Full Guide to Hiking the Quiraing, Isle of Skye, Scotland

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If you’re looking for epic things to do on the Isle of Skye, hiking the Quiraing should definitely be at the top of that list! The Quiraing is part of the Trotternish Ridge in the north of Skye and was created by a landslip which has resulted in an epic, otherworldly landscape that takes your breath away! This was one of my favourite spots on the Isle of Skye when we visited – the scenery is unbelievable and not to be missed.

This hike is a 6.8km circular loop which returns you to the carpark. You’ll need at least about 2 hours to complete this hike – allow for extra time if you’re bringing a camera, as you’ll definitely want to stop to take photos of the incredible scenery!

This guide to hiking the Quiraing will provide you with a full route summary, as well as information on where to park and where to eat in the area surrounding the Quiraing. Read on for all the information you’ll need to plan your own hiking trip in the Isle of Skye!

Our Experience Hiking the Quiraing

During our five days on the Isle of Skye, we managed to do some hiking, starting with hiking the Quiraing—and what a place to start!

You can take a circular route to hike the Quiraing. It’s fairly moderate to start, with some scrambling over loose rock, making it slightly more difficult.

Starting out, the trail is easy to follow and fairly flat for much of the way, as you start off high up the mountain to begin with. Although the trail does involve a small amount of scrambling over loose shingle and rock at some points, the path is generally easy and safe.

This is a walk you can easily complete in a morning and still have time to head to the pub for a hearty lunchtime reward afterwards. Unless, like us, you stop every 50 yards to take in the views, which are enough to take your breath away. All in all, we spent 2-3 hours hiking the Quiraing as we wanted to take in the beautiful scenery.

Quiraing Route Summary

Start by walking from the car park on a rough path, with the steep grassy slopes to your right and incredible sweeping landscapes to your left. Ahead of you in the distance, you’ll see tall cliffs and pinnacles.

After about 10 minutes of walking, you’ll reach a slightly more challenging section where you need to scramble across a rocky gorge and a small stream.

Keep following the path towards the pinnacles in the distance. Eventually, you’ll climb a loose gravel slope. Look left, and you’ll notice some large rock columns, especially the biggest one called “the Needle.” Soon after, you’ll cross a wire fence using a stile.

Continue along the path with the cliff face to your left and steep grassy slopes on your right. Eventually, you’ll spot more rock formations in the distance as the path dips. The path splits at a small pile of rocks so keep left, close to the cliff face.

The path climbs up towards a stone wall, which you’ll need to cross. The route continues uphill where you’ll need to cross another stile which marks the halfway point.

At the fence, turn sharply left and head uphill along the cliff top, where you’ll have steep drops to the side. But the stunning views from here make this worthwhile, so have your camera ready.

The climb can be muddy and turns into grassy steps. When you reach the summit, you’ll be able to see the a flat plateau, known as the “Table” surrounded by impressive cliffs. You can scramble down to explore the Table, but it’s challenging and I wouldn’t recommend it.

From the summit, you’ll need to follow the path back downhill. The main route moves away from the cliff edge, but if you’d rather keep the better views, stay close to the cliffs—the paths reconnect later.

You’ll pass through a wire fence with a metal gate. The trail crosses steep, grassy slopes and can be wet and muddy in spots. Soon you’ll see the car park below.

The path becomes steeper and rougher as you descend, eventually rejoining the original trail leading you straight back to the car park.

Let me just say that if you’re a photography enthusiast, like a couple of members of our group, make sure to bring your camera with you for this hike.

You will not want to miss out on this opportunity to snap some awesome shots of the mountains, valleys, lochs and hills rolling out to sea. And with the trail being quite high up on the mountainside, you really do get a bird’s eye view of the land below and the mountains beyond.

To make the walk a bit more interesting/difficult, we decided to climb up one of the pinnacles which jutted out from the side of the cliff. And it also made for some pretty great photos.

This section was found close to the ‘Needle’ and you have to scramble over loose rock to get to the top. I wouldn’t recommend this if you’re unsure on your feet or scared of heights, but the views from the top were incredible.

The Quiraing trail was fairly quiet when we visited, and as you’ll see from the photos, we mostly had the place to ourselves, which was surprising given that the car park was so busy when we arrived. This is one of those places that, despite the influx of tourists and rise in popularity in recent years, the Isle of Skye still feels untouched, rugged and a million miles from civilisation.

Parking at the Quiraing

There is a small car park situated at the start of the trail (location here) that has recently been upgraded and now fits more cars but it will get busy during summer months, so arrive early to get a space.

When we visited, there were many cars parked on the grass verges, but this is strictly prohibited. The car park was also free when I visited but you now have to pay £3 for 3 hours or £5 for 6 hours.

Facilities and Amenities

Other than a small food truck called The Teapot located in the Quiraing car park, there are no facilities or amenities, such as cafes, restaurants or public toilets in the vicinity of the Quiraing hiking trail, so you’ll need to bring refreshments.

However, you’ll find a shop in Brogaig called Mackenzie Stores, which is approximately a 5-10 minute drive from the Quiraing Car Park. There are also a couple of restaurants a short drive away, called The Hungry Gull and Columba 1400, in nearby Staffin, if you want a bite to eat after your walk.

Things To Do Near The Quiraing

If you’re in the Quraing area and want to explore the Isle of Skye a little more after your hike, check out these local beauty spots, all within a 10-20 minute drive of the Quiraing.

• Bioda Buidhe
• An Corran Beach – a beautiful local beach where you can see Jurassic dinosaur footprints in the rocks
• Kilt Rock – a stunning waterfall viewpoint along the coastline
• The Brother’s Point – incredible views out to a peninsula and more dinosaur footprints!
• Staffin Museum – a small museum packed with fossils.
• Old Man of Storr – I strongly recommend you hike the Old Man of Storr at sunrise!

Frequently Asked Questions