The island is dominated by the Cuillin Hills which rise to 3300 feet/1000 metres and which provide some of the best walking and climbing in the country. The hills are composed largely of gabbro which gives good grip underfoot under virtually all weather conditions but does have the unfortunate side-effect of disturbing compasses.
The principal town is Portree and the total population of the island is around 8,000.
It is home to one distillery, Talisker.