For a lot of day tripper tomSkye, most of what they see is a quick photo stop around The Storr, Kilt, Rock, Quirang, Fairy Glen – and then a dash to the Fairy Pools. This peninsula is so much more.
There is too much for one day so you are going to have to be selective or take Trotternish in several chunks, according to weather and mood.
Portree is 45 minutes from Varis by car on a good day and longer with slower traffic in the summer. The Totternish peninsula is found by either following signs to Uig A87) which take you clockwise or by following signs to Staffin (A855). Let’s go Widdershins.
The Storr
As you leave Portree, your eye will be drawn to the ridge on your left with the fantastical spires of The Storr. This will make our first stop. Just after you pass the Storr lochs, the large paid car park for the Storr is on your left. Put your walking boots on: fetch out those walking poles and set off. The first part of the path is a well made track through recently felled woodland (being replanted as a mixed native woodland). Looking back and taking a breather as you walk up are wonderful views over Rassay and Rona to Applecross and Torridon. You are looking at about 200m of rise over 1.5km horizontally for this section.
Once the well made track runs out, the path rises steeply from 350m to 420m above sea level. Treat this as a staircase, again taking breaks as needed and you will fairly quickly find yourself below the pinnacles. Routes then flatten out so you can explore the base of the pinnacles, including the Old Man of Storr. Allow 3 hours to get up to the pinnacles and explore. If you are young and fit you can do this in less but why hurry? Energetic people and those wanting the most spectacular photographs will continue onto the ridge above and The Storr (709m above sea level): see more details at Walk Highlands : The Storr
Food and drink options include Storr View Coffee at The Storr car park, stocking up on delicious pies at the Skye Pie Cafe, Culnacnoc, IV51 9JH) or have lunch at Columba 1400 Staffin IV51 9JY or The Hungry Gull at Staffin Hall IV51 9JS
Staffin Dinosaur Museum
While you are in Ellishadder, call into the Staffin Dinosaur Museum for an overview of the geology and palaeontology of the area.
Kilt Rock
The Kilt Rock and waterfall is the next stop. Just look out for signs to the right for the large parking area. The rock and the waterfall are best in the morning light.
Staffin Beach
At Staffin, at low tide, you have an opportunity to hunt to dinosaur footprints for yourself. You will seen what you are looking for at the Staffin Museum or at the Kilt Rock. Head towards the slipway and look on the beach rock pools by the point opposite Staffin Island.
Quirang
Carry on through Staffin and look out for a signpost to Uig. Take this road which runs up the ridge in a series of hairpin bends and stop at the top. In the parking area. Please do not park on the fragile vegetation. Take in the views or better follow the path to explore the Quirang. You start so high that even if you do the full walk http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/skye/quiraing.shtml you only have 340m of accent over a 7km walk but you will need 3 to 5 hours to complete.
This is however proper hill walking and paths (except the low route direct to the rock formations) may be just grassy tracks so make sure you are properly equipped. The low track is well trodden and, apart from crossing a rocky gully, is straightforward. Walking boots for ankle support and walk poles really help and there will be muddy and boggy bits.
Souterrain and Skye Museum of Island Life
From here, you are going to continue across the peninsula but at the top, rather than dropping down to Uig, turn right towards Kilmuir. There are great views across to the Western Isles but look out for the Kilvaxter Iron Age Souterrain on the right at NG389696. There are information boards but plan (except if it has been very wet) on crawling into the souterrain so take a torch and wear a pair of trousers than you donot mind getting muddy.
Beyond this is the Kilmuir Blackhouse Museum http://www.skyemuseum.co.uk This cluster of traditional blackhouses gives a glimpse into early farming life that was common throughout the islands and Highlands where people worked together to fulfil their own needs: a mindset that continues. The small entry fee is well worth it.
A short walk from the museum car park is the Flora MacDonald Monument and Kilmuir Cemetary with a ruined 16th century church, Flora’s grave. And interesting the grave of Lee Alexander McQueen CBE, the noted fading designer. Bet the Knight Templar buried here didn’t expect that!
There is lots more to see in the small corner of Skye
- DUNTULM CASTLE was the seat of Clan MacDonald of Sleat in the 17th century. It now stands in ruins and is a scheduled monument. Below the remains of the castle, in Score Bay, you can see the largest track way of dinosaur footprints ever found in Scotland. Discovered in 2015, it has been referred to as a ‘DINOSAUR DISCO’, located on the central mud spit when looking out to sea with the castle on the right hand side.
- LOCH SNEOSDAL CIRCUIT WALK (Not suitable for cycling): This up to 5m/8km-length circuit walk leads up the lower hills, over traditional grazing and peat cuttings to a hidden Loch with impressive cliff overhangs. It can be very boggy in places, but offers spectacular views both inland and over Kilmuir to the Outer Hebrides.
- CAMUS MOR BAY: At the shoreside, looking out over the Minch to An T-Iasgair and the Outer Hebrides beyond. From here you can walk over the headland and to the Neolithic Dun Liath Fort. Along the ridge you can also see the Cairn Liath chambered cairn. Just along the coast from here is where Bonnie Prince Charlie is said to have landed on the “Misty Isle”. There are picnic benches located here.
- DUN BORNESKITAIG BROCH AND CAIRN: A ruined Iron Age broch, possible remains of a pre-historic fort.
- NORTH VIEWPOINT: Excellent views along the northern coast towards Duntulm Castle Ruins and Rubha Hunish, the Northern tip of Skye. The cliffs are a popular nesting sight for seabirds. On the other side it looks out over the Minch towards Lewis, Harris, Uist (listed from North to South).
- IRUINED CHURCH of Borneskitaig dates from 1810. It was destroyed in the 1930s due to a storm. Famously used as an album cover. On the upper inner walls you can see drawings in the plaster.
Castle Ewen or the Fairy Glen – please not!
Most tours would then direct you to the Fairy Glen or Castle Ewen. And this has increased in popularity of recent years, perhaps due to a few seconds appearance in Outlander.
But the weight of visitors is severely threatening this place. It was delightful a decade ago and I fear it just being turned into a sea of mud. So I’m going t9 suggest you don’t go as the most respectful thing for the crofters and farmers whose land this is. Please look at 10 years of erosion in the above images.
You are then 20km from Portree with a drive looking across to the Waternish peninsula across Loch Snizort.
More information on the very special east coast of Trotternish and its geology, fossils, wildlife, mining, farming and history from the virtual museum at SkyeEcoMuseum.
