Portree

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Portree
Gaelic:	Port Rìgh
Location
OS grid reference:	NG483454
Statistics
Population:	2,491 (2001 census)

Administration
Council area:	Highland
Constituent country:	Scotland
Sovereign state:	United Kingdom
Other
Police force:	Northern Constabulary
Lieutenancy area:	Inverness-shire
Former county:	Inverness-shire
Post office and telephone
Post town:	PORTREE
Postal district:	IV51
Dialling code:	01478
Politics
Scottish Parliament:	Ross, Skye and Inverness West
UK Parliament:	Ross, Skye and Lochaber
European Parliament:	Scotland

Portree (Gaelic Port Rìgh, the King's port) is the largest town on Skye in the Scottish Inner Hebrides. It is situated 36 miles from the only road onto the island from the mainland, the Skye Bridge

Portree has a busy harbour, fringed by cliffs, with a pier designed by Thomas Telford. Attractions in the town include the Aros Centre and the An Tuireann Arts Centre, both of which celebrate the island's Gaelic heritage. The town also profits as a centre for tourists exploring the island. It contains some renowned restaurants, but reservations are necessary and parking can be very hard to come by. Public transport is also very limited, even during the main tourist season and visitors planning to use buses to get to and from other parts of the island should carefully plan their day in advance. Like the rest of Skye, Portree suffers from the Scottish midge during the summer months. These small biting insects descend on unwary visitors in clouds at this time of year and a good quality insect repellent (opinion varies on which is the most effective against midge attacks) and other items such as protective head nets should be carried at all times. However midges are unable to fly when there is any sort of breeze but a still period after heavy rain seems to bring them out in their thousands. Pools of water seem to have especially heavy midge concentrations and walkers would do well not to linger at such places.

The town possibly takes its name from a visit by King James V of Scotland in 1540. However this etymology is not without contest, since James did not arrive in peaceful times. Some suggest Port Ruigh.