Quiraing, an absolute ‘must see’ when visiting the Isle of Skye. As I have mentioned before, in one of the blog entries, I strongly recommend approaching this site from the Uig direction. The car park is relatively small for a place that popular amongst tourists and if you drive from the Kilt Rock direction you will be forced to manoeuvre your car on a steep, narrow road with very few passing points. Personally, I found it very stressful and rather dangerous. Whereas if you chose the other route the terrain is flat, the road is in better condition with a reasonable amount of passing points and there are small parking spaces along the road where you can leave the car and just walk from there. Another option is to sign up for an organised tour which in this case might be a good idea.
Quiraing itself is part of an enormous landslip, formed at the end of the Ice Age, which is still moving. The name derived from an old North Germanic language and means ‘Round Fold’ (Kvi Rand). The footpath starts at the main car park so you definitely can’t miss it. The whole trail is about 4 miles long and leads all the way around the hill. However, most of the visitors, including myself, decide to stick to the first section of the walk, as further down it does get a bit tricky. Make sure the weather conditions are decent when you visit this place.
No matter if you are old or young, fit or unfit, you can still enjoy the main, grand view from the first viewpoint. With a good camera lens, you can get nice shots of the main features and simply take a stroll in this magical scenery. The beauty of Quiraing is that in every season it looks differently, yet equally stunning.
The walk up to the Prison does involve walking a narrow path close to the edge of the hill. However, with the right footwear and basic hiking skills, you should be able to get there without any major difficulties. The problems start when you approach the Needle. From this point you need to know what you are doing as the path starts to be steep and slippery.
I have decided to stay behind and rest, however my friends carried on. Later, when they returned, I was told that I have made the right choice. Still, they were very happy that they had the chance to see the rock formations up close and enjoy the stunning views and unusual landscape. Tired and a bit cold they did find some comfort in the food van parked at the main car park, serving hot soup and coffee.
Now, it was time to get back to the hotel, pack our bags, take a last look at the lovely Armadale Castle and go home. However, this was still not the end of our 4-day Highland adventure…