When I first started planning this trip, I thought that I might hike the West Highland Way and then head back to the U.S. But then I figured that I would already be here, so I might as well make the most of it. In my research — and casually queries for friends who have been here — one location came up over and over again. In fact, one friend responded to, “What should I do in Scotland?” With “Skye. Isle of Skye. Just – yeah, Skye.”
And after being here for the past 36 hours, I am starting to understand that sentiment.
The journey began from Fort William with a rental car. Driving on the left side of the road has been interesting, made even more invigorating by the complete absence of shoulders. And one-lane roads. And the occasional sheep in the road. Or coo/cow.
I spent the day driving around with a few destinations in mind, but also the willingness to just…be. It’s hard to let go of plans and intentions, especially when I know that there is so much to see. But sometimes being willing to take what comes (rather than force everything in) is the better way to approach the day.
The Quiraing, or Cuith-Raing, was a “priority” destination for me today — I headed there first thing this morning, since the parking lot tends to get pretty busy. The conditions shifted from rainy to sunny and back to rainy, with a spot of wind. And each shift changed the lighting, changed the vibe of the space. And the space already has a lot going on — from pinnacles of rocks to grass-covered plateaus that lived up like waves, each curve of the trail and pass through a bog offers up new views. There were many pauses to just stand in awe. So much beauty packed into a short hike. Years before there was a road leading up to the trails, the locals supposedly used the folds and curves of the landscape to hide their cattle from Vikings.
The Quiraing is part of the Trotternish Ridge — a land formation created by landslides that resulted from lava flows over weaker sedimentary rocks. Years of shifting, glacier movement, and other Jurassic-era types of shenanigans created the lifts, folds, and rock formations that mark the landscape today. Another notable formation is the Old Man of Storr, or An Stòr.
Like my trip around the Quiraing, my experience at Storr was marked by shifting conditions. Mist hung low as I started up…and then I climbed right through. As I made my way to the view point — hiking between the Old Man himself and The Needle — the wind picked up and rain took on a much harsher feel. The landscape can make everything feel a little bit…wispy. It’s no wonder the folk tales that grew up out of this place.
Legend has it that giants once walked this land. This was the site of a great battle between feuding giants. And one of them fell here, on this spot. The landscape eventually closed up around him and left this thumb (or something else) protruding from the earth.
Other legends place responsibility on fairies or brownies. Whatever the source, the Old Man of Storr & The Needle are a site to behold in the mist or when conditions are clear.
