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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!

Long, long, warm days, beautiful sunny weather, gorgeous, glowing sunsets - what more could a traveller wish for?! It has been the most lovely spell of weather. Our house guests and restaurant customers have been loving it. Every day we hear tales of their days out enjoying the beautiful scenery, walking in wild places, boat trips to other shores, sailing with dophins and porpoise, breath-taking sights of golden eagles - the list is endless.

Our Summer menus are now including Scottish soft fruits and gooseberries. Elderflower blossom has been turned into delicious syrup for desserts. Antony's amazing vegetables are delivered daily from Totaig, together with an abundance of fresh herbs and salad leaves from Orbost and Glendale. We are collecting crab, lobster and prawn on a daily basis from the local pier. Sitting outside sipping Champagne Bellinis is the perfect way to end the day - or to begin a feast of fresh food that only The Three Chimneys can serve!

The June issue of Conde Nast Traveller magazine is a special "islands" issue. The Isle of Skye is featured in a delightful article by Lyn Rogers, about her holiday in a cottage here. The highlight of her experience whilst travelling all over the island during her stay, was otter watching. Her writing is beautifully descriptive and cleverly encompasses much about the island and the pace of life, its truly gorgeous scenery, good food, drink and places to visit and stay. But it was her newly discovered past-time of otter watching by the seashore that stole her heart. She describes the experience as: "possibly the new Zen meditation; a pure and pointless quest that leaves you feeling calm and exhilarated at the same time." Life can be just like that here when you steal a special, quiet moment on Skye.

Receiving a major award from one's peers is a rewarding experience of the very best kind. With a mixture of warm feelings, a little embarrassment, some pride and quiet delight, Shirley received the Lifetime Excellence Award for 2009 at the CIS (Catering in Scotland) Awards in Glasgow recently. It was a huge function and a wonderful occasion, recognising the work and achievements of many leading people in Scotland's hopsitality industry.

It will be 25 years in October since Eddie and Shirley's moved into their cottage by the sea in Skye, re-opening the restaurant to the public the following Easter 1985. They laughably describe themselves as "complete greenhorns" then, but were quick to realise that the total experience was all-important in attracting customers to their remote corner of the World and essential to creating the return visits that would build the business. Times have changed dramatically since those far-off days, but the basics of a great welcome to a wonderful location with food and wine to match, are still the most important values to have in the hospitality business, matched with genuine quality, excellent value and the highest standards. Shirley is passionate about the importance of the Tourism Industry to Scotland and wants only to encourage as many people as possible to work towards achieving these values too. The success of The Three Chimneys and The House Over-By is a very strong, joint partnership with husband Eddie, of course! "We go hand-in-hand," says Shirley.

One of the UK's favourite TV stars, Paul O'Grady, was answering questions in an article in the Weekend Guardian. When asked where he would most like to be right now, he replied: "In The Three Chimneys on Skye, eating brown bread and oysters with black velvet."

We know that he has enjoyed meals in the restaurant over the years, but no-one here has actually met him! So, next time you drop-in Paul, please say hello!! There are always fresh Loch Harport oysters on the menu, along with all kinds of fresh seafood from Skye.

Thank you for giving us a special mention in the article and come back soon.

Shirley is in Inveraray this weekend, attending the fantastic Spirit of the West Whisky Festival at Inveraray Castle. The setting is spectacular, the sun is shining and the whole weekend is set with an amazing programme of activities celebrating the history, music and culture of Scotland's West Coast.

As The Three Chimneys is an associate member of Whisky Coast, the consortium of all the distilleries in the western Highlands and Islands that produce a fantastic range of single malt whiskies renowned for their distinctive peaty tastes, Shirley will be one of the celebrity chefs presenting cookery demonstrations in the Food and Drink marquee today. She will be cooking with whisky - of course! Her recipes include, Potted Mallaig Kippers, Hot Toddy Halibut and her own version of Cranachan.

The Festival runs for the whole weekend, and Shirley will be presenting another demonstration together with Scotland's most famous chef, Nick Nairn, on Sunday afternoon at 3.00pm. This time they will be making Colbost Bay Crab Cocktail, Venison with Barlotto and of course, Hot Marmalade Pudding, with a Talisker twist.

Don't miss the Festival. It is all part of Homecoming Scotland 2009 and the year's Whisky Month of May. The journey to Inveraray will steal your heart away. It is worth making, just to see the bluebells along the roadsides! But there are many exciting things to do when you arrive at the Castle, including whisky tastings and master classes from all the distilleries.

We received an e-mail this morning from some long-standing customers, reminding us that it is a special anniversary today. Ten years ago, we opened the House Over-By for the very first time. Remembering the last-minute fiascos and general chaos of that eventful morning, brought a shiver to my spine! How we managed to open the door to those first guests with beaming smiles, I will never know, but we did it!! And we are still here to tell the tale. Here is the McCords' message.......

"Just a wee note on this early morning on May 1st to congratulate Shirley and Eddie on the 10th anniversary of the HOUSE OVER BY. We stayed there in December last year after our daughters wedding and had the most fantastic time. So well done to the whole team, who are all brilliant. Sadly, the nearest we will be to you this year is next Monday and Tuesday when we are staying at The Lodge on the Loch at Luss to celebrate our own wedding anniversary, so on Monday evening, our day, we shall raise a glass and toast you all. Best wishes. The McCord Family."

Thank you so much! We will raise a glass sometime later today and remind ourselves of those first tentative steps into the world of 5-star hospitality.

Spring has definitely sprung on the beautiful Isle of Skye. April showers have turned the trees to brilliant new green, and warmth from the sunshine is bringing out the flowers - wild primroses, violets, celandines and wood sorrel clutter sunny roadside embankments and the more shaded copses of native birch, willow and hazel. Skye bluebells are emerging all around to colour the landscape with their unique, deep purply-blue haze. Gorse bushes line many roads and cover rocky outcrops with a great splash of gold, wherever you travel. There is a mass of unfurling colour everywhere, from tree blossoms, new leaves and budding plants. And the cuckoo has arrived! First heard on Sunday 26th April in the trees on the hills behind us, together with the glorious garden birdsong that surrounds us. But earlier still, we watched swallows dipping and diving above The Three Chimneys, the evening before. Early birds in the lovely skies full of scudding clouds, a new moon and changing weather patterns on the western horizon.

We are deligthed to be included in the AA's recently published Guide to Britain's Best Hotels.
The AA describe all entries in this exclusive guide as having "excelled" in their particular category. As we also have 5 Gold Stars, this denotes that we are within the top 10% in our category - a Restaurant with Rooms. The write-up refers to the 7 Courses of Skye Tasting Menu as: "...an excellent introduction to Head Chef, Michael Smith's finely-tuned style which blends traditional Scottish ideas with a more modern approach to highlight the quality of Skye's fresh local produce."

We could not agree more and encourage everyone to come and try it for themselves!

We re-opened for lunch again today, Thursday 26th March and we will remain open every day until the end of October, excluding Sundays.
Richard Bath, writing in last weekend's Spectrum magazine in Scotland on Sunday, reviewed his lunchtime experience here last October. He wrote: "A trip to the Isle of Skye will prove The Three Chimneys deserves all the good things that
are said about it." Describing the dishes he refers to "proof of Michael Smith's genius" and expresses regret that he was unable to try Smith's "tour de force", the seven-course tasting menu served only for dinner in the evenings.

Richard Bath and his lunchtime companion had a mixure of old and new dishes - some classic 3C's such as lobster bisque, blue cheesecake and marmalade pudding - and some new, such as the chocolate mousse cake and whisky & lemon parfait.

Head Chef Michael and his team are well-tuned in the art of producing and presenting the daily-changing menus at The Three Chimneys, together with the hugely popular Seven Courses of Skye Tasting Menu. With Sommelier Luke Richardson firmly in place now with his fantastic new wine list, there are many delicious reasons to come to the Isle of Skye for lunch or dinner at The Three Chimneys. We hope to see you soon!