Under the skin

摘要

Fen times as many sheep live on the Isle of Skye than people. The animal dominates island life - even the tanners at Skyeskyns leave early to tend to their crofts after work. The tannery is one of only a few sheepskin specialists in the UK, and last year welcomed a staggering 19,000 visitors through its doors - almost double the number of people that reside on the whole of the northern Scottish island. A half-hour drive from Skye's capital Portree, tourists make the winding journey around the headland to the picturesque Lochbay to learn about the ancient processes that go into turning skins into beautiful finished products. The warm welcome, despite the sometimes grey conditions, has helped earn the business a five star rating from Visit Scotland, the country's tourist organisation, for its "exceptional customer service and world-class visitor experience".