Hiking the quiraing
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If you’re looking for the best hike to complete during your trip to the Isle of Skye, it’s the Quiraing. It’s a truly unique landscape that combines rocky peaks, grassy fields, streams and cliffs with breathtaking views out over the rolling hills as well as out across Staffin Bay.
The incredible views commence during your drive to the starting point for the hike as you follow the winding roads. It’s like driving in one of those car commercials you see on TV, you know the ones. You’ve got the wide angle shots of the car taking an exhilarating drive along winding coastal roads, mountain passes and open plains. Then, there’s a voiceover saying something like “it’s not about the destination but the thrill of the drive”. Here you’ll get both: a scenic drive to the hike followed by unmatched views during the hike itself.
The Quiraing was my favourite hike I completed during my road trip around the Isle of Skye. I can’t wait for you to experience it for yourself.
This guide will provide you with all the information you need to plan and prepare for your hike.
Table Of Contents
What Is The Quiraing?
The Quiraing is part of a dramatic landscape forming part of the Trotternish Ridge, created millions of years ago by landslides and ancient volcanic lava. If you want to see more of the Trotternish Ridge, you can also hike The Old Man of Storr.
Key features:
The Needle – A tall rock pinnacle
The Prison – Jagged rock peaks that from certain angles look like an old fortress
Sròn Vourlinn – The northernmost point of the Trotternish Ridge
Overview
Difficulty: Moderate
Distance: 6.5km (4 miles)
Time: 3-4 hours (Depending on your pace and how frequently you stop to take photos)
Route Type: Circular loop – this hike starts and ends at the Quiraing Car Park
Optional extension: It’s possible to extend the loop and hike out to Sròn Vourlinn, the rocky northernmost point of the Trotternish Ridge. This will add approximately 1km in distance to your hike.
Location
The Quiraing is located on the Northern end of the Isle of Skye, Scotland.
Hike Details
You’ll begin your hike at the Quiraing Car Park. Crossing the road you’ll find a viewpoint and the start of the path. This area will likely be crowded, especially if there are tour buses parked in the car park. However, you’ll find that most of these people won’t be joining you on the trail, they are there to admire from the viewpoint only and you’ll escape the crowds once you start hiking.
From the start of the path you’ll see that there’s a steep path going up the hill, and a path that tracks along to the side. As the hike is a circular loop, it’s possible to complete it clockwise or anti-clockwise. I completed the hike anti-clockwise and have detailed the route in this direction. Start your hike by following the path to the right hand side.
Follow the trail stretching out to the right of the mountain ridge. 
The junction path at the beginning of the trail.
Approximately 500m along the path you’ll come across the first of a few small rocky streams that you need to cross. You should take it slow with cautious footing to carefully climb across the rocks, steadying yourself with your hands. While I was intimidated at this first crossing, it wasn’t too difficult and the others were easier to cross.
Looking at the map, at around the 1.5km point of the hike you’ll see there’s the option to hike between ‘The Needle’ and ‘The Prison’ or to stay on the cliff line. While hiking, a passing couple recommended taking the outer route and following the cliff line to reach a point where the view of Staffin Bay is beautifully framed between rocky points, so this was the path I followed.
As you continue the path is well defined as you make your way across the slope. You will reach a fence where the path continues steeply up the hill alongside the fence until you reach the wooden platform to climb across.
At around 3.5km the path loops around to the left to start your return. At this point you’ll have Sròn Vourlinn, the northernmost summit of the Trotternish Ridge stretching out to your right and you can decide if you’d like to extend your route to walk out to the edge. If you take this extension, you’ll add approximately 1km to your hike.
For the return, you’ll make your way up the long sleep slope, continuing along the cliff but be sure to keep a safe distance from the edge. At this stage of the hike, I found the paths were very boggy and you should avoid the visibly muddy areas.
The slope continues up to a grassy top. At this point I did struggle to see a clear path at times but followed the cliff edge as it wrapped around to the right and a path trodden in the grass became more visible.
As you make your way down the grassly slope you’ll see the car park come into view. If you lose the path again like I did then you can continue across the grassy field headed in the direction of the car park.
As you reach the fenced edge of the field, you’ll see a gate to pass through and follow the path down.
The path from here to the car park is well defined. Continue following the path down the hill as it turns into some rocky steps. You’ll then pass through a final gate as the path leads down to rejoin the path you started the hike on and return to the car park.
FAQ
What to wear?
It’s best to wear layers of clothing as weather can change quickly. When I hiked in September there was sun, rain and wind. There were times during the hike where I was warm and hiked in a long sleeve top. Then there were also periods where I was rugged up and wearing gloves. Or the times I had to pull on my waterproof trousers and put on my rain jacket.
Are there toilet facilities available?
Unfortunately, there are no toilet facilities at the Quiraing, in the car park or nearby.
How much is parking?
Parking is £3 for 3 hours or £5 for 5 hours.
Where to stay?
I stayed at Staffin Caravan & Camping Site, a 15 minute drive to the Quiraing Car Park.
What is the best time to visit?
The best time to visit would be between the months of May – September. I completed the hike in September.
Is it possible to see the Quiraing without hiking?
Yes, it’s definitely possible to enjoy the views without completing the loop hike. Next to the carpark you’ll find a popular viewpoint with sweeping views perfect for a photo opportunity.
Will I have phone signal during the hike?
You may have limited phone signal during parts of the hike, but some areas will have no coverage at all.
If you’re visiting Scotland from overseas, I’d recommend purchasing an eSim before you arrive. I used an Airalo eSim when I first arrived in the UK and have now used them in 10 different countries. It’s an easy way to access data from the moment you arrive without expensive roaming charges.
Do I need to use trekking poles?
This one comes down to your personal preference. I didn’t use poles for the first half of the hike but I got them out during the second half to ascend the boggy slope. At times, the poles were quite useful just for checking the depth of mud before I chose where to step!
Will there be midges?
Yes, especially in the summer months, you should be prepared for midges (tiny biting insects, commonly found in the Scottish Highlands). I hiked in September and still encountered a few. They didn’t bother me much while moving, but I noticed them when I stopped. So even outside of peak summer, it’s a good idea to bring repellent just in case.
