Welcome to SLEAT (pronounced 'slate' rather than
'sleet')
Sleat - the soft, green and wooded southern peninsula of the Isle of
Skye. The traditional phrase "The Garden of Skye" tells only part of the story. There are gardens in
Sleat, but as the name suggests there is a gentleness to the area. There is colour all year, from stunning carpets of bluebells in May and banks of Rhododendrons in June, to the summer wild flowers.
A modern Highland estate at Isleornsay, a thriving Gaelic College at Ostaig, and an award-winning Visitor Centre at Armadale Castle have all enhanced the peninsula of
Sleat. It is lively, exciting and beautiful - a place where you can get a real feel of a Highland community at work.
We offer varied and comfortable accommodation. We look out over fine views. We have good food, shops and all services. There is music, events and walks - something for everyone to do.
Gaelic is the indigenous language of the Highlands and Islands and was once the language of most of Scotland. It is undergoing a revival, amongst adults and in the Primary School. Courses and information are available at Sabhal Mòr Ostaig, the Gaelic College. To give you a taste, here is a Gaelic 'Welcome to
Sleat'. 
Failte gu Slèite
Tha Slèite suidhichte aig ceann-a-deas an eilein inntinnich seo, ann an cearnaidh a tha bog, gorm is meath 's e loma-lan
chraobhan: Lios an Eilein Sgitheanaich.
Anns an fhichead bhliadhna mu dheireadh tha beothachadh smuainteanach as ùr air tighinn air
beath' an t-sluaigh, a tha stèidhte air an leasachadh a chaidh a dhèanamh air oighreachd Gaidhealtachd dhan
lath'-an-diugh ann an Eilean Iarmain, air a cholaisde Ghàidhlig, Sabhal Mòr Ostaig is air gniomhachas mòr turasachd ann an
Armadal. Ann a chuir iad ri inbhe Shlèite, a tha nis na àite beothail, tarraingeach is bòidheach airson fuireach no
tadhal, far am faighear blasad dha-rìribh air coimhearsnachd Gaidhealtachd ag
obair. Top
WILDLIFE
The wildlife of the Sleat Peninsula varies as much as the rocks underneath. The oldest rock in Britain
(Lewisian Gneiss, over 3,000 million years old) appears down the eastern side. In the middle is brown sandstone, and around Ord is limestone and quartzite. This means there are lots of different trees, plants, birds and animals. If you are keen on name-dropping, get a full list at the Clan Donald Visitor Centre but keep an eye out for some excitement, like a golden eagle, red deer, seals, otters, the carpets of bluebells or a beautiful orchid.
Fishing - Brown trout fishing is available in several small lochs - ask at the estate offices for details. Several places are suitable for sea-fishing, off the rocks and piers.
THE LAND
The Estates
Most of Sleat comes under two private estates. The southern half (up to the Ord road) is owned by the Clan Donald Lands Trust, a private charitable trust, with its offices and Visitor Centre at
Armadale. The northern half is owned by Sir Iain Noble, and is known as Fearann Eilean
Iarmain, with an office by the hotel at Isleornsay. Both estates welcome enquiries about access and facilities. Forest Enterprise has plantations and walks at Kinloch and south of
Ardvasar.
Crofting
is a way of life, not just a small-scale agricultural system. Each crofter lives in a croft-house, on a 5-10 acre croft, usually rented at a nominal fee from a landlord, with grazing rights over communal lands. Crofting is intimately connected to the Highland language, culture, history and social way of life. Find out more about it.
Note: Peat in piles by the road has been cut for winter fuel and not for souvenirs! Please leave it alone for its owner.
WALKING
You are generally welcome to walk anywhere, but you should use a more detailed map than this one. Buy the pink OS map no. 32, available locally. There are signed Nature Trails at the Clan Donald Visitor
Centre.
... and PLEASE whilst walking ...
Keep your dogs on a lead - there are sheep everywhere
Respect people's privacy
Look after our countryside
CLOSE GATES even if found open
Leave the flowers for others to enjoy
and remember .... Cows and sheep do not bite.
|
