Every production wants to shoot on Skye. I get it. The Quiraing, Old Man of Storr, Fairy Pools, Neist Point, these are landscapes that genuinely don't exist anywhere else. The issue isn't whether Skye is worth shooting. It's whether your production can handle the logistics.
Getting There
Skye is connected to the mainland by bridge at Kyle of Lochalsh, so no ferry is needed for the main island. From Edinburgh it's 4.5-5 hours by road. From Glasgow, about 4 hours. From Inverness, 2-2.5 hours.
There are no direct flights to Skye. The nearest airports are Inverness (2.5 hours from Portree) and Edinburgh (5 hours).
Permits
This is where Skye gets complicated. Permit requirements depend entirely on the location, and there is no single body in charge. The stakeholders you may be dealing with include: Highland Council for road closures and public land, private estate landowners for much of the highland and coastal land, the National Trust for Scotland at certain properties, community-owned land trusts in some areas, and Forestry and Land Scotland where woodland is involved. Some locations require agreements with more than one of these at once.
Allow at least two weeks for permit applications, and ideally more. Responses are not always fast, and peak season (April to July) adds further delays due to nesting restrictions and competing demand. The answer is not always yes.
Accommodation
This is the single biggest logistical challenge on Skye. The island has limited accommodation and what exists books out months in advance for the summer season. For larger crews, consider a self-catering house or cottage as a base.
Weather
Skye's weather is notoriously changeable. You can have four seasons in a day. Build flexibility into your schedule. Always have backup locations. That said, when Skye delivers, it delivers like nowhere else.
My Honest Recommendation
Plan a minimum of two full shoot days on Skye, plus travel days either side. And start planning early. Skye doesn't reward last-minute decisions.
The best time to film on Skye is the shoulder season: February, March, and April before the tourist rush begins. You get manageable permit queues, quieter locations, and often extraordinary light. October and November are also excellent for atmospheric and moody work, but daylight is significantly shorter, so your schedule needs to be built around that from the start. Summer (May-September) gives you the most light and the most reliable access, but it's also when accommodation is hardest to secure and the locations are busiest.