A walk to avoid the crowds on the Isle of Skye
In September 2017 I had half a day or so to explore the Isle of Skye during a week-long visit to Scotland. The sunrise in Elgol had been a grey one, so grey you can hardly tell when the sun has risen. Just a blanket of cloud but still a beautiful view across to the Cuillin ridge.
It was a Sunday morning and as I drove north the car park for the Old Man of Storr was already busy. My rough plan was to head for The Quirang car park but having seen how busy the car park was already at The Old Man of Storr and seeing as I’d visited The Quirang before I was much keener to explore something unfamiliar and less crowded. So I carried on past the turning and kept heading north.
Another 5 minutes up the road I noticed the car park at Flodigarry which sits approximately halfway along the landslide landscape of the Quirang. A footpath sign pointed up the hill towards the sheer rock faces higher above and seemed like a good way to see this spectacular landscape from a new perspective.
Heading Out From Vojašnica Pokljuka Leaving behind the Vojašnica Pokljuka sporting facility and car park into the woods. The sporting facility is a large complex with residential facilities and a base of Nordic Walking and Cross Country Skiing. Finding that facility located deep in the woods of the Triglav National Park was a suprise considering how substantial the complex was.
Tiny Lochan and old croft Near The Road
The path was well trodden and weaved its way between the increasingly taller rock pinnacles that define the landscape here. The walk takes you up and down undulations in the landscape with the massive faces of The Quirang ahead growing more present with each step.
As you gradually gain higher ground the view back across The Minch towards the mainland opens up with the silhouettes of the Torridon range lurking in the distance.
Purple heather and sheer faces of the Quiraing in the distnace
The Path Weaves Around The Rocks & Lochs
Towers of Rock Surround The Path
Passing Loch Hasco
The View Back Across To The Mainland
Fascinating Shapes Caused By The Faults and Slips of The Land
The path gets steeper from here on until you reach the base of the main walls of the Quirang. As you look up the height of the wall becomes apparent as you see the tiny outlines of people high above. To the right-hand side a row of pinnacles forms a dramatic wall to the north where I noticed a couple of people slowly making their way along the ridge providing a demonstration of the scale.
Photographing the view back out to the water and mainland
Looking back along the path as you reach the rock face of the Quiraing
A walker exploring the pinnacles of rock above
The path weaving upwards and soon into the wind
The narrow path right under the rock face, exposed to powerful winds
Reaching the base of the main wall you have a decision to make either to head left or right. Left takes you in the direction of that busy car park, right takes you towards the end of the wall and possibly a circular route up to the higher level.
I didn’t have time to do a circular walk but I wanted to check out both directions so initially, I headed to the north where you reach what feels like an arena of rock with a slightly raised pathway tempting you out into the open.
As I loitered here I started to bump into walkers who had headed out from the main car park and enjoyed some friendly chit-chat with people warning of the wind which was around the corner. Given that there was barely any breeze here it was a surprise to hear people mention the strong winds.
After a few minutes pottering about on the three pinnacles of rock I’d seen earlier, I headed back in the other direction walking below the main face of the wall. At some points the path clings onto the steep slope and weaves right up against the rocks, weaving around the sheer faces.
Then within the distance of a few steps suddenly the wind hit. Gusts blasting from the south curving around the wall and seemingly ending up directly head-on to the footpath. Edging along the path every now and then an outcrop of rock would provide a barrier from the wind. Eventually reaching a bridge that crossed fencing the number of people wrapped up in windproofs increased and it became clear the main car park was only a few minutes further along the path.
A jumbled landscape at the base of the cliffs
One of the more rounded outcrops of rock
The last section of path before you round the corner to the familiar side of the Quiraing and join those visiting from the main car park
A view upwards to the pinnacles of rock above
I spent a short time taking in the scale and drama of the surroundings until my neck hurt from looking upwards and the wind drove me back around the corner to take shelter.
It was a great way to spend a couple of hours and get up close to the towers of the Quirang while avoiding the crowds of the main car park and feeling rewarded for walking a little further.
Someone enjoying lunch on the edge of the nearby towers
Walking back down the route I came up and looking back to the mainland
Shot on Fujifilm
X-T2
Flodigarry, Isle of Skye
