Brother’s Point Hike, Isle of Skye With Kids

The Brother’s Point hike is a short coastal walk on the Isle of Skye near the popular Old Man of Storr hike. Less crowded than other Isle of Skye hikes, Brother’s Point offers sea views, grassy paths, ruins, and dramatic cliffs, making it a memorable walk for families who are comfortable with uneven ground and exposed sections. The Brother’s Point hike was one of our favorites during our 5-day trip to the Isle of Skye with kids.

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Brother’s Point Hike Highlights

We consider this one of the best Isle of Skye walks for families, given the amazing views and lack of crowds. Here are the highlights of the Brother’s Point hike:

The views of the ocean and the rocky shoreline are the main reasons for doing this hike. You will really enjoy the breathtaking vistas from several vantage points along this hike.

The sheep pastures on the way down to the ocean are a lot of fun too. The fields are full of sheep with the sounds of them bleating filling the air.

The ruins of an old house along the side of the trail are a nice bonus and a fun side trip for kids.

Brother’s Point Hike Stats

How Long is the Brother’s Point Hike?

The full round-trip distance of the Brother’s Point hike is 2 miles / 3.2 km.

How Steep is the Brother’s Point Trail?

This family-friendly hike is mostly downhill on the way to the peninsula, so the elevation gain comes from climbing back up the hill to your car. The total elevation gain on this hike is 315 feet / 95 m.

How Hard is the Brother’s Point Hike?

We’d rate the Brother’s Point hike as an ‘easy Isle of Skye hike‘. It’s short and sweet and the walk back up the hill isn’t too bad. The only other challenging section is climbing the short hill on the peninsula.

How Long Does the Brother’s Point Hike Take?

It took us about two hours to hike the Brother’s Point trail with kids, which is a bit slower than usual. The slower pace was related to the muddy patches in the grass behind the beach which slowed us down. It sometimes took a while to find a dry spot to cross.

Don’t miss: Another family-friendly Isle of Skye hike that kids love is the Fairy Pools hike. And, if you are up to it, one of our favorite hikes of all time is the Quiraing hike.

Brother’s Point Parking

The Brother’s Point car park is a 25 minute drive north of Portree on Highway A855. It’s only a 10-minute drive north of the Old Man of Storr, making it a nice add-on hike.

The Brother’s Point parking lot is small, but it’s not too busy. We found a spot without issue in the early afternoon. The trailhead is about a minute’s walk south of the car park. Just look for the sign at the trailhead.

Brother’s Point Trail Map

You can download the Brother’s Point trail map onto your phone using the AllTrails app. Due to its remote location, be sure to download the trail map in a location where you have Wi-Fi or a cell signal.

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What to Expect on the Brother’s Point Hike

The Brother’s Point hike starts off Highway A855 and gradually descends towards a rocky peninsula jutting into the Sound of Raasay. At first the trail follows a narrow, grassy path downhill through some sheep pastures.

There is a river valley off to the right and a beautiful little waterfall can be seen and heard. The ocean is becoming prominent in the distance and the views of the peninsula are breathtaking.

About halfway down the hill, watch for the ruins of an old settlement. There will be a path up a hill to the left leading to the remnants of an old house. You can still see the elements of the house, including the kitchen (or fireplace?), windows, hallways, rooms, etc. It’s a very short detour from the main trail and kids will love exploring it.

The trail meets up with the river valley as you reach sea level. There is a nice grass lawn next to a small, but pleasant waterfall flowing into a pond. It’s the perfect spot to stop and soak in the scenery.

The rocky oceanfront land is very beautiful and the ocean is a surprisingly light shade of crystal blue when the sun is shining. The trail continues along the coast towards the large hill atop the end of the peninsula. You can walk along the large rocks on the beach or slightly higher on the grass behind the beach.

You will pass a warning sign about halfway to the big hill – it warns of steep cliffs ahead. Indeed, there are two sections nearing the hill where the trail is tight and the drop-offs are severe, so watch your kids very closely.

There is another large patch of grass near the hill where sheep from the neighboring pasture had hopped the fence and were watching hikers go by.

The trail continues up to the summit of the short hill. There is a tiny amount of scrambling required to get up a few rocks along the path. You will need to help kids get through these sections, but it’s very little effort required.

The hilltop views are exceptional. Here you have clear north-south views of the dramatic cliffs which line the oceanfront. To the north, you can see the Mealt Waterfall, plunging from a high clifftop into the ocean below. To the east, you can see the jagged end of the rocky peninsula you are standing on and to the south, the cliffs and mountains seem to go on forever.

The Brother’s Point walk continues down the other side of the hill to the very end of the peninsula, but we elected to take the kids back to the oceanfront closer to the waterfall, so we could spend some time in the tide pools. Our kids love beachcombing and after hiking Old Man of Storr and Brother’s Point on the same day, we felt they deserved some time to just explore.

Hiking Brother’s Point with Kids

This is one of the easier hiking trails we did on our family trip to the Isle of Skye, but there were a few spots where we had to watch our kids carefully. Here are a few other considerations for hiking Brother’s Point with kids:

There are no bathrooms in the parking lot. There are places you can hide along the trail though.

There are no water stations either, so be sure to fill your water bladders before leaving home.

The trail surface on this hike varies from soft grass, to gravel to large stones along the beach. The grass can get quite muddy underneath and and it’s entirely possible to sink in up to your whole foot. Try to wear something waterproof, like a good pair of hiking shoes.

As always, be prepared for all kinds of weather in Scotland. We did this hike on a partly cloudy day and were continually taking off and putting on layers. Be prepared for anything. Wear layers and bring lots of water, sunscreen, rain gear, and something to repel the midges (just in case – it was sunny and just windy enough to keep them at bay during our hike).

Some hikers swear by Avon Skin So Soft for Scottish midges, but I’d treat it as a lighter option. For more reliable protection on a hike like Lost Valley, a purpose-made repellent such as Smidge is usually a better choice (readily available in stores in Scotland).

This trail is not stroller accessible, but it is common in Scotland for parents to carry their little ones on their backs in a backpack carrier for babies or toddlers.

Dogs are allowed on The Brother’s Point, but given how many sheep are in the area, make sure they are on leash at all times.

There are plenty of awesome places to go beachcombing along the seashore on this hike. Our kids enjoyed looking in all the tide pools for small ocean life.

Before you head out, read our best tips for hiking with kids and see what we actually pack in our guide to hiking gear for kids.

Where to Stop for Lunch or a Break

The grassy lawn by the waterfall at the base of the hill is a nice spot to stop for a break. Another great choice is at the top of the hill on the peninsula. There are a lot of sheep in the area, so take a good look before you sit on the grass!

Safety Tips and Things to Know

There are a few short sections of trail where there are steep drop-offs.

The area at the top of the peninsula hill is pretty small and there are dangerous drop-offs all around. It’s tempting to pull out your camera here, but if you have small kids, make sure one parent is watching them at all times.

The trail through the sheep pasture is nice and wide, but the fence on the side has rusty barbed wire on it, so try to keep your kids on the other side of the trail.

Follow Along our Family Trip to Scotland

We arrived in the Isle of Skye after we had spent 5 amazing days in Fort William with kids, the outdoor adventure capital of the UK. After the Isle of Skye, we stopped briefly in Pitlochry (where we loved the Hermitage Woodland walk in Tay Forest). We concluded our family road trip to Scotland with 3-days in Edinburgh with kids.

If you are planning a family trip to Scotland, check out our comprehensive Scotland packing list for families. For inspiration, don’t miss our favorite things to do in Scotland with kids.

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