The rocks of Trotternish, including the staggering Old Man of Storr, are volcanic. This outcrop of 2,800-million-year-old basalt was carved into its distinctive rocky form by a landslip shortly after the last glaciers retreated.
Its Scots-Gaelic name is Bodach an Stor. ‘Bodach’ means ‘old man’, the male version of the legendary hag, and ‘Storr’ means ‘big’ or ‘giant’. In Celtic mythology, Skye was once the island of warring giants. After a particularly vicious fight, an enormous giant was slain on the Trotternish ridge. Over time, the land came to swallow him up, leaving only a thumb (or in some versions of the story, quite a different body part) protruding from the land.
A 2.6-mile walk on good paths takes you right up to the rocks, but these trails can be subject to bad weather and rockslides, so inexperienced walkers should only venture as far as they feel comfortable.
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Old Man of Storr walk
2.6 miles/4.2km | 313m accent | 2 hours | moderate
The walk begins at the back of the car park beside the A855, following a well-marked trail south. Shortly after a pronounced dogleg in the path, take the left-hand fork.
This path circles around a tiny loch or large pond. There are spectacular views to Loch Leathan below and Trotternish ridge above. Eventually, you’ll intersect with the main path.
Turn right here for a slight detour to a viewpoint, before continuing up the hill. The view of the Old Man of Storr and the ridge dominates the scene as the path becomes more rugged. Expect uneven stone steps and patches of bare ground.
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Take the path as it splits to the left and follow it around Cathedral Rock and the Old Man. This section can get steep, wet and very windy, so some walkers may decide this is enough of a climb and choose to turn back here.
With the sea to your left and the Old Man to your right, the path will begin to descend. The trail becomes more and more defined as it drops down, eventually linking back up with the car park below.
Old Man of Storr map
Old Man of Storr walking route and map
