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Frances Bissell is a food jounalist and cookery writer whom Shirley Spear admired greatly during the height of her career in the late 80s and 90s. So it was a wonderful surprise to discover that Frances and her husband Tom, a well-known wine expert, were two of a large party of passengers from the Hebridean Princess that arrived at The Three Chimneys for lunch on a glorious June day.

The Hebridean Princess is a small, luxury cabin cruiser that specialises in voyages around the Hebrides. This particular cruise was named as a "Gastronomic Tour of Skye." Lunch at The Three Chimneys was included in the itinerary and the large party split into 2 groups - one visiting Dunvegan Castle, while the other had lunch and vice versa! Quite a busy lunchtime for the restaurant crew!

The much-travelled Frances and Tom introduced themselves to Shirley upon arrival. She was thrilled to meet her, but also to learn that Frances had always wanted an opportunity to come to Skye to experience the restaurant for herself, having read about it over the years.

Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves very much and Tom Bissell, made great contact with Daniel in the Restaurant, talking to him at length and praising him for his Wine List.

An even more gratifying ending to this tale of two food-loving ladies and their mutual respect for one another, was the article published in London's Hampstead and Highgate Express recently, written by Frances. She describes the whole trip, but it is obvious that her lunch at The Three Chimneys was the gastronomic highlight. Apart from her high praise for the food, Frances wrote:

"From the outside, a row of simple crofters' cottages, inside, understated elegance provided the backdrop to some of the best food I've eaten in a world-class restaurant."

Frances goes on to praise the high percentage of local produce used on the menus, the "contemporary take" on traditional Scottish recipes, the wine list and the service, stating that Chef Michael Smith deserves all the accolades and awards that he and the Spears before him, have received, over the years.

It is brilliant to continually receive this high level of recognition for the Restaurant. Thank you Frances. It was wonderful to meet you.

This is the link to the item that appeared on STV News last night at 6.30pm, reporting our place as one of the Top 5 Favourite Restaurant's in the World. The video presents a great picture postcard of how we are right now, here at Colbost - the sea, the shore, the sky, the crofhouse, Michael in the kitchen talking about food, Daniel in the Restaurant talking to the TV presenter about the seafood dish he has just served at the table, and Shirley talking about - well Shirley just talking, as usual! Copy this link, or go to the Experience page on this website, find the list of Links on the righthand side and click-on to the top one. We are very proud of it and hope you enjoy!

http://news.stv.tv/scotland/highlands-islands/186610-skye-restaurant-named-in-top-five-by-top-food-critic/

We have had some fantastic coverage in the Scottish newspapers about New York Times restaurant critic, Frank Bruni, choosing The Three Chimneys as one of his Top 5 Favourite restaurants in the World. The Scotsman, The Press and Journal, the Weekend Mail and other local papers have all covered the story in words and pictures. Scottish Television News has filmed here today for an item that should be on the news bulletin on Friday 9th. It was a blustery morning but as luck would have it, one of the local fishing boats was out on Loch Dunvegan, lifting crab creels. The TV presenter was able to point this out as she tasted the Potted Crab on the lunchtime Seafood Platter - it would be hard to get a fresher connection than that!

If you are planning a trip to Skye, come and tuck into some fresh local seafood (there are other lovely things on the menu besides fish!) for Lunch at The Three Chimneys, or join us for Dinner in the evening. We are open Monday - Saturday for Lunch from 12.15pm and every evening from 6.15pm. Don't forget to telephone us to reserve your table in advance.

If you go to the Experience page of this website, you can find the Links to both articles written by Frank Bruni from 2008 and recently in 2010.

Wow! We are feeling extremely flattered. Frank Bruni, the notorious food critic of the New York Times for 5 years until 2009, has chosen The Three Chimneys as one of his Top 5 Favourite Restaurants in the World. An article has appeared on www.epicurious.com a New York based website for food lovers. Frank Bruni has selected his personal favourites because they are all "exceptional", although not necessarily among the most ambitious, accomplished and impressive restaurants around the World that he has had the good fortune to eat at. His Top 5 range from New York, to Miami, Italy's Rome and Pollenzo, to - Colbost, Isle of Skye. He describes us: "An enchanting experience through and through."

More pressure!

Please go to The Experience page and scroll down the Links to www.epicurious.com for the full story.

In addition to the Exhibition of Glendale Life (see below) the Glendale Trust is organising a whole "Welcome Home" weekend for the area. This will take place on July 23rd and 24th, with a large number of special events planned. It all sounds like a great excuse to come over to Glendale in north west Skye - and enjoy yourself to the full at the cultural evening on Friday, the Sports and Gala Day activities on Saturday and a Grand Ceilidh on Saturday evening in the Community Hall. The organisers hope to encourage friends and families to get-together, swap memories and stories of old and celebrate life!

We will be open for Lunch and Dinner on both days, of course, if you want to combine a visit to this part of the World with a taste of local food and ingredients produced in this specific area. After all, The Three Chimneys is very much part of life in Glendale - old and new!

Our immediate community of Glendale in north west Skye has a fascinating heritage and cultural history that has remained largely untold for generations - other than by word-of-mouth among local families. From today, the Exhibition of Glendale Life, organised by the Glendale Trust on behalf of, and with the generous assistance of local people, will be open to visitors in the original Borrodale Primary School. It is an exceptionally interesting collection of memorabilia, artefacts and photographs from days gone by, depicting true crofting life and historic times, including the story of the famous Glendale Martyrs, whose protests changed the world of Highland crofting for evermore. The history of the school is also on display.

This brilliant local showcase is open to visitors every day until 18th September, Monday - Saturday, from 11.00am - 4.00pm. The old schoolhouse is approximately 3 miles beyond The Three Chimneys and a cafe will be open daily too.


Make it a perfect day out in this part of the island! Come for lunch at The Three Chimneys, before or after your visit, or take-in one of the wonderful clifftop walks in this particular area, including Neist Point Lighthouse, the most westerly point of the Isle of Skye, where visitors have whale-watched. Dunvegan Castle and Gardens, the Seal Boat Trips and the beautiful Coral Bay are all within easy striking distance, just a short drive away.

For more information visit www.theglendaletrust.org or click the Link on our Experience page of this website.

A picture of Sarah, one of the Front Office Team, seen in a different perspective on her day off - on top of Blaven with the Cuillin Ridge in the background. This was her highest climb yet in her bid to tackle some of Skye's Munro peaks for the first time in her life.

The weather was prefect for her climb and the views from the summit, quite staggering! All of the ladies in the Front Office Team will be pleased to give advice on walks both high and low, in this beautiful area of the Isle of Skye. From mountains and clifftops to seashores and forest pathways, there is so much to explore and enjoy.

Getting a bad review on tripadvisor is a bit like having a banger (fire-cracker) put through your letterbox. Ouch! It hurts, it shocks and it sometimes makes you react angrily. Not every review is accurate and they can be quite unfair with ill-conceived views on the reality of running a small business like ours, freely expressed to the World.

We have had our share of complaints recently, mostly about the cost of eating and/or staying here. So you can imagine the fillip it gave us to receive the most delightful, complimentary letter from a Scottish guest who stayed with us a few weeks ago.

He began by saying that he used tripadvisor quite regularly as a guide, but felt that posting a review on the website did not seem an appropriate way to communicate with somewhere like The Three Chimneys and decided to write personally, instead.
Having received his lovely comments, we all wish he HAD posted them on tripadvisor!

He began by writing: "......contrary to (some)
tripadvisor posts, we found the whole experience exceptional. I'm a musician by profession and have stayed at, and eaten in, some fine places far and wide. But there's something just a bit magical about The Three Chimneys that I've not found anywhere else. The friendliness of the staff, the attention to detail, the welcome, the knowledge and the passion you all have for fine cooking, all go to make the Chimneys quite unique in my experience. And the location too; it's just incredible.

The gentleman expresses many more details about his experience here, from the professional attitude of the front-of-house staff to his partner's delight at seeing wild mint picked from the banks of the burn in the garden to make her mint tea at breakfast.

"For what you get, neither of us felt over-charged. And to wander happily back to your room and enjoy such cosy comfort was bliss. Can you imagine what that quality of room would cost you in downtown Manhatten? And you'd be disturbed by the noise of the aircon and police sirens all night long too. The tripadvisor comments are right, it's not cheap, but I protest that's it's worth every penny."

He finishes by writing: "From the freshness of the seafood to the lovely Skyeskyns on the seats in the room, it's to your great credit that you champion Skye and Scotland."

Thank you Mr Barnett. We receive a great number of personally written letters,e-mails and cards from guests. We have also built some strong friendships
and business relationships over the months and years with many of our guests and customers with whom we chat and exchange views and feedback as a matter of course in our direct, face-to-face communiction with them every day. We know it is impossible to please everyone all of the time, but we do aim to achieve this and have marvellous staff who work extremely hard. We also have a huge public profile and reputation to maintain and have never rested on our laurels. Winning awards
reviews and plaudits, makes it harder work all round!

Whatever the travelling public writes about us on tripadvisor - some of which is highly complimentary - we are not averse to really useful feedback that can help us to improve our product and service we provide. Indeed, we welcome it.
We can all learn from the error of our ways - and at The Three Chimneys, we never stop learning!

The month got off to an exceptionally busy start due to the lateness of the May Bank Holiday weekend this year. We had the busiest week on record. Almost all of our new staff have started work - just two more major players remain to join the kitchen and the restaurant teams. Meanwhile, we have successfully incorporated two more tables in the restaurant to cater for a few more customers and create greater flexibility with the seating plans each day.

June days are gloriously long days, when the sun hardly sets and a glow remains in the sky virtually all night long. Sunsets and evening skies can be a special sight, particularly on this north west coast of the island, near to Neist Point, with panoramic views over the Outer Herbrides silhouetted on the horizon.

For the seond year in a row, Scotland was not represented with a dish on the Menu for the final "event" associated with the BBC2 TV series "Great British Menu". This is such a disappointment for Scotland, considering that the whole programme was built around the use of fresh, local produce from each Chef's region.

It is doubly disapointing as Scotland is celebrating the Year of Food and Drink over the next 12 months. The reputation of Scotland's amazing land of food and drink has grown and improved beyond measure in recent years. The nation leads the way in the current trend for Chefs to make the best possible use of local ingredients on their menus.

Here in Skye, Chefs have taken the lead in Scotland, with The Three Chimneys building its unsurpassed reputation upon the use of home-grown, fished and reared produce of all kinds.

Head Chef Michael Smith was disappointed that Scotland was not truly represented at the banquet for HRH Prince Charles, the Prince of Wales. Being passionate about the integrity of Scottish ingredients and his genuine approach to cooking with them at all times throughout the year, it is a great pity that one of his dishes was not included on the banquet menu. Shame!

We have just released the details of our Winter/Spring Deals for 2010 and 2011. These begin on 29th October and end on the 17th April, allowing guests to take advantage of discounted rates for almost 6 months of the year ahead.

In between times, fall the Christmas, New Year and Valentine's Day celebrations, with packages to match each big occasion.

All the information is contained on the website. Go to the Welcome page or the Contact Us page and click-on to the yellow buttons on the lefthand side of the page. Bring-up the pdf files to the full size of your screen to see the all the dates, content and prices. Our bedroom refurbishment will be wholly complete by late-summer, giving each suite an added touch of luxury. Further enquiries or information can be obtained direct, by telephoning the Office Ladies on 01470 511258, 7 days each week, at any time between 9.00am and 9.00pm. Allow them to assist you with making all the arrangements for a fantastic few days of relaxation and enjoyment in the Isle of Skye - the greatest escape ever! And far from the madding crowd.

There is nothing quite like the lovely sight of Scotland's bonnie bluebells carpeting the roadsides, the woodlands and waysides, wherever you travel at this time of year. They create a heavenly, purply-blue haze over the ground, mixed with unfurling frens, bright green grasses and wild flowers of all kinds. A walk in Dunvegan Castle woods is a must for lovers of trees and wild flowers, but the bluebells are visible wherever you go. Skye has been looking beautiful in recent days, enjoying some of the very best weather in Scotland. If you are coming this way, the scenery is magical. Enjoy!

The glorious month of May ended in a daylong downpour of rain on Laura's wedding day in Portree. She looked like a fairytale princess with her long train flowing from her sparkling tiara. Angus and most of the men were all dressed to kill in their tartan and the whole day went exceptionally well for the couple, their families and friends. There was a great ceilidh in the evening with a terrific band and many swirling kilts! Laura and Gus were off to sunnier climes for their honeymoon. She will back in Reception very soon, bronzed and even more beautiful, to welcome guests and customers with a dazzling smile as tne new Mrs MacDonald.

We first heard the cuckoo loud and clear, as early as 26th April. Since then, there has been wind and rain, sunshine and heavy showers, that have brought out the leaves in all their bright green splendour. Today is warm and sunny with a light breeze and scudding clouds. Absolutely lovely walking weather with clear views in every direction. The Outer Hebrides look close enough to stretch out and touch. With the song of skylarks to accompany you, nothing could be more refreshing. Everywhere has re-opened raring to go; now is the time to enjoy adventurous boat trips, explore mountain pathways and try outdoor activities of all kinds from kayaking to landsailing.

We gave a very busy month ahead of us. All the work of the winter is behind us now and only a few finishing touches are needed to complete the refurbishment of our bedrooms suites, including the brand new Freesat TV system for in-room entertainment which arrives this week.
.
The new sofa in the lounge is hugely comfortable and popular already with guests and customers, from their welcome afternoon tea tray to pre-dinner cocktails from our new Drinks list.

Guests will be enjoying the sea views and warm sunshine sitting outdoors before this busy month is out. The swallows are back and flitting around the building, especially in the early evening. Wild violets and primroses have survived the frosts of winter - and so have all of us! We're ready and looking forward to welcoming our customers to The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By in Skye, over the coming months.

Last weekend's Sunday Times Travel section listed The Three Chimneys as one of the UK's Top 50 restaurants beside the sea. They reported us as being on the "edge of the world" but that this was part of the attraction for the devoted foodies that find their way to our doors. The food has a lot to do with it too of course, but our location is lovely! No-one can deny our proximity to the seashore with our panoramic views, beautiful whatever the time of day, the prevailing weather and fantastic light.

We have been working away to continue with several improvements to the restaurant and the bedrooms, with additional comfortable furnishings. We are about to take delivery of some handcrafted outdoor tables and benches for the garden too, made for us locally using wood saved from storm-damaged trees from Dunvegan Castle. The Castle Woods will soon be bursting with the scent and purple haze of Scottish bluebells - a gorgeous place for a stroll at this time of year after a seafood lunch at The Chimneys.

Several reservations have come in over the past few days from people who have been unable to get away, because of the current situation with flights in and out of the UK. The Highlands of Scotland are looking absolutely gorgeous and the Isle of Skye is at its springtime best. If you have got to change your plans, consider the west coast!

Michael Smith is here and cooking marvellous food each night in our legendary restaurant. There are some vacancies for overnight accommodation in our 6 lovely bedrooms in The House Over-By. Dinner Bed and Breakfast for 2 people starts from £350 all-inclusive.

Click-on to the Springtime Offers button on the Welcome page and see all the details for a special break.

Let us help you plan your journey. If you have never driven this far north and west before, we can almost guarantee you will love the whole experience! If you cannot stay with us on the dates of your choice, you still may be able to have dinner in the restaurant and we can recommend alternative places to stay nearby.

This is Shirley's personal view of the judges decision on Head Chef Michael Smith's fabulous food presented on BBC TV's Great British Menu. To select Alan Murchison's menu (averaging as little as 53% ingredients being locally sourced) over Michael's (over 80% ingredients locally sourced) is quite scandalous. We are all left wondering what the point of the original brief was? The judges just did not "get it". Did they actually understand the integrity of the seasonal ingredients sourced from Balmacara that combined to create Michael's "June" menu. Everything looked superb on the plate. It would have tasted glorious and Shirley believes that Michael was clearly the winner throughout the competition.

But that's showbiz! We have received so much positive feedback from the public, it has been brilliant publicity and we will continue to get great mileage out of the whole experience.

Those who know and love us, will remain confident that this is the style of food and cooking that they can expect on their plates when they come to dine with us at The Three Chimneys. Delicious !

Well done Alan - we truly hope that one of your dishes will be selected to represent Scotland and the delights of Scottish food at the Royal Banquet.

Join us in celebrating 25 years at The Three Chimneys by winning a Silver Summer Break in Skye. The prize is 2 nights Dinner Bed and Breakfast for 2 people, with the showcase 7 Courses of Skye on one of the nights of your stay with us. Head Chef Michael Smith, currently appearing on BBC2 TV's Great British Menu will be cooking just for you!

And just to complete the experience, there will be a bottle of Champagne in your room on arrival, with a box of handmade Skye Chocolates. Find the link on our Experience page, or visit www.skye.co.uk as above

The new series of BBC2 TV's Great British Menu gets off to a great start on Tuesday 6th April at 6.30pm with the Scottish chefs the first on air. Three Chimneys Head Chef, Michael Smith, had to source his ingredients from the National Trust's Balmacara Estate in Lochalsh and Michael is seen discussing his choice with local producers in the area.

Great viewing - not to be missed! See the preview on YouTube, via the link from our Experience page on this website.

“Even after 25 years, we can still let the marmalade puddings boil dry and burn the hot crab tart!”

Shirley Spear was sharing a joke with her Commis Chef, Chris, today, the latest in a long, long line of cooks at The Three Chimneys who had forgotten to top-up the water in the saucepan to keep the pudding on the boil. And like all of them, he was devastated – not just because of his error, but more in the knowledge that the two lost puds would need to be replaced immediately with two more, to keep up with customer demand!

“Don’t worry, we have all done it!” she sympathised.

Exactly 25 years ago, on her first crazy night as chef, on 1st April 1985, Shirley made so many mistakes she remains amazed to this day, that anyone returned to the restaurant ever again. The blackened Hot Crab Tart was abandoned outside the back door, the Soup Lorraine would not thicken, her steaks were frozen solid and much of the menu far too complicated to execute with speed and precision. She learned the hard way, but learned from her mistakes and bad experiences, moving swiftly on to help build one of Scotland’s most legendary restaurants. With husband Eddie Spear taking charge front-of-house, the couple pressed on with their aim to create the kind of restaurant that they would like to find for themselves if they were on holiday in Scotland. They wanted to specialise in good Scottish food, using local ingredients whenever possible, taking pride in Scotland’s culinary heritage and showcasing traditional dishes. The Hot Marmalade Pudding was on the menu that night – and it has remained there ever since. Devised to meet the fashionable demand of the time, for “nursery-style” puddings, Shirley had devised the recipe using one of Scotland’s all-time famous ingredients – homemade, bitter orange marmalade.

Today, Inverness-born Michael Smith is the talented Head Chef and The Three Chimneys is on another planet entirely from where it was in those first shaky, amateur days. With a full Brigade of enthusiastic, professional young Chefs, a dedicated Restaurant Manager in local girl, Jeanette Neil and a most knowledgeable Wine and Beverage Manager, Daniel McDermott, who also grew up on the island, the business is growing from strength to strength. There are now between 35 and 45 people employed all-year-round, making The Three Chimneys one of the largest employers in the area. The business also supports a whole network of local fresh produce growers, crofters and fishermen in the Skye and Lochalsh area.

The kitchen has hardly changed over the past 25 years, but now, local builders are hard at work on site, doubling the size of the kitchen, extending and improving staff facilities and installing brand new public toilets. This is the first major project undertaken by owners Eddie and Shirley Spear, since they built the 5-Star bedroom accommodation in The House Over-By, next door to the original stone croft house with its slate roof and chimney stacks.

With awards galore under their belt, a fantastic story to tell the grandchildren and many experiences – good, bad and hilarious – to recall, The Spears, their family, close friends and current staff, will celebrate quietly in the Isle of Skye, knowing that the work of this high-profile restaurant with rooms will be ongoing, unabated, long into Thursday evening – another April Fool’s Day just before Easter weekend, will come and go and many more will follow.

Picture shows The Three Chimneys as it was when the Spears found it.

Saturday's Daily Telegraph magazine highlighted The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By as one of their choice of four restaurants with rooms in Britain. Although they deem us to be expensive, this is the only negative in the short review and those who know us will hopefully agree that we do offer very high quality worth every penny - and an experience worth every minute of your own special time. Great service and personal attention to detail are very important to us here and of course, we have a superb restaurant and wine list.

"Sourced-from-the-doorstep food dominates", in a restaurant described as "three intimate dining rooms regularly packed........overseen by a small team of locals......" That's about right! But those who know what wonderful food we serve and how lovely our staff are, might have added a little bit more!

Nevertheless, it is great to be recognised as one of the very best and we hope this will encourage more and more people to make the special journey to our corner of Skye.

Michael's take on the traditional Scotch Pie seems to have created a stir in the media over the weekend. We already know and love his more delicate version of the traditional dish normally associated with rowdy football crowds and late-night pub crawls. But Head Chef, Michael Smith seems to have raised the profile of this humble pie by selecting it as one of the dishes for his menu for the popular BBC2 TV series, Great British Menu, due to be screened on Monday 5th April at 6.30pm. The series will culminate with a Royal banquet.

Each chef was assigned a National Trust Estate from which to source the ingredients for his menu. Michael was working from the Balmacara Estate in Lochalsh on the mainland, famous for its superb woodlands. It is the only National Trust property associated with Highland crofting and Michael was keen to highlight this unique way of life through his Menu.

Scotch Pies are not normally associated with fine dining, but neither are winkles, tattie scones, homemade lamb's haggis and neeps - unless you are planning a meal at The Three Chimneys! Michael's more delicate version of the pie, with its handmade watercrust pastry made with real beef dripping and filling of minced neck of Highlander beef, seems to have tickled the tastebuds of the Sunday Times and journalists on Radio Scotland's morning news programme.

Take a look at the Sunday Times article via the link on our Experience page on the website. And be sure to watch Great British Menu on Easter Monday

Sitting in the Morning Room after breakfast, we spied a a golden eagle being bombarded by seagulls. Eventually, it landed on Eilean Dubh, the island opposite the window here and through the telescope we could see this huge bird tackling some carrion held firmly in its claws. Suddenly another eagle swept down from the sky to join in the feast. We think this was a juvenile with paler feathers, possibly from last year's brood. Such a brilliant sight! The old telescope is excellent to have on hand to capture scenes like these in their moment in time.

VisitScotland has produced a special guide to all the best 4 and 5-star properties in Scotland where visitors can be sure to indulge themselves in top quality accommodation, excellent levels of service and very good food.

Available in bookshops now, price £8.99 it is a brilliant guide to luxury accommodation and fine dining for those who want to indulge themselves in the trip of a lifetime whilst touring the country.

If you are planning to travel in Scotland, this would be a great book to browse through to select the best places to eat and stay, including ourselves, of course! You will not be disappointed with the beauty of Scotland where a spectacular view awaits you around every corner, pariticularly in the wild north west Highlands and Island of Skye

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2_5f3PPf6dc

This is the link to the Scottish Government's YouTube clip filmed in Edinburgh yesterday, at the launch of the next stage of the Scotland's National Food Policy - the Provenance Toolkit. Read all about this event and much more on the official website.........

While Shirley was assisting at the launch in Edinburgh, everyone was hard at work in Skye with re-opening the restaurant for Lunch service for the first time this year. Provenance on a Plate is what The Three Chimneys is all about - and has been for 25 years!

Lunch is served from 12.15pm every day except Sunday. Please telephone to book a table to avoid any disappointment after travelling all the way to Colbost. It is a beautiful part of the island to explore, with the opportunity to build-up your appetite or walk-off your lunch at Neist Point, Coral Beach, or Dunvegan Castle Gardens before or after your meal. The March sample lunch menu and all others can be viewed in the Menu section of the Restaurant page on this website. There is an archive of last year's menus too. Click-on to the yellow button on the lefthand side of the same page.

http://web.me.com/msutherland67/Three_Chimneys_Challenge_2010/HOME.html

This is the link (also on our Links list on the Experience page) that will tell you all about the Three Chimneys Challenge. All-in-all rated a great success and even more fun! Read all about it and join in next year if you can.

How long would it take you to drive from Haddington to Colbost and which route would you take?

Anthony Hovey supplies The Three Chimneys with a huge variety of wonderful fresh vegetables, salads and herbs throughout the year. Recently he has built a cottage on his croft, The Sheiling, and is offering practical, hands-on courses in growing fresh produce and runing a small market garden, to anyone who wishes to stay with him.

Anthony's croft is at Totaig, approximately 2 miles along the road from The Three Chimneys. It is in a beautiful location, positioned a little higher above the sea than ourselves, and offering panoramic views over Loch Dunvegan to the Castle and the Cuillins. You will be amazed at what he can grow there!

You are within easy distance of The Three Chimneys too, where you can enjoy these wonderful Skye ingredients, plus much, much more for lunch or dinner during your stay on the island.

There is a link on The Experience page of this website which will take you direct to this little piece of earthly heaven. www.theshielingskye.co.uk

http://www.metro.co.uk/lifestyle/816509-steamed-pudding-recipes-are-one-of-the-three-chimneys-best-kept-secrets

Above is the link to the article published in this week's METRO read by the travelling public in cities arround the UK. The Hot Marmalade Pudding continues to impress - not sure if this is a good or a bad thing! However, it seems to have awakened a few drowsy taste buds on the tubes, trains and buses. No doubt it will continue to be a star attraction on the menu over the year ahead - and of course, we now have the additional choice of Michael's gorgeous Hot Marmalade Pudding Souffle with Drambuie Syrup on the Showcase Menu. Absolutely fabulous.

The new month is here and arrived "like a lamb". It may go out "like a lion" but meanwhile we are enjoying the most beautiful day. It almost could be Spring!

The seals are languishing on the rocks in front of The House Over-By, there is a gentle ripple over the sea and puffy clouds in the blue sky. The hills are still snow-covered and journey to Skye is quite beautiful to see. This is Scotland at its crisp Winter White best!

Guests who were here over the weekend enjoyed wonderful walks to the Fairy Pools (picture) and Glenbrittle, the Quiraing and the lower Cuillin pathways. Those who arrived last night are exploring the Coral Beach and Neist Point Lighthouse today.

The nights are frosty and the moon is gaining in size and shining over the sea. Already the days are longer and brighter. Those Winter chills are fading from memory already.

Take advantage of our Winter Offers which continue until the end of March. Click on to the yellow button on the lefthand side of the Welcome page. Bring up Winter Offers and enlarge it on your screen to see all the details. Dinner Bed and Breakfast for 2 nights all-inclusive for 2 people costs £700.00 or £750 if it includes a Saturday evening.

Lovers of all ages have been celebrating St Valentine's Day this weekend. Right now, they are enjoying a sip of Buck's Fizz with breakfast in the Morning Room, overlooking the loch on a glassy, still morning. All is relaxed and calm.

Those who have been staying with us over the past few weeks have enjoyed wonderful weather, perfect for walking and exploring the island. All have reports of spectacular drives through the Scottish Highlands with wonderful views around every corner. The roads are quiet at this time of year, which adds to the experience.

Meanwhile, the kitchen has been busy making this year's marmalade to keep us stocked-up for the Pudding throughout the year. Every year we make more than the previous year, but it never seems to be enough! Guests' compliments have been flying over Michael's February menu and the welcoming service from all of our staff. The big new beds are popular too! The spacious new layout in the restaurant is fantastic and as for the brand new loos..........a glimpse in the picture above, but come and see for yourself!

There are opportunities to stay over the next few weeks when you can take advantage of our Winter offers until the beginning of April. Weekends are busier than midweek, but the savings are greater midweek too. Phone us for information and to check dates available. 01470 511258

Phase 1 of the new development is all but completed. We re-opened the Restaurant on Friday night, 29th January as planned. It looks fantastic! Everyone worked incredibly hard in order to complete on time and huge thanks are due to Angus the builder and his men. The front-of-house team had the task of putting the dining rooms back together again. It was a bit of a rush at the end, but worth it and they love the new working "space" that the changes have provided

Refurbishment work in The House Over-By was also completed in time. The new beds are huge and the new carpets throughout look fabulous. The Housekeepers worked miracles over 2 days and everywhere was sparkling in time for the first arrivals.

Additional improvements are due in the bedrooms later un the year, with lovely soft furnishings to complete the new look.

Excluding St Valentine's weekend, there are plenty of possibilities to come and stay with us over February and March. A drive to the wilds of Skye in Winter is an adventure in itself, with magnificent scenery all the way and more to explore once you arrive in this magical place. We wish everyone had been here last night to see The Three Chimneys and Loch Dunvegan bathed in full moonlight. It was beautiful!

Please telephone at any time to find out more and discuss possible dates. Office hours are back to normal again, with the Reception team on duty every day from 8.30am - 10.00pm. 01470 511258

The Michelin Man has bypassed The Three Chimneys yet again, but hey ho! why should this surprise us after all these years?! We are delighted that the Isle of Skye's rightful place in the culinary world as leading the way in Scotland with its use of the area's wonderful, fresh local produce, has been recognised by the Red Guide at long, long last. This is long overdue! We warmly congratulate our Scottish colleagues who have achieved a Michelin Star this year and know that this sought-after accolade will bring them lots of extra business and more visitors to their areas of the country.

Meanwhile..........The Three Chimneys will continue in its time-honoured position as one of Scotland's legendary restaurants, just as it has done for 25 years under Shirley and Eddie's ownership. We have championed the importance of using local ingredients in all of our cooking for as many years. In particular, Shirley's Scottish passion has helped to promote the whole concept of her country's marvellous culinary heritage in all that is provided at Colbost. Head Chef, Michael Smith and his fantastic team will not be distracted from what we do best of all, with amazing consistency, great pride and very genuine integrity.

Everyone at The Three Chimneys is looking forward as ever, to improving, refreshing and developing their product as they do at all times. Knowing that The Three Chimneys is much-loved and cherished by so many customers - and has been continuously over 25 fantstic years at the top - is of greatest important to everyone here. Our guests and customers remain our priority and will continue to do so for years to come.

Make sure you come and experience it for yourselves in 2010!

Oh dear! It is hard to imagine the restaurant buzzing with people and gorgeous food on the tables at the moment. We are well-and-truly in the thick of it! And I mean thick dust!

They knew how to build their houses against the ravages of wind and weather in them there days. We have removed part of the very thick stone wall at the back of the original stone cottage and widened the arch between the two dining areas. This will enable wheelchair access to our brand new toilets that are in the process of being built and possibly destined to be a tourist attraction in their own right!

Some vast stones had to come down, revealing ancient mortar made from sand from the Coral Beach on the opposite shores of Loch Dunvegan. This was widely used by local builders as an essential material and brought across the loch by boat. Thankfully, we have not discovered any ancient remains (or sheep!) under the floor in the "top" dining room, which has been dug out, newly damp-proofed and re-levelled.

Brand new carpet will be laid, the chairs are being re-upholstered and everything refreshed. What remained of the original Bar in the "bottom" room is being removed and this will allow us space for an extra table. More importantly, this area will be offered in the future for large parties as a semi-private dining area which will be a popular addition to all that we can offer our customers at The Three Chimneys for the future.

Don't worry, all the original stone and woodwork is being carefully retained and replaced as before. Shirley won't allow anyone to throw away anything that belongs inside her wee house! We have Hector, a highly skilled, local stone mason on board, brother of the main contractor, Angus Nicolson from Sconser, who built The House Over-By. We will not lose anything of the character of The Three Chimneys, much-loved for so long by so many people.

Work will continue during February and March to erect the new kitchen extension, doubling the size of the current space available for Head Chef, Michael Smith and his Brigade and creating hugely improved working areas, refrigeration and storage areas, plus staff facilities and a brand new stillroom for the Front-of-House Team. This should prove to be a very fitting way to celebrate our 25th anniversary of owning and running The Three Chimneys on the Isle of Skye.

Meanwhile The House Over-By has been refreshed and upgraded. New carpets and new 6' beds in every room are part of the plan, much of which will be in place by the end of January, with a few more added luxuries by early spring.

Make sure you book ahead to eat and stay with us this year. We will want plenty of feedback on the improvements and hope you will come and enjoy them to the full.

We waved goodbye to our last guests of the New Year yesterday morning. The decorations are down and packed away until next year, the kitchen is stripped down and cleaned, the builders, plumbers, painters and electricians have arrived and it's all go! Our hardworking staff are all on holiday now and we are closed to the public until the 29th January. However, we will continue to cover the Office daily between the hours of 10.00am and 5.00pm. Please get in touch if you have any enquiries for the year ahead, by e-mail or telephone.

The big deep freeze continues, but this has not deterred everyone from having a very busy Christmas and New Year on the Isle of Skye. Minor roads have been a nightmare as it seems they are throughout the UK, but all the main roads have been well maintained and gritted. There have been no closures on the west side of Scotland and no long-term closures or disruption to the main A9 route from Edinburgh, other than north of Aviemore and the approaches to Inverness. The worst weather is to the east of Inverness through Speyside and towards the Aberdeenshire coast.

The journey to Skye has not been more beautiful for many years, with the whole countryside locked in a deep freeze, which has left thick snow covering the mountains, hills and woodlands. There are still thick icicles, frozen burns and waterfalls, adding to the picturesque scenery
wherever you drive. With clear skies, the long- distance, panoramic views are wonderful and the night skies are laden with stars.

Bookings for the year ahead are coming-in thick and fast as they usually do at this time of year, so if you have special dates inmind, get in touch soon!

A Guid New Year tae Ane an' A'! Despite the continuing freezing weather conditions, icy roads and skating rink car parks, we had a wonderful Hogmanay at The Three Chimneys. Ellie and Craig, two local musicians, got the evening off to a stomping start with their live musical performance of Scottish songs in the Morning Room. Thanks to the bravery of our local taxi drivers, everyone managed to get to the restaurant for dinner as planned. By all accounts, a great time was had by all and Shirley fell asleep upstairs, to the sound of the last guests singing Auld Lang Syne in the restaurant down below!

The full moon cast a glorious blue light over the lochs and snow-covered hills around us, lighting-up the night sky together with our fireworks at midnight. Coincidentally, it WAS truly a "blue moon" so-called when a full moon occurs for the second time within the same month. This is a rare thing indeed and considered to be a good omen for times ahead. As ever, our resident pyrotechnicians, Rocket Man and Fire Starter did a magnificent job with the firework display and a good few glasses were raised to welcome in the New Year.

A bit more troublesome helping to get everyone here in time to serve our guests with their brunch/breakfast, but again, many staff have pulled-out the stops to get here. Having cleared the paths (again!) Eddie was last seen heading to Milovaig to fetch Phil, the Kitchen Porter, without whom no restaurant can run. Dinner tonight again, with another delicious menu prepared by Michael and the Brigade. And before that, mulled wine and hot mince pies, plus a loaded table of Issy's Christmas baking, should warm-up anyone returning from an envigorating walk on the wild side!

We wish everyone around the World a happy, prosperous and peaceful New Year 2010. If you are planning holidays, don't forget to include Skye and The Three Chimneys on your list of "must gos". Hoping to see you sometime!

Snow fell in the night and all the staff had trouble getting into work in time for breakfast service this morning! But walk, hitch, clamber and slide.......they all got there! Temperatures have risen a little, but the snow fell on icy roads in the night, so driving is more difficult today. Sunshine is forecast however! So more photographic delights are in store. And the moon is nearly full, lighting-up the clear night sky and all the landscape around us.

The freeze continues in all its Winter white beauty! The temperature has risen only slightly above freezing for over a week now, but we have had little real snowfall in this part of the UK. However, the frost is so thick and so sharp that it looks exactly like a crisp layer of snow all around and as far as the eye can see. With the clear blue skies and long distance views in every direction, the island is looking quite spectacular. Of course, the snow covering the mountains is real snow! It is amazing to see how this so clearly defines the rugged, jagged outline of the Cuillin Ridge, Marsco, the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing. All of the mountains were featured on a BBC TV programme on Sunday evening, presented by Cameron McNeish, the famous Scottish climber and hillwalker. This was filmed around September, when the weather and scenery were beautiful in a very different way.

After a most successful and busy Christmas at The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By, Eddie and Shirley drove to Edinburgh from Colbost on Sunday 27th, to deliver family gifts. Despite the bad road reports on the news and television, in actual fact, the roads were in great condition. They were well-gritted and clear for the whole length of their journey via Invergarry, Spean Bridge, Dalwhinnie and the A9 past Perth and over the Forth Bridge.

There has been deep snowfall on the mainland and the mountain scenery is quite stunning in its sparkling, icy beauty. Trees thickly laden with frozen snow are bowed over. Waterfalls are frozen. Giant icicles hang solidly over the rocks at the roadsides. More delicate chains of icicles glint in the light from the rooftops of cottages along the way. Rarely, have Eddie and Shirley seen the drive south look so awesome.

(Don't worry, they will be home again in a couple of days to welcome and play host to all the guests arriving for the New Year celebrations!)

The picture shows frosted trees at the roadside in Skeabost near Portree. Wherever you are, we hope you continue to enjoy the Christmas and New Year holiday and send warm wishes from the Isle of Skye.

This message is to ALL our friends around the World, guests and customers of many years, near and far, plus our colleagues in the tourism and hopsitality business throughout Scotland. We wish each and every one of you, a very Happy Christmas!

Our guest have been arriving over the past 2 days, driving through the Highlands in all of its glorious Winter White canopy. One gentleman who arrived yesterday told us that he had travelled all over the World, but he had never seen anything "so heart-wrenchingly beautiful" as the Kintail mountains and Glen Sheil on his journey to Skye yesterday. The whole of the UK is covered with snow. Overnight temperatures have dropped to -16 in some Highland glens overnight. There have been disruptions to traffic, trains and airports, but here in the far north west, we have had the best of it! No traffic chaos here! Care must be taken at all times when driving, but our main roads are always well-gritted and cleared. The more minor roads can be slightly more icy in places, but they have been treated too. Wherever you drive, the scenery is absolutely spectacular. We have had much less snow in the west than the eastern side of Scotland, but the mountain tops look like Christmas cakes and the Outer Hebrides on the horizon look like huge white meringues floating in the sea. Every twig on every tree, every reed and blade of grass is frosted and sparkling. There is little wind and the lochs and sea are mirror calm, reflecting the clear skies, hills and landscapes. As for the crescent moon and glittering stars at night - they are quite gorgeous.

This is our Christmas card to you all, wherever you may be, sent with love and best wishes for peace, love and happpiness, now and into 2010.

From Shirley, Eddie and All the Team at The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By in the Isle of Skye.

The brand new, 10th edition of Peter Irvine's "Scotland The Best" guide to all that is great to discover when travelling in Scotland, was launched in Glasgow and Edinburgh last week. The Three Chimneys has been featured in this epic guidebook since its very first edition. Sometimes referred to as the "Bible" or "Gospel" according to Peter Irvine, it is a fantastic, in-depth and personal review of a vast array of experiences available to the visitor in every corner of the country. We are very pleased and honoured to be highlighted in the Guide as one of the very best places to eat and also to stay, in Skye and Scotland as a whole.

Peter places us in his list of the Top 10 "Individual Hotels with Great Service", and attributes The House Over-By as having "spear-headed contemporary rooms in the Highlands" and writes that The Three Chimneys "still raises the roof". In the Skye section of the guide, The House Over-By is also described as: "a model of understated luxury in a wild and woolly place." We like that!

A recent Daily Telegraph carries an article by leading food critic, Jasper Gerard, with his views on the restaurant scene over the first 10 years of the 21st century - "the Noughties" - as these are called!

Jasper writes: "As the Noughties draw to a close, I'm almost feeling sorry for the capital (London) for so few of its restaurants now cut it against their country cousins. The other week I played a parlour game beloved of critics which included listing the restaurants I've most enjoyed this year. As well as The Fat Duck's new menu, I was stunned by Cumbria's L'Enclume, Nottinghamshire's Sat Bains, Shropshire's La Becasse, Cornwall's Porthminster Cafe, Denbighshire's Tyddyn Lian, Skye's Three Chimneys, Cambridgeshire's Alimentum and Kent's Apicius. I could go on."

As far as everyone here in Skye is concerned, he need say no more! We are delighted and proud to be included in his list and above all, extremely pleased that rural restaurants are receiving the quodos they have long-deserved! As we have boasted for many years, we serve fresher food of more genuine quality than any city restaurant could ever hope to do. Our ethos has always been thus and will continue to develop over 2010 and far beyond with Head Chef Michael Smith at the helm. Just watch this space!

There is a direct link to the full article on the list of "Links" on our Experience page of this website. It makes good reading!

Those who know the Spear family well will be pleased to learn that Shirley and Eddie are now extremely proud grandparents of son Steven's and partner Leti's beautiful new baby boy, Rodrigo. He was born in Edinburgh on Saturday 5th December and both Mum and Baby are home from hospital and doing very well indeed.

Steven is well-known to many in his role as Restaurant Manager at Restaurant Martin Wishart in Edinburgh. His partner Leti is a lovely Spanish girl from Vallodalid. The couple live in Leith in Edinburgh.

We all loathe the word "hype" at The Three Chimneys and hate it when we are criticised for not living-up to it. What is hype? We certainly do not write our own reviews and reports in guides etc., So we have never been very sure why the public can be so critical and suspicious of what is written about us by others and why they call it "hype"! So.....it was with some delight that we read Alan Brown's fantastic review in the weekend's Scottish Sunday Times, of his meal experience and visit to The Three Chimneys in October. He had never been and had always been pestered to give an opinion on whether we lived-up to all the hype that is written about us. Did we truly live-up to the reputation that goes before us?

His review is a resounding "yes" to all those who might doubt our reputation. It is brilliant!

When 'jamie' magazine telephoned to say that Shaun Hill had chosen to review The Three Chimneys because it was somewhere he had always wanted to dine, Shirley was truly flattered. Chef Shaun Hill was an "idol" of Shirley's when she and Eddie opened The Three Chimneys in 1985. He was already winning awards as Head Chef at a famous hotel in Devon and later opened his own restaurant in Ludlow, Shropshire. His work featured for year after year in many books and reviews, guidebooks and specialist magazines current with the period that The Three Chimneys was growing in reputation and style. Eventually Shaun sold-up with the intension of retiring, but not long afterwards, he bought the world-famous Walnut Tree restaurant in Wales that had been ailing for some years, despite its historic reputation. Shaun and Shirley eventually met - briefly - at a madly hectic awards ceremony in London in 2003, when Shaun's restuarant and The Three Chimneys were both included on a list of the World's 50 Best Restaurants together with others such as El Bulli, the French Laundry and Raymond Blanc's Le Manoir.

Three Chimneys Head Chef, Michael Smith, (pictured) was also delighted to learn that Shaun had "long wanted to visit" and had chosen to write about us in the magazine. Our copies arrived in the post yesterday. The photographs, recipes and Shaun's description of his experience here combine in a glowing tribute to all the work that goes into running a remote restaurant where the landscape is as much a part of the menu as the local ingredients.

Shaun details the description of the wild mallard dish on the menu which he describes as: "Seasonal and well thought through, bringing together the best of what's around you. You won't be eating that in Kensington or Cardiff."

Thank you Shaun! It was wonderful to welcome you here! (Especially after "that" journey!) Read his words and see the photographs in this month's issue of the magazine - out now! !

The Breast Cancer Campaign’s “Wear it Pink” fund-raising day on Friday 30th October, was the excuse for staff at The Three Chimneys to arrange a pink afternoon tea for friends and business colleagues. A fabulous spread of pink cupcakes, meringues and many other home-baked, teatime goodies delighted those who attended and a total of £397.00 was raised for breast cancer research.

All the staff who gave their time and enthusiasm to organise the day, baking the cakes and serving the tea were delighted at the successful turnout and plan to make the Pink Afternoon Tea a regular event on the restaurant’s calendar. Receptionist, Lindsay Spear, said: “We all send huge thanks to everyone who came for tea and pink cakes and for their generous donations to this very special cause that touches the heart of many people.”

Imagine the joy of doing your Christmas shopping in peace and tranquility on the Isle of Skye? You can make it happen! Book a Winter Midweek stay with us for 2 or more nights, far from the rush and tear of everyday life; we will provide an itinerary of wonderful places to visit while you are out and about enjoying the island's beautiful scenery, where you can shop until you drop - and enjoy it!

We can suggest places to go such as Skyeskyns, the sheepskin tannery, Edinbane Pottery, Shilasdair Yarns, the Captain's House, Orbost Gallery, the Croft Studio - and that is only in this north west corner of the island. Drive a little further to Talisker Distillery for a guided tour and a taste in its fantastic shop where even the man in your life might enjoy shopping for an unusual bottle of malt or two! There is the Three Herons Studio in Broadford, not far from Skye Jewellery and lots more to explore in Portree. Artists and crafstmen and women abound on Skye and most have working studios that you can visit to browse around and possibly buy something quite unique for that person in you life who already has "everything"! Some can be found in the most out-of-the-way places that are a joy to drive to and discover.

Click-on to the yellow button on the lefthand side of the Contact Us page and find the Winter Offers information. We offer generous reductions on our accommodation rates for a stay of 2 nights or more in November and December, as an all-inclusive price for 2 people for Dinner Bed and Breakfast.

Let us help make the next few weeks memorable! Stay awhile and indulge!

Only 5 Scottish Restauarants were listed in the National Resturant Awards Top 100 in the UK. But The Three Chimneys was up there among the best in the land and the only one located in the remote Highlands. The others were all Michelin-starred restaurants in Edinburgh and at Gleneagles.

Restaurant magazine runs the competition and judging is done by an "Academy" of experts. We are very pleased to have been included! Congratulations go to Head Chef Michael Smith and the Kitchen Brigade - a fitting result at the end of the busiest year we have ever experienced.

Image shows the Sconser King Scallop dish from the acclaimed 7 Courses of Skye Tasting Menu, available every night for a memorable dinner at The Three Chimneys.

On October 16th 1984, Eddie and Shirley Spear set-off to the Isle of Skye with 5-year-old Steven and Lindsay, only just 3. The family car was packed to the roof - as illustrated - and the future completely unknown. If the Spears knew then what they know now, perhaps they may never had made that journey at all!

On 17th October, the Spears signed the sale completion papers in Portree and with that, The Three Chimneys Restaurant changed hands and belonged to them! They moved into the now-famous croft house at Colbost in the afternoon and a completely new way of life began.

In some ways it is hard to believe that 25 years have passed by since that day. The Three Chimneys has acquired a huge following and worldwide reputation and although it has changed, developed and improved over the years, Eddie and Shirley's basic approach to their business remains the very same; good cooking using genuine fresh ingredients, served in style and combined with warm hospitality in cosy surroundings. Head Chef Michael Smith leads the kitchen team now and continues to excel with his use of local ingredients of all kinds on the Menu.

It helps being in such a beautiful location, here on the edge of Loch Dunvegan in north west Skye, on the single track road that leads to the end of the B884 at Neist Point Lighthouse. The view from here today is as stunning as it was on the day that the family moved-in. Autumn is always a quiet, restful time of year.

It would be impossible to pick up The Three Chimneys and place it in any other part of the World. Colbost on the Isle of Skye is where it belongs and this is where it will stay for a long time into the future. There are major plans to extend the restaurant kitchen this winter, adding 2 more tables to meet the constant demand for seats in the restaurant and making working life better for all the staff with improved facilities all-round. The bedrooms in The House Over-By will also be upgraded in January, making them even more comfortable to enjoy next year.

We hope that all of our many thousands of guests and customers will continue to come and spend time here with all of us in this special corner of Scotland.

All the new guidebooks for restaurants and hotels are published now - The AA Hotel Guide, the AA Restaurant Guide, the Good Food Guide and the independent Good Hotel Guide. We are pleased to be featured in them all with good reviews for 2010.

VisitScotland has confirmed our 5 Gold Star grading as a Restaurant with Rooms for 2009/2010 and we have retained our coveted Gold EatScotland Award too. The AA has not only selected us as one of the Top10% of all hotels in the Uk and Ireland by awarding us an "Inspector's Choice" Award for another year, but also, we have had our 5 Star rating as a Restaurant with Rooms confirmed for 2009/2010. We are also very proud to have retained our 3 AA red rosettes for the restaurant for the 10th year in succession.

Head Chef Michael Smith and the Kitchen Brigade, together with Restaurant Managers, Jeanette Neil and Daniel McDermott and their team, should be very proud of their achievements. As every aspect of the business comes in for detailed scrutiny from the professional inspection teams, our wonderful Housekeepers and the Reception and Office Team deserve huge congratulations too.

Guests awoke to a stormy sea this morning, with white horses topping the waves as they rolled up the loch and crashed on the rocky shoreline. It has been a typical, blustery Autumn day, sunny-bright with racing clouds, but no rain. The wild grasses have burnished gold, the bracken has bronzed; the heather has faded, the trees are turning and scattering their leaves to the four winds. It is a full moon on Sunday evening, so we are hoping to watch it rising over the sea outside our windows as it begins to get dark.

The island is much quieter now, but The Three Chimneys is still busy and we will continue to serve lunch every day except Sunday until the end of the month. Dinner service continues until the turn of the year, with the menus changing every night and featuring ingredients such as seasonal game birds and wonderful local seafood. Oysters, scallops and crab are delicious at this time of the year!

Come and join us. We are sure you will love it here.

The 2010 Good Food Guide published by Which? has found its way to the Isle of Skye. We always open it with trepidation, anxious to see what has been written about us. This year ( our 24th in succession) the review is great and especially complimentary about Chef Michael Smith's resourcefulness and skill.

"Dishes may sound complex on the billing, but they achieve well-blanaced culinary logic on the plate and the quality of materials is sensational."

The reveiw goes on to describe some the dishes and mentions the wine list too.

We are a bit disappointed that we are not included in the list of longest-serving restaurants at the beginning of the guide. Twenty-four years is a long time to be continually recognised amongst the very best.

Jasper Gerard's restaurant review in the Saturday Telegraph is too full of delightful comments about his experience here, to list. Read it for yourself please! There is a direct link from The Experience page on our website. We include it below.

Say no more! Stuck for words - for once!

Thank you Jasper. We hope you come again one day and enjoy the experience just as much the next time.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/restaurants/6162879/Scotland-restaurant-guide-The-Three-Chimneys-Skye.html

To celebrate the very best of Scotland’s exceptional natural larder of food and drink, many events and promotional activities will be happening all over the country during Scottish Food Fortnight 2009. To find out more, visit www.scottishfoodfortnight.co.uk

Naturally, The Three Chimneys will join in, serving a Special Seafood Lunch, on Monday – Saturday over both weeks, alongside the usual daily-changing Lunch Menu. Head Chef, Michael Smith, is renowned for his skilful use of the freshest, locally sourced produce available from a wealth of growers, fishermen, crofters and other producers living and working in Skye and Lochalsh.

The Chef's 3-Course Seafood Lunch will showcase a variety of wonderful fishy ingredients, for which The Three Chimneys is famous for having delivered direct from the boats and other local sources, to its kitchen door.

During Scottish Food Fortnight, several of the local food producers will stage “Open Gate” days, to encourage visitors to come and see the source of some of the fabulous items Michael uses daily at The Three Chimneys Restaurant. Every Thursday, there is also a Producers’ Market in Skye’s main village, Portree. A Calendar of Events can be found on a special Food Fortnight Website, www.skyefoodtrek.co.uk put together by the producers; read about them on www.tastelocal.co.uk Links to all of these sites mentioned can be found on The Experience page on this website.

If you are planning a trip to the Isle of Skye, don’t forget to treat yourself to a splendid lunch! Telephone 01470 511258 to reserve your table and make a day of it by going to visit some of the restaurant’s suppliers too.

Those of you who have met Diana Mackie, the local artist and designer, who assisted us with the development of The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By in 1999 and whose paintings have delighted many guests both here and also, at her gallery in Borreraig ever since, will be delighted to know that she got married yesterday!

Diana married Alan Cleobury-Jones in a marquee in the field beside her beautiful cottage on the edge of the sea, in a howling gale and torrential rain. They say it is lucky to get married in the rain, so lots of luck is on their side! What a day we had! It was a fabulous celebration of the marriage of a most popular couple, with their wider families, plus friends from far and wide, making the journey to the Isle of Skye to join in and wish them well. They all joined together with friends and colleagues from the island, as local Pastor, Peter McDermott, performed the official ceremony. Lots of good energy flowed!

We were wined and dined in style and danced until we dropped to live bands and musicians (including the groom on his drums) until late into the evening. Mini buses transported us all back to the many and various destinations at the end of the night.

The weather is so much brighter this morning, although the wind is blowing from the south west and according to a recent report, about to blow the marquee across The Minch to Harris. A great time was had by everyone, that's for sure, but at a wedding celebration that could have been staged - only on Skye!

When Frank Bruni wrote about The Three Chimneys in the New York Times, he described the restaurant as "The French Laundry of Scotland". As this is one of the very best restaurants is in the whole world, his review could not have been a greater compliment to Head Chef, Michael Smith and the Kitchen Brigade, as well as the Front-of-House team led by Jeanette Neil and Daniel McDermott. The revered, yet feared, Mr Bruni was very complimentary, describing The Three Chimneys as precisely the restaurant that he had been hoping to find: "......one that can't be replicated outside Scotland". (You can read this from a Link on The Experience page of this website.)

The interior of the tiny croft house beside the sea in the wilds of north west Skye, has hardly changed in 25 years since owners Shirley and Eddie Spear moved in. However, the style and quality of the menu, the high level of service, the superb wine list and the fantastic dishes on the menus, most certainly have moved on! One of the things that people love about us is that these developments have remained within the confines of the original, stone-built croft house with its slate roof and dormer windows. Our reputation may have grown worldwide, but the traditional croft house has hardly changed its ethnic style.

Michael and the Team are justly proud of the restaurant's enduring "quirkiness", its history and unique location. They hope to build upon this reputation until well into the future, maintaining the unique qualities of this now famous croft house on the Isle of Skye. The next phase of our planned investment has got to be the kitchen, the stillroom, storage and staff facilities however, as working conditions need improving all-round. Hopefully we will find the funds to do all the work we want to undertake as this will include a few more on-going improvements to the bedrooms in The House Over-By. Watch this space and we will let you know how things progress!

At last we have taken delivery of our brand new brochure. Bang up-to-date with some gorgeous photographs, a few choice words and pictures of current staff, it is a lovely introduction to The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By if you have not been here before, or want to recommend us to friends or family.

If you would like a copy, please send an e-mail using the form on the Contact Us page on this website. We will be very happy to send you one by return post, together with details of our Winter Offers which will run from 1st November 2009 until 3rd April 2010, plus our pre and post-Christmas, New Year and Valentine's Day special packages.

If you interested in giving someone a Gift Voucher to come and stay or to dine with us, providing a brochure together with our gift card is always a great extra touch! Telephone us at any time to make individual arrangements for purchasing gift vouchers and for any further information.

It's August! The meadowsweet is in full bloom, rowans are heavy with orange and red berries and the heather is beginning to spill its gorgeous purple hue across every hillside. Skye has welcomed many, many visitors over the past few weeks. Everywhere has been busy with people making the most of the good weather and the great outdoors.

There is always a great "buzz" about the place at this time of year. Please come and join us for a meal in the restaurant if you can. Dinner is often booked well-ahead, but we serve a stunning lunch menu every day except Sunday and late bookings are often available at short notice. Be sure to telephone us on 01470 511258 if you are visiting the north west corner of Skye to see Dunvegan Castle and its gorgeous gardens, take a boat trip to see the seal colonies, walk on the Coral Beach or tackle the walk to Neist Point Lighthouse in the hope spotting basking sharks, migrating whales, or sea eagles. There are a myriad number of fantastic working art and craft studios and galleries in this part of Skye, showing-off their spectacular work and providing the opportunity to buy some beautiful souvenirs of your trip. Hope to see you soon!