Dunvegan, United Kingdom

DUNVEGAN (Dùn Bheagain) is an unimpressive place, but makes a good base for exploring the interesting Duirinish peninsula. The main tourist trap in the village is Dunvegan Castle (daily: mid-March to Oct 10am–5pm; Nov to mid-March 11am–4pm; £7.50, gardens only £5.50; Web: www.dunvegancastle.com ) which sprawls on top of a rocky outcrop, sandwiched between the sea and several acres of beautifully maintained gardens. Seat of the Clan MacLeod since the thirteenth century, the present greying, rectangular fortress dates from the 1840s. Inside, you don't get a lot of castle for your money and the contents are far from stunning, the most intriguing being the battered remnants of the Fairy Flag which was allegedly carried back to Skye by Norwegian king Harald Hardrada's Gaelic boatmen after the Battle of Stamford Bridge in 1066.

There are several good hotels and B&Bs in the vicinity: try the converted traditional croft Roskhill House (Tel:01470/521317, Web: www.roskhillhouse.co.uk ; Price: 71-90), or the excellent campsite (Tel:01470/521210, Web: www.kinloch-campsite.co.uk ; April– Oct), at the southern end of Loch Dunvegan.

The area's culinary highlight is the expensive Three Chimneysrestaurant (Tel:01470/511258, Web: www.threechimneys.co.uk ), on the road to Colbost, which serves sublime three-course meals at just under £50 a head (lunch is around £30); there are also six fabulous rooms at the restaurant's adjacent House Over-By (Price: 201). Much more reasonable is the sixteenth-century AStein Inn (Tel:01470/592362, Web: www.steininn.co.uk ; Price: 51-60), in Stein, with welcoming fires and good pub food; next door is the pricier Lochbay Seafood Restaurant (Tel:01470/592235; Easter– Oct closed Sat & Sun; Aug closed Sun), where you'll need to book ahead.