Stein Guide
Waternish's quiet crofting village on Loch Bay
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Stein is a crofting township on the north eastern shore of Loch Bay, on the Waternish peninsula of the Isle of Skye in the United Kingdom. The Gaelic name is Steinn, and before it settled on Stein the place was called Lochbay. Waternish is the middle peninsula of Skye's north coast, and Stein is the village that gets singled out there.
Wikivoyage calls the village scenic but tiny, which is a fair description. Most tourists overlook Waternish, so the road down to the water stays quiet and the loch is what you end up looking at. Lusta sits next to Stein on the same bay, with Halistra, Hallin and Trumpan further north. Plan to slow down here; there is little to tick off in a hurry.
The one stop that counts as a proper activity is Skyeskyns, a tannery in Stein that sells sheepskin rugs and other woollen items. On the first floor there is a free tour of the tanning process that lasts 20-40 min, and you arrange it by asking the staff in the salesroom. It makes an easy first stop after you arrive.
Longer days start from the same shore. Go To St Kilda runs day trips from Stein in calm weather from April to September. The boat leaves at 07:00, the crossing takes 4 h, you get 4 h ashore on Hirta, and you are back around 20:00. Because it depends on the sea, keep a spare day in your plans.
Closer to the road, the Fairy Bridge is about 6 km from Stein, where the lane to Stein and Waternish Point leaves the A850. Folklore says a MacLeod chief's fairy wife crossed the old stone bridge to return to her people, and the story is tied to the Fairy Flag. Further along the peninsula you will find the ruins of Trumpan church.
Allow a slow rhythm: the tannery tour in the morning, the 6 km run to the Fairy Bridge afterwards, and the shore of Loch Bay for whatever is left of the day. Stein rewards that kind of unhurried plan far better than a checklist.
Telford's unfinished fishing port at Stein
Stein owes its look to a plan that was never finished: in 1790 the British Fisheries Society decided to build a fishing port here, to be designed by Thomas Telford, and only a small part of the scheme ever appeared. The port suffered from poor management, and the local crofters showed little enthusiasm for fishing. By 1837 the society had made a loss. What did get built is still on the shore. Telford's design gave Stein a pier, built between 1796 and 1802, and a storehouse of 1795 that has since been converted into housing. A ruined smithy of 1799 may also be his work. Walk to the end of the pier and then look for the smithy ruin, because that is the quickest way to see the scheme at its real size. The Stein Inn dates from the 18th century and is described as the oldest pub on Skye. In the 1970s the folk singer Donovan had a house in Stein, which gives the quiet village a small place in music history. For a different kind of history, drive west along the main road to Dunvegan, where the castle dates from the 13th century but is mostly a Victorian concoction. Go knowing that much of what you see is Victorian, and compare it with the plain stone of Telford's pier.
Shellfish and set menus at Loch Bay and the Stein Inn
Food in Stein centres on two neighbours: the Stein Inn and Loch Bay Restaurant, which sits right next to it. Both lean on seafood, and the inn's shellfish comes from the loch opposite, so what is on your plate was in view a short time earlier. Loch Bay Restaurant is an intimate, contemporary Scottish restaurant with classic French influences. Its multiple-course Skye Fruits de Mer set menu is built around local shellfish and fish, and Wikivoyage describes the cooking as top-rank food at mid-range prices. Vegetarians are catered for, and the listing also notes gluten-free options. It was listed as open Tuesday to Saturday, 18:30-22:30, so book ahead and pick one of those evenings. The Stein Inn is the easier option: a small inn that is open all year and serves bar food. Everything is homemade, and the menu runs from fish and chips and Cullin skink to small plates, vegetarian dishes and sticky toffee pudding. Log fires, live music and events add to the evening. If Loch Bay Restaurant is closed on your night, the inn is where you eat. Order the Cullin skink or the shellfish and ask for a seat close to a fire.
Reaching Stein by road from Portree and the Fairy Bridge
Getting to Stein means having your own transport, and the route is simple: follow the A850 west from Portree and turn off at the Fairy Bridge onto the lane to Stein. The same junction carries the lane on to Waternish Point. The Fairy Bridge is about 6 km from Stein, so the last stretch is a short run off the main road rather than a long detour. If you come from the other side, Dunvegan lies about 8 km (5 miles) south of Stein along the B888, which makes it an easy landmark to aim for before you turn north. Public transport only goes part of the way. Stagecoach bus 56 runs 3-5 times Monday to Saturday from Portree to Edinbane on its way to Dunvegan, and no bus goes up the lanes of Waternish to Stein. Edinbane is a few miles east of the village, so without a car you would be left at the main road well short of your destination. Early starts matter if you are here for St Kilda: the Go To St Kilda boat leaves at 07:00, so arrive the evening before rather than driving in that same morning.
Waternish's two lanes and how to use them from Stein
Around Stein the map is simpler than it first looks, because Waternish has two separate lanes that never join. The west-coast lane runs from the Fairy Bridge via Stein, Dunhallin and Trumpan, with a branch to Geary. The east-coast lane leaves the A850 1 mile west of Edinbane and runs to Greshornish. Everything you will want from Stein sits on the west-coast lane. Stein and Lusta lie in Loch Bay to the south east, with Halistra, Hallin and Trumpan further north, and you reach all of them from the A850 by crossing the Fairy Bridge. To get from one lane to the other you go back to the main road, because there is no link between them. No bus goes up either lane, so they belong to your own vehicle or your feet. The Stein Inn, Loch Bay Restaurant and Skyeskyns are all in the village itself, so once you have parked there is little reason to move the car again until you leave. Pick the west-coast lane for Stein; the east-coast lane ends at Greshornish and will not get you there. Trumpan lies further along the same lane, so combine its church ruins with Stein in one run rather than driving the lane twice.
Shopping and phone signal around Stein
Money and signal in Stein are mostly a matter of planning ahead, since the village is small and little is for sale locally. There are no stores around Stein, so do your shopping in Portree before you drive out, and treat Edinbane, which has more visitor facilities than Stein, as the fallback. Signal needs the same attention. As of June 2024, Stein and Edinbane have 4G from EE, but there is no signal from O2, Three or Vodafone, and 5G has not reached the area. If your phone runs on one of those three networks, expect to be offline, so download directions and tickets before you turn off at the Fairy Bridge. Eating out is the only real spend in the village apart from the tannery. Skyeskyns sells rugs and other woollen items, while its tour of the tanning process costs nothing. If you are staying nearby, buy the day's food in Portree and carry it with you; the Stein Inn and Loch Bay Restaurant cover the evening meals, but there is no shop to fall back on during the day. One more reason to prepare is the St Kilda trip. A day that begins at 07:00 and ends around 20:00 leaves no time for errands, so settle food, maps and anything you need to buy the day before.
Stein practicalities: seasons, boats and where to eat
Stein on the Isle of Skye runs on advance planning, because shops are far away, buses stop at the main road and the boat to St Kilda only sails in calm weather. These answers deal with the points that decide how smoothly a visit goes. When is the best time to visit? For the St Kilda day trips it is April to September, and only when the sea is calm. The Stein Inn is open all year, so a quiet visit outside those months still has a warm place to eat. What if the weather turns on the day of the boat? Go To St Kilda sails in calm weather only, so keep a spare day in your schedule and do not book anything non-refundable that depends on the crossing. Can I eat at Loch Bay Restaurant on a Sunday? It was listed as open Tuesday to Saturday, 18:30-22:30, so Sunday is unlikely. The Stein Inn next door is the alternative. Is the village good for vegetarians? Yes. Wikivoyage says Loch Bay Restaurant caters well for vegetarians, and the Stein Inn lists vegetarian dishes on its menu. The restaurant also has gluten-free options. Is there anything else nearby for a half day? The Fairy Bridge is about 6 km away, and the ruins of Trumpan church are further along the peninsula. Edinbane has more visitor facilities than Stein if you need them.
FAQ
What is covered in the Stein guide?
Plan a trip to Stein on Skye's Waternish peninsula: discover Telford's pier, Loch Bay seafood, the Stein Inn and day trips to St Kilda in calm weather. It includes 1 recommendations across 1 gallery.
Next →How many places are in the Stein guide?
The Stein guide lists 1 places: 1 gallery.
Next →Where is Stein?
Stein is in Stein, Isle of Skye, United Kingdom (57.5141, -6.5592).
Next →How do you get to Stein?
Getting to Stein means having your own transport, and the route is simple: follow the A850 west from Portree and turn off at the Fairy Bridge onto the lane to Stein. The same junction carries the lane on to Waternish Point. The Fairy Bridge is about 6 km from Stein, so the last stretch is a short run off the main r…
Next →What should you eat in Stein?
Food in Stein centres on two neighbours: the Stein Inn and Loch Bay Restaurant, which sits right next to it. Both lean on seafood, and the inn's shellfish comes from the loch opposite, so what is on your plate was in view a short time earlier. Loch Bay Restaurant is an intimate, contemporary Scottish restaurant wit…
Next →Is there camping in Stein?
No camping listings in this pack yet — we do not invent venues. Entries will appear once verified.
Next →Can you rent a bike in Stein?
No bike rental listings in this pack yet. Verified shops will be added when available.
Next →What are recommended gallery in Stein?
Highlighted gallery in the Stein guide: Whitewashed Stein on Loch Bay.
Next →Highlighted places
- Whitewashed Stein on Loch Bay — The whitewashed houses of Stein along the shore of Loch Bay, with the Stein Inn among them.
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