The Quiraing and Meall na Suiramach.

Start. Quiraing car park.

Route. Quiraing car park - The Prison - The Needle - Fir Bhreugach - Meall na Suiramach - Creag Loisgte - Maoladh Mor - Quiraing car park.

Notes. The Trotternish Ridge has got to be one of the most awesome landscapes in the British Isles, almost supernatural, tolkienesque in appearance with teeth of rock gnawing at the sky. I could waffle on for pages about the geology of the ridge but to compress millions of years into a few words it's one massive landslip, the backbone of Trotternish stretching from Portree in the south to Flodigarry in the north, almost twenty miles of mind blowing scenery. We were lucky enough to be staying in a small cottage in the shadow of this awesome landscape, so had to walk it even though we’ve had the pleasure before.

The slice of the ridge we intended to walk this day was the Quairaing, a portion of the ridge littered by rock architecture that draws thousands of visitors a year to the Isle of Skye. And just to make things a little easier there’s a car park above a breech in the cliffs at the 850ft contour on the Staffin to Uig fell road. Things have changed since our last visit, the parking area has grown considerably, and seems to have sprouted pay and display machines everywhere, the path is now wide with a surface of loose gravel at the offset, but the views remain the same. We turned our backs on the people as we headed into the fearsome landscape of The Quiraing (pillared enclosure).

With walls of rock rising to our left we wandered on, passed the cliffs of Maoladh Mor before reaching the first impressive feature, The Prison a wedge of rock with cliffs on one side and steep grassy slopes on the other, it does bear an uncanny resemblance to a Medieval Keep. Near by The Needle, a slender 120ft high pinnacle of rock guardian of a steep scree path, this disappears between teeth of rock emerging at The Table a grass topped platform almost totally flat, we ignored this hoping to view it from above later.

The path continued along the base of the cliffs carrying us into a high valley, on we strolled through a gate in a dry stone wall then on to a path junction. The path to the right descends to Flodigarry, our way was left, when the cliffs turned right we joined a narrow trod on the left, a sharp climb followed to a stile accessing the steep slopes of Meall na Suiramach.

Up we went every step presented us with extensive views, the path clung to the edge of precipitous drops, just before reaching a large cairn we turned west, a faint path then guided us to the summit where we stood soaking up an extensive panorama. West over Loch Snizort to the Waternish Peninsular, north the Outer Hebrides melted into the horizon, to the west Raasay and Rona backed by the mountains of Applecross on the mainland, and finally the stunning roller-coaster ridge of plunging cliffs and cathedral like spires rising from a landscape of peat bog and tiny lochans sparkling like diamonds in the Autumn sunshine.

After spending an age at the summit we made our way to the large cairn mentioned above, the descent started here. First across Creag Loisgte followed by Maoladh Mor, the ground between the two was boggy but that was nothing to what was about to come. After passing through a gate the path turned left plunging straight down the hill side, loose, slippery, washed out and dangerous, people ascending were turning back. Using a combination of hands, feet, knees and backside we made it to the car safely. Would we do it again, of course we would.

view route map.

home.

The Staffin to Uig fell road an awesome ribbon of tarmac, looking to Loch Leum na Luirginn and Loch Cleat.

Tolkienesque in appearance, keep an eye open for hobbits and orcs, I'm looking to Cleat with cloud capped Beinn Edra behind.

Magnificent scenery of the Trotternish Ridge, Dun Dubh and Druim an Ruma seen from the path into The Quiraing.

Seen from the reassuring path guiding us in, the massive cliffs of Creag Loisgte with the pinnacles of The Prison to the right.

What a view, the island of Raasay backed by the mountains of mainland Scotland.

Take five and enjoy the view, we've left the crowds behind and are now drifting through a landscape of awe-inspiring beauty.

Sue ascends to The Prison.

From the coll between The Prison and The Needle incredible views to a distant Storr.

Staffin Bay backed by a saw toothed skyline of blue/grey mountains.

Looking to the cliffs and spires of Sron Vourlinn.

Views over Coire Mhic Eachainn taking in a small group of islands including Lord Macdonald's Table and Fladaigh Chuain, across the horizon the hills of Harris.

From the slopes of Meall na Suiramach stunning views over Staffin to the island of Rona.

High on Meall na Suiramach looking along the cliffs of Sgurr Mor to the mountains of Harris and Lewis.

From the summit of Meall na Suiramach wonderful views over the Little Minch.

Loch Snizort and the Ascrib Islands backed by Waternish as seen from the summit of Meall na Suiramach.

The summit Meall na Suiramach.

Near the summit of Meall na Suiramach enjoying alluring views over the dramatic rock architecture of the Trotternish Ridge.

Soaking up the view over Loch Sinizort, looking to the two flat tops of Macleod's Tables North (right) and South (left).

Far below our feet Staffin with it's bay and island.

Above the cliffs of the Quiraing looking to Eilean Flodigarry.

The Table with teeth of rock reaching skyward.

Sue soaks up views south along the Trotternish Ridge.

From the boggy slopes of Maoladh Mor awesome views down the spine of Trotternish, from front to back, Bioda Buidhe with Cleat to the left, further back Beinn Edra, back a bit more Flasvin and on the far horizon The Storr.

Looking down on Dun Mor with Staffin Island lurking behind.

Looking to the shear cliffs, steep grassy slopes and pinnacles of The Quiraing.

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