Old Man of Storr Walk | 5 Miles
This Old Man of Storr walk is a scramble up onto The Storr before bagging The Storr trig point and heading back to the car via the classic view of The Old Man of Storr. It’s a 5 mile circular involving a steep scramble.
Last year we had a trip to the Isle of Skye, and we tried to avoid the crowds wherever we could whilst still exploring the island. We wanted to visit the Old Man of Storr but after looking at the Ordnance Survey map and seeing the nearby trig point we had to go there as well! The Storr is a summit at 719m above sea level which is sits atop an ancient landslide, forming part of the Trotternish Peninsula. It’s most famous for the Old Man of Storr, a pinnacle of rock left over from the landslip.
This walk starts from the car park at the bottom of The Storr which has handy loos. Rather than heading up the hill into the main area for the Old Man of Storr, we headed south along the road for a short while and then picked up a footpath heading up towards the cliffs.
There is a waterfall which flows over the cliffs, and we scrambled up this onto Bealach Beag. There is a faint footpath in places, but it’s definitely a hands-on scramble. If you visit, don’t forget to stop and have a look back at the views over Loch Leathan and towards Bearreaig Bar – they are stunning!
Crossing the waterfall, the path heads to the north-east, following the line of the hilltop around before climbing steeply up to the top of The Storr. There is a trig point at the summit which looks as though someone has had a bite out of it!
From here, we set off down to the north before picking up the path that runs through the main “complex” where you’ll find the amazing rock formations, including the viewing platform for the Old Man. You’ll know when you’re there as it’ll be REALLY busy!
The path winds along the bottom of the Old Man before coming out through a gate (which is where the majority of people will enter the site as it’s the easiest way to see the Old Man of Storr), then down the path and back to the car park.
How Long Does it Take to Walk Up the Old Man of Storr?
This walk is slightly longer as we wanted to avoid the crowds as much as possible, but you can walk from the car park to the Old Man in 2.4 miles (3.8 km), taking approximately an hour.
Why is the Old Man of Storr Famous?
As well as being in a beautiful part of the world with spectacular scenery with amazing landscapes and rock formations, the area has featured in a number of Hollywood films including Ridley Scott’s Prometheus.
What is the Old Man of Storr?
The Old Man is believed to be the remains of an ancient lava plug, made of gabbro which is similar to basalt. Some 50-60 million years ago there was volcanic activity on Skye, forming huge lava flows. These lava flows covered areas of sedimentary deposits, which weakened and slipped, leaving behind the spectacular landscape you see today. There are similar pinnacles of rock at The Quiraing.
Old Man of Storr View Point
You can see the Old Man of Storr from the roadside, but if you want to get the classic view you need to walk into the site and head to the high point marked 504 on the OS Map. This is the best place to see the Old Man of Storr.
The Storr Walk Route Information
Old Man of Storr Trail Map:
Walk Map (Opens in OS Maps): Old Man of Storr Walk
Parking: There is a large car park on the A855, just north of Loch Leathen, Skye IV51 9HX – W3W:/// juggle.scarves.knitting
Facilities: There are toilets in the car park
Walk Time: 3-4 hours but allow more time for exploring
Difficulty: ▲▲▲ (steep climb, rocky and scrambling needed in places)
Distance: 5.1 miles (8.2km)
Trig Points Bagged: The Storr
For more of our Isle of Skye walks, helping you explore the island whilst escaping the crowds, you might like:
Hiking The Quiraing and Meall Na Suiramach Trig Point
Holiday Cottage Near the Fairy Glen, Isle of Skye
We had a week staying at the lovely Sealladh Beinn Edra, which is on the same road as the Fairy Glen. We had a great time – the cottage was in a great location to explore all the amazing sights of Skye and was really comfortable. I’d definitely recommend if it you’re looking for a holiday cottage on Skye.
Leave a Reply