills and crystalline lochs – all wrought in miniature.

If you prefer to limit your hiking, I suggest hiring a local driver-guide for a car tour of the island. Roads are narrow and twisty and locals zip along them at breakneck speeds, so having someone else drive while I admired the views felt much safer. Also, GPS doesn’t work well on the island and my guide knew how to navigate around the occasional traffic jam.

Dunvegan Castle sits at the mouth of Loch Dunvegan, a strategic stronghold and home of the MacCleod clan since 1200. The low, blocky castle is made from dull grey-brown stone that seems to blend in with the countryside, a uniform façade that dates

back to a Victorian-era renovation. Inside, however, you’ll find a hodgepodge of styles spanning eight centuries.

On my most recent visit, I took a tour of the castle and saw some of the artifacts that have accumulated over the clan’s lengthy tenure here, including a 16th-century drinking horn and a tattered, yellow silk flag that is said to be a gift to the clan from local fairies. I ended the tour by sharing a dram of whisky with the castle’s steward, hearing legends and history from the clan’s long history.

Along with whisky, salmon is another mainstay on the menus of Skye. Thanks to the abundance of salmon in the pristine waters of the island’s many lochs, fishing has long made up an important part of the local culture and economy. I recently tried my hand at landing a salmon myself, with the help of a ghillie (a traditional fishing or hunting guide). I didn’t catch anything, I’m afraid, but standing on the banks of the River Snizort, I gained a new appreciation for the seemingly ageless culture that persists here on Skye.

Get me there: A 11-day trip to the UK and Ireland, including Inis Mór and the Isle of Skye, starts at $4,550pp. For more information, please contact our UK and Ireland specialists at 1-855-593-2006.

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