Skye’s Neist Point Lighthouse is one of the most scenic lighthouses you will come across in Scotland. Not only is the lighthouse itself quite photogenic, but the stunning coastal scenery will leave your jaw dropped. Built in 1909, Neist Point Lighthouse is set atop the most westerly point of the Isle of Skye where the Diurinish Peninsula meets the sea, and it is a fantastic place to watch the sunset when the skies are clear. If the skies aren’t clear, worry not, the views are still stunning and the drive to get here is both scenic and adventurous. Below we present our Neist Point Lighthouse Travel Guide, which includes information on how to get to the Lighthouse and where to get some of the best pictures.
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You might also be interested in these pages:
Top Things to See and Do on Skye
4-Day Roadtrip Isle of Skye Itinerary
Isle of Skye Travel Guide: Things to Know Before You Go
Where to Stay on the Isle of Skye
Skye’s Best Hiking and Walking Trails
Neist Point Lighthouse History
Orientation – Where is Neist Point Lighthouse?
As we alluded to earlier, Neist Point Lighthouse is located on the most westerly tip of the Isle of Skye. To get here from Portree, the Isles largest and gateway town, it will take you about an hour (52km).
Note that most of the drive will be along the single-track B884 road, which can mean increased driving times during busy high season periods or close to sunset. If travelling during either of those times, please allow plenty of time for your journey.
For advice and tips on how to drive in Scotland, check out our Scotland Roadtrip Driving Guide. For advice and tips that are more specific to Skye with a focus on single-track roads, check out our Isle of Skye Road Trip Driving Guide.
If you haven’t booked your rental vehicle yet, we highly recommend using Discover Cars to get the best rates on your rental in Scotland.
Parking: There is a very large car park (free) at the end of the lighthouse road. However, it fills up quickly during the high season and close to sunset. As a result, many have to park alongside the singletrack road, which can be tricky.
Hours: Access to the parking is available at all times. However, note that there is no public access to the lighthouse interior as it is privately owned.
Cost: None.
Facilities: There are no public toilets in the area. The nearest ones are located in Dunvegan village car park.
If you don’t have your own vehicle or are not comfortable driving on single-track roads, your best option might be to join a Skye tour from Portree or Edinburgh, which includes a stop at the Neist Point Lighthouse.
Neist Point Lighthouse Viewpoint and Trails
Lighthouse Viewpoint
The first views you will come across as you exit the parking (by passing an old shed) are those of the beautiful cliffs that lie between you and the lighthouse (the lighthouse will be out of sight initially). Be sure to turn southward too so that you don’t miss the distant coastal waterfall.
If you don’t want to hike downhill to the lighthouse, you can still get great views of it not too far from the car park. You will have to walk slightly uphill through 200m of grassy (and potentially boggy) terrain, but that should be very manageable for most.
There is no “official” viewpoint, but as you make your way northward along the coast, the lighthouse will begin to emerge and the views will simply be stunning. With clearer skies, the sunset would have been no doubt spectacular!
Lighthouse Trail
If you want to get up and close to the lighthouse there is a 2.7 km out-and-back trail (it’s actually a concrete path) that takes you down to the point from the parking lot. The trailhead is just beyond the old shed that is located near the end of the parking lot.
Though it is not particularly long, it does have some steep sections (without guardrails or anything to properly hold to) and others with numerous steps. Otherwise, the trail is quite manageable and should be accessible to most without mobility or vertigo issues.
Plan about an hour to complete the hike with some time to linger around the lighthouse.
Distance: 2.7 km
Route Type: Out & Back
Elevation gain: 135 m
AllTrails rating: (4.5, 410 ratings (2023))
Duration: 45 min – 1h
If you do venture down the path, take great care along the cliff sections of this trail as there are very steep drop-offs. We wouldn’t recommend walking this trail in bad weather or with improper footwear.
If you make it out to the point, keep an eye out for wildlife including whales, dolphins, porpoises, and basking sharks, all of which can be seen from there. You are also likely to come across free-roaming sheep in addition to common seabirds including gannets and razorbills.
Nearby Attractions on Skye
The Fairy Pools – A beautiful walk with stunning mountain and waterfall vistas. A classic Skye shot walk where you will be surrounded by stunning scenery. Beautiful cascades, water pools, and the imposing Cuillin Mountains.
Sligachan Old Bridge and Waterfall – A more than worthy photo stop along Skye’s main road. A short walk will take you to a scenic waterfall.
Dunvegan Castle – Visit Skye’s most impressive and well-preserved castle. The closest attraction on this list to the lighthouse, a 30-minute drive away.
Talisker Distillery – Sample some whiskey at Skye’s oldest and most famous distillery. A must-visit during your time on Skye. The tours are fantastic and it is close to both the Fairy Pools (see above) and the Talisker Bay trail (see below).
Town of Portree – Take a stroll through Skye’s largest town and its colourful harbour homes.
Talisker Bay – To find yourself on a beach between sea stacks, cows and a stunning waterfall. A true hidden gem on Skye. A short walk will you to one of Skye’s most scenic beaches.
Trotternish Peninsula – Not a single attraction but rather a collection of many, including several waterfalls and hiking trails including the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr.
Preparing a trip to the Highlands?
You might be interested in these pages:
Top Things to See and Do on Skye
4-Day Roadtrip Isle of Skye Itinerary
Isle of Skye Travel Guide: Things to Know Before You Go
Where to Stay on the Isle of Skye
Skye’s Best Hiking and Walking Trails
Preparing a trip to Scotland?
You might be interested in these Scotland pages:
10-Day Scotland Roadtrip Itinerary (Edinburgh and Highlands)
Scotland Driving Guide and Tips
7 of the Best Castles to Visit in Scotland
Best Things to See in the Scottish Highlands
Best Hikes to do in the Scottish Highlands
We also highly recommend these guidebooks:
Rick Steves Scotland
Lonely Planet Scotland’s Highlands
Photography Gear
If you like our photography, you might be interested in some of the gear we use to shoot our travel and hiking destinations.
Camera Body – Nikon Z 6ii Fx-series Mirrorless Body
Main Lens – NIKON 24-120mm F/4G ED VR AF-S
Zoom Lens – Sigma 745-306 150-600mm f/5-6.3
Polarizing filters – Urth Circular Polarizing (CPL)
Camera Tripod – K&F Concept 64-inch Camera Tripod
Mini-tripod – Lammcou Flexible Camera Tripod
Camera/hiking backpack – Vanguard Alta Rise 48 Backpack
Universal Travel Adapter – VYLEE Universal International Power Travel Plug
Other Travel Essentials
Travel Insurance
SafetyWing is a travel insurance company that offers comprehensive coverage for travellers. Includes Medical Insurance and Travel Insurance. Primarily geared towards long-term travellers, digital nomads, and expats.
e-Sim cards
Airalo is the world’s first and largest eSIM store with eSIM plans for 200+ countries and regions worldwide. With Airalo eSIMs, travellers can get connected the moment they land at their destination and avoid nasty data roaming charges
eSIMS are a sustainable alternative to single-use SIM cards – they are 100% digital, require less energy to produce and be re-used rather than disposed of.
Car Rentals
Discover Cars is our go-to website for car rentals. We almost always find our preferred rate there.
Transfer from Airport
Welcome Pickups is our favourite private transfer service, which you can pre-book at a fixed price. Currently available in 220 cities all over the world (mostly in Europe, but with several major cities in Asia, the Middle East and the US).
Kiwitaxi is another private transfer service – we haven’t tried it yet, but it’s currently available in a few more countries (102 as of 2024).
Hotels and Accommodations (coming soon)
Photography Prints
If you found this blog useful, you can help support our blog by purchasing low-cost digital prints. Printed physical prints are also available for purchase.
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Well, that wraps it up! We hope you enjoyed our Neist Point Lighthouse Travel Guide and that it will prove useful for planning your trip to Scotland’s beautiful Isle of Skye.
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