Skye Trail: Along the Trotternish Ridge

Thursday 2nd June 2022

Once again I woke to gorgeous views and sunshine, but this time there were no midges as I was in Portree, the largest town on the Isle of Skye, and before catching a bus I took the opportunity to briefly walk around the area. Straight out of the youth hostel I was confronted by tremendous views across Loch Portree towards the distant Cuillin Hills with the sharp peak of Sgurr nan Gillean arresting my attention. Turning left I followed the coastline on a narrow path around the Lump, Sròn a’ Mhill, that was a delicious treat before getting onto a bus that took me back to the Storr where I had left the Skye Trail the day before. Unfortunately I was not alone as the Old Man of Storr has become very popular in recent years so there is now a large car park and wide paths lead the tourists up the hillside. Initially I followed the crowds, but soon diverted off the direct path to approach the Old Man of Storr from the south and pass between the tall pinnacle of rock and the mountain. The Cuillin could still be seen in the distance, but my attention was centred on the awesome rock scenery all around me caused by ancient landslides that have produced a fabulous landscape and can be seen in many feature films. Tearing myself away I headed north below the escarpment following a level path that crosses the northern slopes of the Storr above Coire Scamadal.

When this path began to descend I decided it was time to come off it onto the north ridge to climb up to the top of the Storr. The route for the Skye Trail on my Harvey Map didn’t recommend visiting the summit, but I felt that it couldn’t be ignored even though I had actually been to the top before. In 2007 I tried to walk along the Trotternish Ridge direct from Portree, which is an alternative route for the Skye Trail, but it involved a long pathless ascent that took me many hours and I do not have fond memories of that walk, so I was looking forward to exorcising those memories. From the top of the Storr I had great views in all directions, but I was particularly sentimental about seeing the Outer Hebrides in the distance, though the best views were south down the Trotternish Ridge, above the Storr Lochs and with the Cuillin Hills lining the horizon. To the north was the bulk of the Trotternish Ridge and my route for the rest of the day, so I set off down the broad western slopes to Bealach a’ Chuirn before climbing steeply up to the top of Hartaval where little violets encouraged me to keep going, which they would do throughout the Trotternish Ridge.

I now had clear views along the ridge in the bright sunshine and the escarpment looked fabulous under the clear blue skies. However, I had heard many scare stories about this ridge including the bad weather that awaits the Skye Trail walker and with my own experience of the ridge in 2007 I had been fearful of this traverse, but instead I had hardly any wind, though it did pick up as the afternoon progressed, and the skies overhead remained clear all day, though rain would later be seen falling in other parts of Skye. The views were awe-inspiring in all directions, not just along the ridge, as to the east I could see all the way towards the mainland and west across the Little Minch was the Outer Hebrides.  Another steep drop took me to Bealach Hartaval, but with the tops now beginning to diminish the next climb was less prolonged and brought me onto the level ridge of Sgùrr a’ Mhalaidh and on to Baca Ruadh. This was followed by a gradual descent to the promontory of Sgùrr a Mhadaidh Ruaidh, which my Harvey Map recommends exploring, presumably to take in the views of the Trotternish Ridge, but I ignored the promontory and bypassed it down a clear path and then up steep slopes to the top of Creag a’ Lain.

While dark clouds and rain could be seen to the west on the Waternish Peninsula, I continued to enjoy sunshine as I descended to the relatively shallow Bealach Leacaich before climbing up Flasvein. In 2007 the constant ups and downs completely wore me out while the hour became very late, the weather worsened and my accommodation in Uig was still many miles away. This time it was much earlier in the day and with the sight of the Hills of Harris before me I was able to keep going over Flasvein and down to Bealach Chaiplin where in 2007 I had turned west across the western ridge of Groba nan Each and into Corrie Amadal. This time I still had many more hills to traverse descending to Bealach Amadal, up to the fabulously rocky ridge of Beinn Mheadhonach and across to the trig point at the top of Beinn Edra. The view from this point was rather depressing as it revealed a long descent down to the lowest point on the ridge so far followed by a steep climb up the hill beyond. However, I was again thankful that I was doing the Skye Trail in a northerly direction even though it is usually done southerly, as I prefer my descents to be gradual and my ascents steep.

By this point in the afternoon the wind had picked up and was particularly strong through Bealach nan Coisichean where I started to tackle the frustratingly long ascent up the grassy slopes of Biodhe Buidhe. Eventually the gradient eased and led me all the way up to the summit where a gradual descent revealed the dramatic Quiraing and at Bealach Ollasgairte, on the only road that passes over the Trotternish Ridge, a packed car park. Since it was now gone five o’clock I decided that it would be best if I put my tent at this point despite hoping that I would reach the Flodigarry Hostel before the end of the day, but that was still several hours away and the Quiraing is too good to rush. Instead I erected my tent above the cliffs opposite the steep peak of Cleat and not far from Dùn Dubh, which was a stunning location to camp. This was a very tiring day, but through stunning scenery in fabulous weather even though it was raining on other parts of Skye. There are a lot of ups and downs on the Trotternish Ridge and it should never be underestimated as any walk along the top will take longer than expected as I found out in 2007 and again on this fabulous walk.

Skye Trail: Through Portree

Wednesday 1st June 2022

Once again on the Isle of Skye I awoke to gorgeous sunshine, stunning views, no wind and loads of midges. Eventually I set off from where I had camped for the night, above the remote settlement of Peinachorrain at the end of the Braes road that overlooks the Narrows of Raasay. My day started with a long walk along this road while enjoying the great views to be seen across the channel to the Isle of Raasay and north to the craggy hill of Beinn Tianavaig, pausing beside the memorial to the Battle of the Braes, which was fought by crofters standing up to the callous and inhuman practices of their landlord. However, by this point I was having problems with my big toe, which had given me pain two days previously on my first day of the Skye Trail, but it had not given me any problems on the second day, mainly because that was largely off-road and on level terrain. My toe hurt most on steep descents and on hard tarmac, so the undulating road was a great trial for me which prompted me to stop frequently to try and resolve the issue. I tried not to let this ruin what was a lovely walk in fabulous weather through gorgeous countryside and eventually the pain eased, and after six and a half miles of road walking and views north towards Portree and the Trotternish Ridge I finally came off the road at the bridge over the Varagill River.

After so many miles of road walking it was glorious to be walking on a footpath again as I made my way beside the Varagill River to Loch Portree while sea pinks decorated the shoreline. Despite increasingly rough ground, not helped by the tide being in, I eventually climbed away from the shore and onto the road that leads into Portree, the largest town on the Isle of Skye. With overcast skies overhead I made my way through the tourist-filled madness of Portree to the start of the short Scorrybreac Trail, which hugs the coastline east of Portree and afforded me with excellent views across Loch Portree. This wonderful path rounds the headland and heads north, but soon climbs away from the shore and I had to leave it as the Skye Trail crosses some farmer’s fields on sketchy paths that brought me to a steep climb up Sròn a’ Bhainne on what I considered to be my first proper hill climb of the Skye Trail. I was rewarded for my effort with stunning views south towards Beinn Tianavaig with the cloud-covered Cuillin far in the distance and east across the Sound of Raasay all the way to the distant mountains of Torridon on mainland Scotland.

Turning my attention north I beheld the cliff-edge of Creag Mhór where a very faint path, little more than an indentation in the grass, followed the clifftop all the way up to the trig point that sits near the top of Sithean Bhealaich Chumhaing, which is the highest point on this line of hills. Darkened clouds now hung over the Trotternish Ridge while the sun continued to shine on Raasay and I headed down the pathless slopes. It is usual to do the Skye Trail in the opposite direction to how I was doing it, which would be to head south, however I felt that would make this section of the trail very frustrating as height is gained very slowly on featureless grassy hills, whereas I was descending slowly, which is more preferable, and now I had views ahead of me of the Trotternish Ridge. The ground was often boggy, though the sight of the occasional spotted-orchid kept me going for the many miles that seemed to take forever as I slowly make my own way north until finally I reached the end of the ridge at Bearreraig Bay where water pipes plunge steeply down the hillside to the Storr Lochs Hydro-Electric Power Station.

An easy walk along the access road brought me to the main road below the Storr where I waited for a bus that would take me back to Portree. This walk had two very different halves with a frustrating road walk in the morning, though under blue skies, before a ridge walk in the afternoon that started well but deteriorated with the darkening skies into a trek across wet, grassy ground.