Reasons to Love Skye…Skamping

There is something outside of the box about Skye that I love. All islands attract eccentrics but Skye seems to attract people who have great ideas that don’t fit into the standard issue boring box. People here think creatively and practically.

We all know that the most successful holiday cottages are the ones that sleep two people only. They are the ones that book up the quickest. What? You didn’t know that? Really? It’s true but the tricky bit is that building a one bedroom cottage is expensive. The solution is to create something between a bothy and a caravan. There are many different ways of doing this, from yurts to wigwams they all serve a purpose but I’ve found out about a more Skye way to do it. Skye Shepherd Huts.

A shepherd hut is a fun, funky, compact, beautifully appointed, creatively thought out small space for two people who want to combine all the comforts of a cottage with the practicality of caravaning or campervaning but with the benefit of not having to bring one with you and getting in everybody’s way getting here.

                                                   A Skye Shepherd Hut.

Do you ever look at those tiny roads that are signposted off the main roads on Skye? The ones that look so small and unassuming but usually lead off to so many interesting adventures and discoveries. Try the one marked Heaste. Then you will be on the right road to have a shepherd hut adventure.

 

On a hill looking down over the tiny village of Heast and looking out towards the small isles is where you will find them. Outside they look rustic, charming and inviting. Inside they are just as rustic, charming and inviting but much warmer too. Once the Hobbit is lit they become very snug. Hobbit? It’s the tiny little stove in the corner. You just want to take it home and give it a cute name…

               A Hobbit stove. Goes from light the fire to warm toes in moments

There is a vogue at the moment to go out to rough it without encountering anything even remotely rough.  Having all your creature comforts while pretending you have none. Glamping, as it’s called, seems a bit Sunday supplement to me. The Skye Shepherd Huts are not glamorous, they are stylish. They are practical and fun too. So forget going glamping and try going skamping instead.

Click HERE to visit Skye Shepherd Huts Facebook page

I said that people on Skye think creatively out of the box. The owners of the Skye Shepherd huts called their donkeys Gilbert and George. Stylish…