After a solid 20 days devoid of any drop of rain, except for a quick overnight sprinkle at Dunvegan, it looks like we’re in for a change in the weather. So, we thought we had better head for the hills, because who knows if we’ll even catch a glimpse of them tomorrow.
The Trotternish Ridge is a magnificent escarpment stretching a whopping 19 miles. It was laid down some 60 million years ago, and since then, has been shaped by all manner of glaciers and landslides. Layer upon layer of lava resting on top of older sedimentary rocks from the Jurassic period1Information board at NG 44045 67945..
At the northern tip of this ridge, there’s a generous car park for the Quiraing, sitting conveniently at a height of 249 metres. And this place is no ordinary landscape. It’s another of “Skye’s Iconic Sites” and it is indeed a dramatic spectacle2‘Skye’s Iconic Sites Project’. 2021. NatureScot <https://www.nature.scot/skyes-iconic-sites-project> [accessed 16 June 2023]. There is The Needle, a towering pinnacle that stretches up 37 metres, making your neck crane just to take it all in. Then there’s The Table, a sneaky, hidden patch of flat grass that makes you feel like you are looking down upon a lost world. And finally, we’ve got The Prison—a colossal, concealed hollow nestling beneath a rocky pyramid.
Legend has it that back in the day, in this very hollow, folks used to hide their sheep when danger came calling3MacCulloch, J.A. “The Misty Isle of Skye”. Page 38. Eneas Mackay. 1936.. The sheep would be safe there, with plenty of grass to munch on, and their owners could easily defend them against any troublesome raiders who happen to stumble upon this marvellous hideout.
- 1Information board at NG 44045 67945.
- 2‘Skye’s Iconic Sites Project’. 2021. NatureScot <https://www.nature.scot/skyes-iconic-sites-project> [accessed 16 June 2023]
- 3MacCulloch, J.A. “The Misty Isle of Skye”. Page 38. Eneas Mackay. 1936.
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