Why go now?
Skye is at its vibrant best throughout May and early June. Lambs frolic against a backdrop of snow-capped peaks, spring flowers carpet an already glorious landscape, and seabirds, including puffins, return to nest on its coastal fringes.
A visit at this time of year, when average rainfall is historically at its lowest and hours of sunshine among the highest, also offers a good chance of avoiding the worst of Skye’s weather – this lobster-shaped island sits under a conveyor belt of unforgiving Atlantic weather systems. Better still, the dreaded midge, that far-from-timorous-beastie, is yet to rise from its peatland bed in any numbers.

The mighty Black Cuillin mountain range
BRUCE LITTLE/ALAMY

Getting there
The most evocative way of travelling over the sea to Skye - Speed, bonnie boat,http://pacientes.pasandovisita.com/activitycheapjordanshoesfreeshipping.com/bolg, like a bird on the wing - is by boat from Mallaig (1) to Armadale (2). Caledonian MacBrayne (0800 066 5000; calmac.co.uk) operates sailings from ?23.25 per car, plus ?4.50 per passenger. Alternatively, head to the Kyle of Lochalsh and the Skye Road Bridge (3).
Inverness (79 miles to the bridge) and Glasgow (151 miles to Mallaig) are well-served by trains and planes. Trains also go to Fort William (42 miles to Mallaig ) from Edinburgh and Glasgow. Car hire companies operate at all three.
Where to stay
First night: The newly-refurbished Coruisk House (4) (01471 866330; coruiskhouse.com), in Elgol, has king-sized beds and far more character than its work-a-day exterior suggests. There’s also a snug sitting room and croftland views. Doubles from ?100 per night, including breakfast.
Second night: The Glenview (5) (01470 562248; glenviewskye.co.uk), a restaurant-with-rooms on the Portree to Staffin road, offers a vintage vibe, award-winning dining and mesmerising views of the Trotternish Ridge (best from rooms one or three). Dinner, b&b from ?160 per couple, excluding wine. Read the full review.

The soaring Quiraing,cheap jordans online, which forms part of the Trotternish Ridge
Alamy
On arrival
7pm
Pack a rug and head to Elgol’s boulder-strewn beach,http://www.wjszxx.com/guestbook.aspcheapjordanshoesfreeshipping.com/bolg. The soul-stirring sight of the mighty Black Cuillin (6) mountain range, rising in jagged peaks on the opposite shore, is often lauded as the finest view in Britain, most notably by walker Alfred Wainwright, and it does not disappoint.

View of Cuillin Hills from Elgol
Alamy
8.30pm
The menu at Coruisk House reflects the seasons and might include Soay lamb, Skye oysters or mussels from nearby Loch Slapin. For dessert, try the white chocolate cheesecake, made to an award-winning recipe by Molly Carter, 13, an Elgol schoolgirl. Three courses, from ?26.50pp, excluding wine.
Day one
8am
Standards are maintained at breakfast, with homemade bread and peat-smoked salmon on offer.
8.50am
Pick your way through the faded fishing nets and lobster catchers on Elgol’s jetty to board a boat for the 40-minute sailing to remote Loch Coruisk (7). Disembark at the shadowy base of the Black Cuillin and take the short hike around the headland, across boggy ground and the River Scavaig, before the drama of this narrow, freshwater loch reveals itself. Flanked by craggy ridges and threatening peaks, this two-mile-long sliver cuts deep into the heart of the Black Cuillin.

Loch Coruisk
Alamy
Drop down to the rust-coloured rocks that dot the shoreline and follow a meandering route (unmarked), occasionally climbing higher but still remaining close to the loch,cheap retro jordans, passing a pebble beach, a collection of giant boulders and a waterfall on the opposite bank. The truly intrepid should be able to reach a large cairn before it’s time to head back to the boat. Deer patrol the slopes above the loch and there’s also much wildlife to see en route from Elgol, including dolphins and a colony of seals. Misty Isle Boat Trips (01471 866288; mistyisleboattrips.co.uk,cheap air jordans, ?20pp ) and Bella Jane (01471 866244; bellajane.co.uk,cheap jordans, ?22-24pp ) operate sailings. Bookings essential. Return trip three hours, including 90 minutes at the loch.
12.30pm
Pootle along the B8083&nbsp,http://users.atw.hu/conflux-mg/index.php?site=forum_topic&topic=17675cheapjordanshoesfreeshipping.com/bolg; to the Blue Shed Café ( (01471 822847; theblueshedcafe.co.uk), on the shores of Loch Slapin, for homemade soups and commanding views of Blaven, a favourite among Munro baggers. Closed Wednesdays.
3pm
Contemplate a wild swim in the crystalline waters of Glen Brittle’s Fairy Pools (9). Set against the imposing backdrop of Sgurr an Fheadain, this series of cascading waterfalls and emerald green pools offers wild swimming at its elemental best. Those not keen on taking a dip in these distinctly chilly waters will still find much to admire in their pebbled depths - including an underwater arch - and in the surrounding scenery. There is a well-established golden eagle nest in the area, and sightings are common. The walk to the pools, across the bowl-like curve of a glacial valley, is boggy in places and involves crossing a number of tricky-to-negotiate burns. Signposted from the B8009 near Merkadale.

Glen Brittle’s Fairy Pools
Alamy
7.45pm
Reflect on Skye’s abundance of natural wonders over an aperitif by the fire at The Glenview, before sitting down to a dinner that might include Sleat venison, Mallaig haddock or Sconser scallops. Simon Wallwork, who trained as a chef in his native Australia before settling in Scotland eight years ago, cooks imaginative and delicately flavoured dishes with integrity – they’ve recently won an award for their use of local produce – and flair.
Day two
7.30am
The sun rises early at this time of year, and with so much to see, so should you. The Glenview’s excellent breakfast includes locally smoked kippers and homemade brioche.
8.30am
Those with a head for heights should motor to the summit of the spectactularly steep and winding Hill Road,Kicksokok.com, which links Staffin and Uig, to embark on a circular walk through the soaring Quiraing (10). The walk, which takes about three hours,cheap real jordans, involves steep climbs and vertiginous cliff top traverses, but on a clear day the views are simply stupendous. When leaving the road at the start of the walk, follow the footpath for Flodigarry. OS Explorer Map: 408.

The coral beach at Claigan
Alamy
Those not keen on hill-walking should instead head to the coral beach (11) at Claigan. The first glimpse of the beach comes about 30 minutes into the walk (leave the path as it heads inland and instead continue to a gap in a dry stone wall). Scale Cnoc Mor a' Ghrobain, a fairly modest hillock at the northern end of the beach, for fine views of Dunvegan Head and this crescent-shaped strip of shell and sand.
Rainy-day itinerary
Art lovers will delight in the island’s Gallery & Studio Trail (art-skye.co.uk).
A drive around the Trotternish peninsula, best in an anti-clockwise direction, reveals more superlative landscapes. Stop-offs of note include Kilt Rock (12), the Skye Museum of Highland Life (13) (01470 552206; skyemuseum.co.uk, ?2.50pp ), Kilmuir Cemmetery (14), the burial site of Flora Macdonald, who helped Bonnie Prince Charlie escape to Skye,cheap wholesale jordans, and the Fairy Glen (15),cheap authentic jordans.

For more information, see skye.co.uk.



Boris Johnson and Michael Gove hope to persuade the cabinet this week that scrapping EU rules on overtime could provide a major economic boost for Brexit Britain.


The spool of red tape they want to slash is known as the EU Working Time Directive (EWTD). It demands employees work no longer than 48 hours and grants them at least four weeks of paid leave, among other benefits.


Seeing off the directive has been a longstanding ambition of the Brexiteers in Theresa May's cabinet.


In theory, losing the red tape would give employers more flexibility and allows workers to fill their pockets with extra cash from overtime shifts.









Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson and Environment Secretary Michael Gove






However, critics say this could deprive employees of key rights and expose them to being exploited by rogue bosses - which would undermine Mrs May’s promise that Brexit will not dilute working conditions.


Here we look at how doing away with the EWTD would affect overtime limits and which workers, if any, would benefit from the relaxed rules.

Most workers can already break overtime limits


It’s important to acknowledge first of all that most British workers can already work more than 48 hours per week if they choose to do so.




This is because the UK secured an opt-out clause in the directive which allows employees to break the 48 hour limit of their own free will.


Those who want to opt-out from overtime limits need to sign the following and hand it to their employer:



I [worker’s name] agree that I may work for more than an average of 48 hours a week. If I change my mind, I will give my employer [amount of time - up to 3 months’] notice in writing to end this agreement.



The opt-out can only be agreed to by an individual; employers caught putting pressure on workers to exceed limits face legal action by British authorities and, in serious cases, the European Commission.


At first glance, that suggests the plot to scrap overtime limits would only create an illusion of taking back control of British laws.

...but there are a few key exceptions


If you are a shipworker, lorry driver, airline staffer or security guard who carries high-value goods, then the EU currently dictates your working week.


Workers in these sectors, which provide key services, are exempt from the UK’s opt-out, meaning they cannot take overtime if their working week exceeds 48 hours.


If the UK did scrap the EWTD, employers in these industries would have greater control over working hours and overtime.









A long line of lorries are pictured parked in a section of the closed M20 motorway at Westwell, near Dover






For lorry drivers or airport security guards eager to earn some extra cash, it could become one of the more tangible benefits of Brexit.


Supporters of scrapping the EWTD say it could also lead to a boost in efficiency and productivity.


But it cuts both ways. The Trade Unions Congress (TUC) has warned that the same flexibility could, for example, allow haulage chiefs to force “ridiculously long hours” on exhausted drivers.


Plus, those who refuse to take overtime - assuming the UK merely scraps the EWTD without a bespoke replacement - could have no legal recourse if they were sacked as a result.


And it is feasible that the extra hours taken would be unpaid, which defeats the point of scrapping the directive to put more pounds in workers’ pockets.

Impact on NHS could be significant


One major flashpoint of scrapping EWTD would be the impact on working conditions in the NHS.


The directive limits how much work a doctor can do in a given week, which critics say forces staff to take time off when they are most needed and leaves NHS trusts relying on agencies to plug staffing gaps.


Another unexpected - and fiercely criticised - byproduct of the EWTD in healthcare is that it reduces the number of training hours received by doctors.









Junior doctors and their supporters stage a "masked march" protest in London






NHS workers can opt-out of the overtime limit if they wish, and many are already encouraged to do so.


However, the opt-out only removes the limit on overtime - other EWTD rules, such as having 11 hours rest every 24 hours, still apply.


Scrapping EWTD could therefore open the door to making longer and more intense shift patterns for doctors the status quo, rather than a choice.


However, prior to the EWTD coming into force, some doctors were working up to 100 hours per week, which risked impairing their judgement due to exhaustion and sleep deprivation.



PM already promised not to curb workers’ rights


Brexiteers in the cabinet may struggle to win over Mrs May on scrapping the directive - she has already pledged to preserve workers’ rights as they existed under the EU.


The prime minister said in her Lancaster House speech:



As we translate the body of European law into our domestic regulations, we will ensure that workers rights are fully protected and maintained



Any shift in policy that forces workers to take on excessive, unpaid overtime would be hard to reconcile with this promise.