The Trotternish Peninsula, in northern Skye, stretches from the town of Portree to its end at Rubha Hunish, and is the most extreme point on the island. It contains some of the most impressive scenery in Scotland.
Whether your interest is photography, hiking, fishing, geology, galleries, nature, sports, or just getting away from it all, the Trotternish Peninsula has it all.
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The road up the east side of Trotternish leaves Portree and runs north past Lakes Fada and Leathan. For most visitors, these lakes only serve as the foreground of the main subject of interest. As you drive north, your gaze will be increasingly captivated by the rock formation called The Storr. Its elongated 719 m summit rises above the cliffs. This hill can be seen from miles away. The Storr Hill is suitable for hiking of all levels and is an excellent choice for tourists.
And if The Storr is not impressive enough, at the foot of its cliffs there is a 50 meter high rock tooth. It is the famous Old Man of Storr, so daunting that it was not climbed until 1955. The Old Man is part of this strange Wonderland of rocky landscape and outcrops that lie below the cliffs. It can be reached by popular trails from the main road at the north end of Lake Leathan.
THE LAKE FADA
This area is designated a Special Conservation Area. Lake Fada is a small lake at the southern tip of the Trotternish Range. It is connected by a winding stream to the larger Lochan Lake. The path along the lake is narrow. There are frequent passing places for cars to cross. Some prefer to stop and admire the spectacular scenery. The views from the southern end of Lake Fada north to Old Man of Storr are among Skye's highlights.
KILT ROCK, THE TARTAN OF THE TROTTERNISH PENINSULA
The road to the north-east of the Trotternish Peninsula skirts a coastline marked by a spectacular rocky landscape. Best of all is Kilt Rock. The 60-meter cliffs marked with the tartan pattern by the rocky strata, and a waterfall that falls to the shore.
There are actually two attractions here; one is the waterfall that falls from the nearby lake over the sheer edge of the cliff in dramatic fashion. The second is Kilt Rock, the striking vertical basalt cliff that, if you use a little imagination, resembles the folds of a kilt. There is a fenced-in lookout that offers the only views of Kilt Rock.
LEALT GORGE AND FALLS
Continuing north, there is a place that not all tourists know. The spectacular Lealt Gorge and Waterfall are one of the Isle of Skye's hidden delights. The hidden gorge is under the A855 road about 5 kilometers south of Staffin. For those lucky enough to find that they are just steps away from a natural wonder, there is a small car park. A short walk and you come to a viewpoint from where you can see the depths of the gorge. There, the waterfalls that fall down a steep slope to the bottom of the gorge, very low, are surprising.
THE CASTLE OF DUNTULM
To the north-west of the peninsula, the romantic ruins of Duntulm Castle are perched on a spectacular cliff.
Access to the castle is through a small path from where you can already have excellent views. Duntulm Castle was a possession of the MacLeod clan, but became the main residence of the MacDonalds in 1539. The castle remained in the possession of this clan until in the Jacobite rebellion it was taken by the English crown.
An earlier Iron Age fortress may lie beneath the ruins of the Norse stronghold. The castle is defended by cliffs on three sides, with a 15-meter drop to the rocks below.
Local legend says that Duntulm was abandoned in the early 18th century. A tragedy decided the clan to seek new horizons. It is said that a careless nanny caused the child heir to fall from a castle window onto the jagged rocks.