Scotland turned out to be an adventure with a close friend that I’ll never forget. This trip was born from the idea of seeing the dramatic landscape that I’d only ever seen in movies. Do you remember *Prometheus*? It’s a sci-fi movie that came out in 2012. One of the most powerful scenes from that movie is set on a cliff called “The Old Man of Storr” on the Isle of Skye. In short, the legend tells of a giant who was turned to stone, and this 50-meter-tall cliff is his thumb. There are many legends in the mysterious Scottish Highlands, and this is just one of many mythical places and tales.
The hike would take us from the northern tip of the Isle of Skye across a fault line known as the “Trotternish Ridge,” which runs along the “Trotternish Peninsula” on the northern part of Skye and past this rock. This meant we would be hiking along a steep cliff for several days before the small, picturesque village of Portree eventually became our final destination. I had found a website with information about this hike, and since much of the trail is unmarked, it was a great help to have the route in the form of GPS coordinates on a small handheld Garmin GPS that I had with me. Up here, the fog would prove to be just as mysterious as in the movies, and without good local knowledge, it would be easy to get lost.
We began our hike at the northern tip of the island, and as soon as we stepped off the local bus, the Scottish weather welcomed us with rain and strong winds. But after a short break at the monument at the northern tip, we simply set off inland toward the island and its majestic mountain formations. The strong wind died down to absolute silence as we entered the mist-shrouded valley. The landscape and weather conditions proved to be a powerful combination, with both the stillness in the valleys and the roaring wind on the ridges of the fault line.
The rain, wind and soaked marshland were noticeably challenging but once we got away from the coastal country it became almost eerily calm. Like stepping into a fairyland of fog. Here it was as if time stood still and if it had not been for a few sheep, you would have thought that it was completely deserted.
In the valley before we were going to start the hike out on the big ridge where the fault grows to several hubndrm steep cliff on one side, it was very calm. We had a number of days ahead of us and it was a bit uncertain about where to pitch a tent and how difficult it would be to hike with a full pack of over 20kg in these mountain passes.
Camping in the valley on the first night was fairly calm, but eventually we would feel the wind up on the ridge, where in some spots you could even lean your body into the wind. Camping in those conditions was truly a challenge. We had a sturdy Hilleberg two-person tent that still made us feel safe despite the furious wind up on the ridge.
The changing weather made this hike very special. We walked in that dense fog that you mostly only see on film and then step out of the cloud cover and watch the landscape open up with views that make you get goosebumps. We could see far out over the ocean between the clouds and the low-lying landscape below. The hike went up and down and along the ridge the climb ranged from 400 m.a.s. to nearly 800 m.a.s. at its highest points. With heavy backpacks that you don't normally have on mountain tours and the harsh wind made it quite a challenging hike but we paused and found shelter at regular intervals. To purify the water, we used chlorine tablets or boiled it. There were sheep everywhere so we could not be sure of clean water in the streams that we filled up with water.
Getting a hot cup of coffee and food was very refreshing. It is important to ensure that you do not expose yourself too much in the wind and wearing windproof clothing with tight-fitting collars and hoods allows you to sit and eat even in harsh winds.
After a peak like this one, it was down and up again to the next one, more elevation gain and more descent; yes, there were new peaks all the time. Hiking along a ridge like this is a fantastic experience. You get to see the next section bit by bit, and it’s exciting the whole time.
The views were breathtaking, and we were practically alone on the trail the whole way. A few select lookouts were accessible from a parking lot below. We saw a few people there, but for the most part we were alone up in this majestic landscape,
Suddenly, we came upon that incredible rock formation, “The Old Man of Storr,” and it really was a unique place. I understand why it fit perfectly in a movie like Prometheus, since this entire landscape is like a world of its own from another time. The sheer size of the rock formation can’t be captured properly in a photo, and of course I would have loved to have had a drone for this spot, but it would be many years before I started using them for photography.
After a few days of rain, wind, and strong gusts, the final day of the march toward the small village of Portree brought bright sunshine and fairly warm weather.
We were approaching the fishing village of Portree, and you could tell by the sea below us during the final stretch.
It was really nice to finish off with a shower at a bed&breakfast in Portree before heading out to round off the evening with a pint at the pub in true English style.
This adventure was one of my earliest hikes and still ranks high on my list of memorable experiences. You can tackle this kind of hike without being overly experienced. With a few key preparations, an awareness of your own limitations, and an understanding of the season, it’s relatively straightforward. If you’d like to know more, take a look at my preparation guide.
