Trotternish Ridge

The Trotternish Ridge runs the length of the northernmost peninsula of the Isle of Skye, a near-continuous escarpment stretching around 30 kilometres from Portree to Staffin. Formed by one of the largest landslips in Britain, the ridge is famous for its bizarrely sculpted pinnacles, hidden plateaus and sheer basalt cliffs that drop away to the green farmland and sea below.

Two sections are particularly celebrated. The Old Man of Storr, a 50-metre rock pinnacle near the southern end, is one of the most photographed landmarks in Scotland and reached by a well-trodden path from the car park on the A855. Further north, the Quiraing offers an otherworldly landscape of tilted blocks, hidden tables and steep grass terraces, with a popular circular walk that traces the cliff base before climbing on to the plateau above.

Between these highlights the ridge is quieter but no less spectacular, with summits such as Hartaval and the Storr itself offering long views across the Inner Sound to the mainland mountains. Walkers should come prepared for sudden weather changes; the ridge is exposed and the ground often boggy. Stagecoach bus services along the Trotternish loop from Portree provide public-transport access to the main trailheads.