We started the morning with breakfast at the AirBnB and killed a little time hoping the weather might clear up a bit. It is Scotland and it rains here … a lot. But that’s what waterproof shoes and rain gear are for! Rain or shine, we are taking in the Old Man of Storr today. Similar to the Fairy Pools, the Old Man of Storr is free to visit other than a small fee for parking. Arrive early as this is the busiest attraction on the Isle of Skye, welcoming more than 220,000 visitors each year, and the 140  vehicle car park fills up quickly. 

The Old Man of Storr is a 55 meter high pinnacle of basalt rock on the Trotternish Ridge. The walk/hike covers a distance of 3.8 km (roughly 2.4 miles) and uses the same path out and back, starting and returning at the car park. During the walk, visitors pass through multiple gates and should be sure to properly close and latch the gates behind you. Stick to the path and mind your footing, rain and heavy mist makes the path muddy and rocks more slippery. There is always a danger of rock slides in the higher areas so be mindful and stick to the path. The Isle of Skye webpage says that the average time to complete the walk is one hour and fifteen minutes with no stops. That being said, don’t believe the signage that describes this as ‘moderate’ or of ‘average difficulty’ because the whole bloody thing is steep. (I may well be an out-of-shape American but I maintain this is more than ‘moderate’.) My grumbling and plenty of stops to catch our breath aside, we made it to the mid-point of the walk. 

The mid-point overlook at the Old Man of Storr offers breathtaking views of the area. From here on a clear day, visitors can take in the valley below them and the Old Man of Storr and the Sanctuary above them. It can also be a rather windy spot so hold onto your hat if you are wearing one. The walk from the mid-point to the top becomes progressively more steep and narrow with walkers having to give way to one another to pass. The views at the mid-point are breathtaking and I imagine the views from further up the walk are even more incredible. We decided to turn back at the mid-point due to a heavy mist settling in and the need to have a solid lunch before our next activity of the day. We were able to catch glimpses of the Old Man of Storr just as we were turning back down despite the heavy mist. The return to the car park follows the same path and is considerably faster and easier to navigate as it is all down hill. That being said, be careful to not gather too much speed as a fall here can be a nasty one and you may roll a considerable distance.