This panoramic photograph at Isleornsay was taken quite late in the afternoon. A shower had just passed by (the same one that created the rainbow at Armadale) and the late afternoon sun brought out some vivid colours. Everything was still and it was quite easy to just relax, take in the surroundings for several minutes and watch the water and the birds.

Isleornsay - Skye visitor guide showing a virtual tour of 'Isleornsay' linked to an interactive map with local and travel information. 360° panoramas from Highland.

Panorama from the garden of the estate houses at Isle Ornsay village overlooking Ornsay island, Loch na Dal and the Sound of Sleat.

Isle Ornsay (Scottish Gaelic: Eilean Iarmain) village is part of a privately owned estate. This village is largely converted estate workers homes and outhouses which have been beautifully renovated. The main house is now a hotel and the hub of village life. Nearby are the hamlets of Camus Cross and Calvary, further along the short single track road into this village.

This village historically centered around the natural harbour between Ornsay island and the Sleat coast. The Sound of Sleat has for centuries been a busy shipping route serving the communities along the west coast of Scotland.

Lying deep within the lands belonging to the clan MacDonald, this private estate and the surrounding lands are typical of the well managed lands passed through generations living on and working the land for their survival - once subsistence farming, now commercial tourism offering various activities benefiting from the careful environmental husbandry preserving the scenery.

From this panorama, the pier looks out past Ornsay lighthouse, across the Sound of Sleat, to Glenelg, Arisaig, Knoydart and the mainland coast of Scotland north of Mallaig, Morar and Fort William. Today, it is used mostly for small fishing vessels and pleasure craft seeking it's sheltered waters.

Travel and Getting There:
8 miles along the A841 from Broadford towards Armadale Pier, 8 miles further on.
From Armadale a car ferry is available to Mallaig on the Scottish Highlands mainland, the main route south to Fort William and Glasgow.