Stein (Skye)

For other places with the same name, see Stein (Disambiguation).

Stein (Gaelic: Steinn) is a small settlement on Waternish, the middle peninsula of the north coast of Skye, in the Scottish Hebrides. It's scenic but tiny.

More visitor facilities can be found a few miles east at Edinbane, which lies along the main road between Portree and Dunvegan.

Get in

You need wheels: follow A850 west from Portree. Stagecoach Bus 56 runs 3-5 times M-Sa from Portree to Edinbane on its way to Dunvegan but none go up the lanes of the peninsula. There are two lanes: one follows the west coast from Fairy Bridge on A850 north via Stein, Dunhallin and Trumpan, with a branch east to Geary. The other lane leaves A850 a mile west of Edinbane and follows the east coast as far as Greshornish. The two lanes don't join.

Get around

A bike maybe, but a car is better. Roads around Waternish peninsula are narrow single track roads with passing points.

See

  • 🌍 Fairy Bridge is where the lane to Stein and Waternish Point branches off the main road, which now crosses the stream on a modern bridge. In folklore, the old stone bridge is where the fairy wife of a chief of the MacLeods left to return to her people.
  • 🌍 Trumpan church. A medieval ruin. In the Battle of the Spoiling Dyke in 1578, a raiding party of the MacDonalds of Uist trapped the church congregation within and burned them alive; the local MacLeods killed all the raiders. The churchyard has the grave of Lady Grange (Rachael Chiesley, 1679-1745): after one insult too many against her estranged husband, he had her kidnapped and she spent her remaining 13 years in squalid captivity. She was held on St Kilda for 6 years then, just in time to thwart a rescue party, moved elsewhere, spending her last 3 years on Skye. (updated Jul 2024)
  • 🌍 Waternish Point is reached by the west-side lane, which gets you within a mile, then walk. Vaternish Lighthouse was built by the Stevensons in 1924, but replaced by the present stubby tower in 1980. Nearby is the ruined settlement of Unish.

Do

  • Go To St Kilda, ☏ +44 77899 14144, . In calm weather April-September, day trips to St Kilda sail from Stein at 7AM, a 4 hour crossing with 4 hours ashore on Hirta the main island, and back for 8PM. Booking essential, and check the website for restrictions such as mobility and minimum age. Adult £280. (updated Jul 2024)

Buy

  • No stores hereabouts, do your shopping in Portree.
  • 🌍 Skyeskyns, 17 Lochbay, Stein IV55 8GD, ☏ +44 1470 592237, . Daily 9:30AM-5:30PM. Tannery selling sheepskin rugs and other woollen items. See the free 20-40 min tour of the tanning process on the first floor; ask the staff in the salesroom. Sheepskin and wool mainly from Skye sheep, but they also use imported hides. (updated Jul 2024)

Eat

Waternish Point
  • Loch Bay Restaurant, 1 Macleods Terrace, Stein IV55 8GA (next to Stein Inn), ☏ +44 1470 592235. Tu-Sa 6:30-10:30PM. Top rank food at mid-range prices, majors on seafood but vegetarians well-catered for. (updated Jul 2024)
  • Edinbane Inn, Old Dunvegan Rd, Edinbane IV51 9PW (by Edinbane Lodge), ☏ +44 1470 582414, . Apr-Sep M-Sa 5-8:30PM, Su 12:30-2:30 & 5-8:30PM. Inn, bar and restaurant in a renovated farmhouse. Restaurant serves bistro food, reservations advised. They also have rooms. (updated Jul 2024)

Drink

  • The public bar at Edinbane Inn is open M-Sa 3-11PM, Su noon-11PM.

Sleep

Connect

As of June 2024, Stein and Edinbane have 4G from EE but no signal from O2, Three or Vodafone. 5G has not reached this area.

Go next

  • West along the main road is Dunvegan, where the castle dates from 13th century but is mostly a Victorian concoction.
  • Uig is the ferry port for the Outer Hebrides, and the access road around Trotternish peninsula.
  • Portree the main settlement on Skye has the most visitor amenities. Continue south via Broadford to return to the Scottish mainland.


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