The Best Sunset Spot on the Isle of Skye, Scotland

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If you’re planning a trip to the Isle of Skye, you must plan an early morning trip to watch the sunrise, and you must also make sure you catch the sunset too! In 2021, the Isle of Skye was named one of the best places in the world to watch the sunset, and I’m here with a full guide to catching the sunset on the Isle of Skye from a stunning location!

I recently visited the Isle of Skye and witnessed one of the most spectacular sunsets I have ever seen. So read on for my guide to the best place on the Isle of Skye to watch the sunset, based on my own experience, with all the information you need to plan a visit of your own.

Where to See the Best Sunsets on the Isle of Skye

Cue dramatic coastline, epic cliff faces and a famous lighthouse and you have the picture-perfect Neist Point. We visited Neist Point after hearing it was a great place to catch the sunset and we weren’t disappointed.

Located on the most westerly tip of the Isle of Skye near the town of Glendale, Neist Point enjoys spectacular sunsets with a scenic backdrop to match. While you can visit the lighthouse here, we came to Neist Point purely for the sunset, so didn’t get to explore the lighthouse on this occasion.

To see the sunset from Neist Point, you don’t need to walk down the steep hillside and steps to the lighthouse. We stayed at the top of the cliff, overlooking the lighthouse, which made the views even more spectacular.

However, as you probably know, Scotland is known for its unpredictable weather patterns. While we had enjoyed good weather for the majority of our trip, the day we decided to head to Neist Point, thick clouds rolled in and our hopes of catching a beautiful sunset were dashed. Or so it seemed.

After waiting a while to see if the cloud would clear, it seemed all hope was lost and we decided to head back to the cars and accommodation.

We were almost at the car when, by chance, I turned around and was taken aback by a stunning sunset peeking through a gap in the heavy clouds. We had almost completely missed it by leaving too early!

Racing back to the cliff edge and whipping our cameras out, we enjoyed one of the most epic sunsets I’ve ever seen. While the clouds didn’t clear completely, the dramatic cloud formations made this sunset so incredible.

Getting to Neist Point

Neist Point sits at the most westerly point of Skye and can be tricky to get to. It is situated at the end of a long, single-track road, more than an hour from Portree, Skye’s capital, so you will need a vehicle to access it. The road can be difficult to pass during the winter months and rife with potholes, but we managed to travel the road in a very small Fiat 500, so it is definitely possible, even if you have a small car.

The Neist Point car park location is here.

When to Arrive at Neist Point for Sunset

We arrived at Neist Point late in the day, about 1 hour before the sunset. This allowed us to park the car and walk over to the cliff edge where we could get camera equipment set up. If you’re not setting up equipment, you could arrive 30 minutes before the sunset and that would give you plenty of time to find a suitable position to enjoy the sunset.

If you’d like to enjoy the surrounding area, the scenery or a short hike, you could arrive a little earlier as the scenery and the lighthouse are definitely worth exploring. The lighthouse is about 30-40 minutes walk from the car park.

Is Neist Point busy?

When I visited, the area was relatively busy with a handful of people milling around, clearly hoping for a lovely sunset too, but it wasn’t as busy as I thought it would be so we were able to enjoy the scenery and soak it in without being surrounded by hordes of other tourists. I guess this is the benefit of it being slightly difficult to get to – fewer people make the journey to catch the sunset as it requires a little more effort. But the effort is worth it.

What Should I Wear to Neist Point?

As the best view of the sunset is from the top of the cliffs, it can get very windy. It was extremely windy when we visited and we were glad we had warm coats. Make sure you wrap up warm with a coat, hat, scarf and gloves, especially in wintertime. Also don’t forget a head torch as it gets dark very quickly once the sun sets and you’ll need to find your way back to the car in the dark.

Also, be sure to wear good walking shoes as the terrain underfoot is rocky and uneven – especially if you decide to walk to the Neist Point lighthouse.

If it’s raining or windy when you arrive, there is a little shelter further along the cliff that you can sit inside. This is the location on Google Maps.

If you’re a sunset chaser like me, I highly recommend this place. It is the best sunset spot on the Isle of Skye. I hope you enjoy our photos and get to enjoy a sunset from Neist Point yourself.

Other Things to Do Near Neist Point

If you’re in the area and looking for other things to do nearby on the Isle of Skye, check out these places:

• Visit the Loch Mor viewpoint
• Stargazing and hunting for the Northern Lights
• Visit Dunvegan Castle

Facilities at Neist Point

Neist Point is a remote area of Skye with no facilities or amenities. There are no public toilets or cafes. The nearest restaurant is Chidakasha Skye, a 17-minute drive from the Neist Point car park. The restaurant is open Wednesday to Friday but closes completely for the winter season in October.

Do you have questions about visiting Neist Point to watch the sunset? Let me know in the comments and I’ll do my best to answer your questions.