The Waverley is the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world and once a year it comes up to Skye. The Waverley Paddle Steamer offers several different cruises while on Skye, sailing from Kyle of Lochalsh, Armadale, Raasay or Portree. We opted for the cruise sailing from Portree and going up the coast to Staffin Island and back. It also operates from other ports in western Scotland and occasionally in England and Wales so check their website for details.
Accessibility on board the Waverley Paddle Steamer
We boarded with everyone else up a few steps with a handrail and then down a ramp onto the boat. There was quite a large step down from the ramp but there were plenty of sailors on hand to help Sarah down. However, there was a group sailing with us with a wheelchair user and the crew brought out a separate ramp for them. You arrive on the promenade deck where there is indoor and outdoor seating, the purser’s office, the Caledonia Tea Bar and a radar key operated disabled toilet.
If you can manage stairs you can go down into the lower deck and see the steam engine running. Through some portholes you can watch the paddles turning whilst at sea. On this lower deck are more catering options and the public toilets. There is also a gift shop down here if you want a souvenir of your trip. To access the gift shop you do have to step up and over the mechanisms for the paddles. There are handrails provided but it is a little tricky. As all the steps had handrails so Sarah was able to get down and enjoy all this. Everywhere we went on deck there were plenty of crew members that we ready to help us out.
Onboard The Waverley Paddle Steamer
The sailing leaves from Portree Pier, times may vary each year so check the timetable. You can book tickets in advance or you can just buy them on the boat but it is very popular so we would advise booking. This will also give you the opportunity to discuss any access needs with them.
There is plenty of bench seating out on deck, some under cover and some inside in case of bad weather. There was some light drizzle that day but we opted to sit outside and the weather was chasing us for most of the sailing. Inside on deck there is a restaurant area serving sandwiches, snacks, cakes and drinks but we opted to take a picnic to enjoy on deck while we enjoyed the view of the island from a different perspective.
The Cruise
The boat headed out of Portree harbour to the North of the Island. As we sailed we had the coast of Skye on one side of us and Raasay on the other. We decided to sit on the side looking at Skye.
We both wanted a glimpse of Kilt Rock waterfall as it fell down the cliffs. Unfortunately, as the weather had been previously quite dry here it was not as impressive as it might have been but the coast at this end of the island is very dramatic and we were able to make out figures on the shore, probably looking for the dinosaur footprints on Staffin beach. There were also many people standing on the viewpoint at Kilt Rock watching us sail past.
Finally, the boat turned around and headed back to Portree. The cruise lasted approximately 3.5 hours and was a trip of a life time.
