The Quiraing on Skye is the northernmost part of the Trotternish ridge, located below the summit of Meall na Suiramach. The ridge extends for almost 20 miles along the length of the Trotternish peninsula and whilst the west side is broad and grassy, the east side has been subject to a number of massive landslips, which has created a spectacular series of cliffs and rock features. The full walk along the ridge is a major undertaking, requiring 2 days and overnight camping, however the Quiraing can be visited very easily as the minor road between Staffin and Uig climbs over the ridge at this point and there is a massive pay and display car park at the top of the pass. Massive though this car park is, it can become full during the height of summer, so at that time of year it is best to visit early in the day.

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Location and Parking

Post Code: IV51 9LB

To reach the Quiraing, take the A855 north out of Portree and follow this for 18 miles to Staffin. The village is strung out along the A855, but after Staffin Bay comes into sight, there is a sharp bend to the north, which is where the minor road signposted to the Quiraing and Uig branches off. Follow the road up to the top of the pass to the car park.

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The Quiraing

From the car park, an obvious path leads north towards the main features of the Quiraing, however even from the car park there is a good view of the area and the road below.

From the path  north towards the cliffs, there are good views to the south, where the hill of Cleat stands out against the next summit south Boda Buidhe. As the ridge faces east, the views look best in the morning, however when we visited in March, the morning views were into the sun, so not ideal.

The Quiraing Rowan Tree

A short distance along this path is the famous Quiraing Rowan tree, reputed to be the most photographed tree in Scotland. It grows in a small gully, so there is only room for one photographer at a time, so you may have to wait your turn for a shot.  The path here skirts above some cliffs, offering more compositions of the view south.

The path continues towards a series of rock features below the main cliffs, the most noted being The Prison, The Needle and The Table. Sadly time did not allow us to explore further, so another visit is definitely required.

The Quiraing From Below

The road up from Staffin passes a small cemetery where it is also possible to park the car for a view of the cliffs above. This is not the ideal viewpoint, however when we visited it was made more interesting by a sudden downpour of hailstones, which transformed the landscape.

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