portree

The current name, {{lang|gd|Port Rìgh}} translates as 'king's port', possibly from a visit by King James V of Scotland in 1540. However this etymology has been contested, since James did not arrive in peaceful times. The older name appears to have been {{lang|gd|Port Ruighe(adh)}}, meaning 'slope harbour'.{{Gaelic Placenames}}

Prior to the 16th century the settlement's name was Kiltaraglen ('the church of St. Talarican') from Gaelic {{lang|mga|Cill Targhlain}}.

Archaeological investigations in advance of construction of a housing development in 2006–2007, by CFA Archaeology, uncovered evidence of occupation of Portree from the Early Bronze Age to the Medieval period (the earliest radiocarbon date was 2570 BC, and the latest was AD 1400). They also found stone tools that indicated people were in the area in the Early to Mid Neolithic, possibly as far back as the Late Mesolithic.

The archaeologists discovered the remains of timber roundhouses, a circular ditch-defined enclosure, miniature souterrains, probable standing stone sockets and an assortment of pits. While not many artefacts were recovered there was an assemblage of Beaker pottery. This was the first discovery of a site dating from the Later Bronze Age on the Isle of Skye.{{Cite web|title=Vol 54 (2013): Excavation of post-built roundhouses and a circular ditched enclosure at Kiltaraglen, Portree, Isle of Skye 2006-07 {{!}} Scottish Archaeological Internet Reports|url=http://journals.socantscot.org/index.php/sair/issue/view/84|access-date=2021-08-24|website=journals.socantscot.org}}

The archaeologists also found evidence of the shooting range that was created in the 1800s with the formation of the Rifle Volunteer movement, set up in 1859 to defend the country against a potential French invasion. The first official unit in Portree was the 8th Inverness-shire Rifle Volunteer Corps, formed in July 1867.

In the 1700s, the town was a popular point of departure for Scots sailing to America to escape poverty. This form of use repeated during the famine in the 1840s. Both times, the town was saved by an influx of boats, often going between mainland Scotland and the Outer Hebrides, who used Portree's pier as a rest point. The town also began exporting fish at this time, which contributed greatly to the local economy.

The Royal Hotel is the site of MacNab's Inn, the last meeting place of Flora MacDonald and Bonnie Prince Charlie in 1746.[http://www.undiscoveredscotland.co.uk/skye/portree/index.html "Portree"] Undiscovered Scotland. Retrieved on 15 September 2007.

The town had the last manual telephone exchange in the UK, which closed in 1976.[http://www.btplc.com/Thegroup/BTsHistory/1969to1980/1976.htm BT History 1976]

File:2018 07 15 Schottland (84).jpg

Portree is considered to be among the "20 most beautiful villages in the UK and Ireland" according to Condé Nast Traveler and is visited by many tourists each year.{{cite web|url=https://www.cntraveller.com/gallery/beautiful-villages-uk|title=THE 20 MOST BEAUTIFUL VILLAGES IN THE UK AND IRELAND, 20 October 2020|accessdate=14 March 2021}}

A report published in mid 2020 indicated that visitors added £211 million in a single year to the Isle of Skye's economy, prior to travel restrictions imposed because of the COVID-19 pandemic.[https://www.pressandjournal.co.uk/fp/news/islands/2343962/year-long-economic-study-finds-skye-visitors-boosted-economy-by-211-million-pre-lockdown/#:~:text=A%20year%2Dlong%20economic%20impact,economy%20by%20%C2%A3211%20million.&text=The%20study%20has%20found%20that,2%2C850%20full%2Dtime%20equivalent%20jobs. Year-long economic study finds Skye visitors boosted economy by £211 million pre-lockdown] This was expected to decline substantially due to the COVID-19 pandemic. "Skye is highly vulnerable to the downturn in international visitors that will continue for much of 2020 and beyond", Professor John Lennon of Glasgow Caledonian University told a reporter in July 2020.[https://www.sundaypost.com/fp/tourists-generated-211-million-for-skye-pre-pandemic-finds-study/ Tourists generated £211 million for Skye pre-pandemic, finds study, 17 July 2020]

In 2016, over 150,000 people stopped at the VisitScotland centre in Portree, a 5% increase over 2015.{{cite web |title=Skye islanders call for help with overcrowding after tourism surge |date=2017-08-09 |website=The Guardian |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230617210308/https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/09/skye-islanders-call-for-help-with-overcrowding-after-tourism-surge |archive-date=2023-06-17 |url-status=live |url=https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/aug/09/skye-islanders-call-for-help-with-overcrowding-after-tourism-surge}} Overcrowding during peak season was a problem, however, before the pandemic, since it is "the busiest place on the island". One news item recommended that some tourists might prefer accommodations in quieter areas such as Dunvegan, Kyleakin and the Broadford and Breakish area.[https://independenttravelcats.com/tips-to-avoid-the-crowds-on-the-isle-of-skye-in-scotland/ 15 Tips to Avoid the Crowds on the Isle of Skye in Scotland, 15 July 2020]

The 2020 reports did not cover tourism in Portree specifically but a December 2018 report by well-known travel writer Rick Steves had recommended the village as "Skye’s best home base" for visitors. He indicated that Portree "provided a few hotels, hostels and bed-and-breakfasts in town, while more B&Bs line the roads into and out of town".[https://www.seattletimes.com/life/travel/exploring-scotlands-majestic-isle-of-skye/ Exploring Scotland’s majestic Isle of Skye, 13 December 2018] The tourism bureau added that visitors would appreciate the "banks, churches, cafes and restaurants, a cinema at the Aros Centre, a swimming pool and library, (...) petrol filling stations and supermarkets".[https://www.isleofskye.com/portree Portree]

Local news and television programmes are provided by BBC Scotland and STV North (formerly Grampian Television). Television signals are received from one of the local relay transmitters (Penifiler{{cite web |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Penifiler|title= Freeview Light on the Penifiler (Highland, Scotland) transmitter|publisher=UK Free TV |access-date= 9 October 2023}} and Skriaig{{cite web |url=https://ukfree.tv/transmitters/tv/Skriaig|title= Freeview Light on the Skriaig (Skye) (Highland, Scotland) transmitter|publisher=UK Free TV |access-date= 9 October 2023}}).

Portree is served by nation-wide stations, BBC Radio Scotland on 92.9 FM and BBC Radio Nan Gaidheal (for Gaelic listeners) on 104.7 FM. The local radio station Radio Skye is a community based station that broadcasts to the Isle Of Skye and Loch Alsh on 106.2 FM and 102.7 FM.{{Cite web |url=https://radioskye.com/|title= Radio Skye|access-date= 9 October 2023}}

Portree now has 6 schools. This includes 2 primary schools (Portree Primary School and Portree Gaelic Primary School) one high school (Portree High School) one nursery (Portree Nursery) one Pre-school (Portree Pre-school) and one college (Portree College).

The town plays host to the Isle of Skye's shinty club, Skye Camanachd.[http://www.skyecamanachd.com "Skye Camanachd"] skyecamanachd.com. Retrieved 26 September 2007. They play at Pairc nan Laoch above the town on the road to Struan.

Portree is home to two football clubs that play in the Skye and Lochalsh amateur football league called Portree and Portree Juniors.

Portree is now home to a new youth football club, Skye Young Boys.{{Cite web|title=Login • Instagram|url=https://www.instagram.com/accounts/login/|access-date=2022-01-17|website=www.instagram.com}}

Like most of the British Isles, Portree has an oceanic climate (Köppen: Cfb). The nearest weather station to Portree is located at Prabost, approximately {{convert|5+1/2|mi|km|0}} north-west of Portree.

{{Weather box

| width = auto

| metric first = yes

| single line = yes

| location = Prabost ({{convert|67|m|ft|0|disp=or}} asl, averages 1981-2010)

| Jan high C = 6.4

| Feb high C = 6.8

| Mar high C = 8.2

| Apr high C = 10.8

| May high C = 13.9

| Jun high C = 15.5

| Jul high C = 16.8

| Aug high C = 16.8

| Sep high C = 14.7

| Oct high C = 11.7

| Nov high C = 8.7

| Dec high C = 6.7

| Jan mean C = 4.0

| Feb mean C = 4.1

| Mar mean C = 5.3

| Apr mean C = 7.3

| May mean C = 10.0

| Jun mean C = 12.0

| Jul mean C = 13.7

| Aug mean C = 13.6

| Sep mean C = 11.6

| Oct mean C = 8.9

| Nov mean C = 6.3

| Dec mean C = 4.2

| Jan low C = 1.6

| Feb low C = 1.5

| Mar low C = 2.3

| Apr low C = 3.9

| May low C = 6.1

| Jun low C = 8.5

| Jul low C = 10.5

| Aug low C = 10.4

| Sep low C = 8.5

| Oct low C = 6.2

| Nov low C = 3.8

| Dec low C = 1.7

| year low C =

| Jan rain mm = 211.2

| Feb rain mm = 158.2

| Mar rain mm = 160.4

| Apr rain mm = 93.9

| May rain mm = 79.2

| Jun rain mm = 81.4

| Jul rain mm = 106.7

| Aug rain mm = 129.3

| Sep rain mm = 169.6

| Oct rain mm = 209.2

| Nov rain mm = 209.3

| Dec rain mm = 197.8

| rain colour = green

| unit rain days = 1 mm

| Jan rain days = 21.8

| Feb rain days = 18.5

| Mar rain days = 21.1

| Apr rain days = 14.7

| May rain days = 13.8

| Jun rain days = 14.4

| Jul rain days = 16.5

| Aug rain days = 17.6

| Sep rain days = 19.0

| Oct rain days = 23.3

| Nov rain days = 21.9

| Dec rain days = 20.7

| year rain days =

| Jan sun = 34.2

| Feb sun = 61.1

| Mar sun = 93.0

| Apr sun = 138.6

| May sun = 195.9

| Jun sun = 155.9

| Jul sun = 128.6

| Aug sun = 115.2

| Sep sun = 97.5

| Oct sun = 68.7

| Nov sun = 37.7

| Dec sun = 34.0

| year sun =

| source = Met Office{{cite web |url=https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gf5wbt9v5 |title=Skye: Prabost UK climate averages |publisher=Met Office |access-date=25 January 2020 |archive-url=https://archive.today/20200125093910/https://www.metoffice.gov.uk/research/climate/maps-and-data/uk-climate-averages/gf5wbt9v5 |archive-date=25 January 2020 |url-status=live }}

}}

Portree shale is a geologic association in the vicinity of Portree, the existence of which is linked with potential petroleum occurrences of commercial importance.C.Michael Hogan, (2011) [http://www.eoearth.org/article/Sea_of_Hebrides?topic=49523 Sea of the Hebrides]. Eds. P. Saundry & C.J.Cleveland. Encyclopedia of Earth. National Council for Science and the Environment. Washington DC.

File:Harbour at Portree.jpg

{{Reflist}}

{{commons category|Portree}}

{{Skye}}

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Category:Towns in Highland (council area)

Category:Populated places in the Isle of Skye

Category:Fishing communities in Scotland

Category:Geological type localities

Category:Parishes in Skye

Category:Parishes in Inverness-shire

Category:Populated coastal places in Scotland