A Taste Of Skye

Surrounded by sea and sky, The Three Chimneys serves world-class dishes with island ingredients

- EUAN DUGUID

THE last time I travelled to Skye with a notebook was in 2009, on assignment with a young photographer called Chris Austin. Life moved differently then. Back then, we chased stories, light and images. We chased life and all its wonder.

Nearly two decades on, I returned to the island, but at a very different pace.

My companion this time was my father, Scottie. This visit was about quiet company, good food, whisky and a most anticipated visit to The Three Chimneys, one of Skye's most renowned fine-dining restaurants, to discover their new head chef Kitchen Table experience, plus their new restaurant and partnership with Talisker.

We travelled up at the start of the Easter break, and en route we endured the now sadly familiar pit-stop: average fare at bold prices, pleasant but panicked staff, and a flat white that took annual leave before arriving.

Skye's pothole-peppered roads did little to smooth things. I previously heard that The Three Chimneys occasionally receives guests by helicopter or yacht, and after slaloming our way across the island, I could see the appeal of both.

I wasn't quite sure what to expect from this world-renowned restaurant and hotel nestled in the crofting hamlet of Colbost. The stories of airborne guests and tasting menus can make even the most down-to-earth eateries feel unreachably rarefied, and this restaurant has had its fair share of accolades to boast.