The only way to appreciate the scale of this pinnacle.The only way to appreciate the scale of this pinnacle. Otherworldly and magnificent, the Storr stands proud to the north east of the Isle of Skye. Storr is derived from the Norse word for “Great Man” and according to legend, the Old Man of Storr was a giant who lived along the Trotternish ridge. After he died, he was laid to rest near his home, but his thumb remained partially exposed above ground. This is “The Old Man”.

Located on the crest of Trotternish Ridge, a peninsula in the north-eastern region of the Isle of Skye, the Old Man of Storr is a 160-foot pinnacle rock formation that towers above you and commands the most exhilarating climbs and views. From which ever angle you approach by road, this pinnacle will draw your eye in quickly and entice you to stop, climb the steep slopes and feel the magic.

So enthralling and magical is this place that it has featured in a number of blockbuster films including The Wicker Man (I still have nightmares about this one), Prometheus, and Snow White and the Huntsman.

‘Some bloke with a dog ran past me’

Today I finally had a bit of a lie in as I started Day 4 of my adventure to the North. I peeped through my van window to watch the sun rise, but enjoyed turning over and grabbing a few hours more kip. This was going to be an afternoon adventure and sunset shoot.

This isn’t my first climb up to the Storr. I’ve been here twice before now with one of my visits after a heavy snowstorm. Climbing knee deep in snow was a tough ask, so today, in glorious sunshine and warm air was going to be a little easier. It was t-shirt weather!

T-shirt weather

The car park has had a transformation since my last visit, which is great, but as I climbed to the top, I could see how the erosion from post-pandemic human traffic encouraged by the new facilities had taken its toll. Water running off the ridge was clearly turning into torrents along wide footpaths taking much of the grass and soil with it. Ridges are appearing in the topsoil as the land slips slowly under the increased erosion. It’s a tough one, as the tourism brings money into the local economy, but the erosion is plain to see. That said, after all, it is a slow-motion landslip in action, so a very unstable landscape to begin with.

On my way up I always like to stop and look south toward the Cuillin and grab a few phone shots.

Sat on this stump a few times to catch my breath

The magic of the Cuillin in the shimmer of the midday sunshine

The walk from the car park is quite steep, but initially winds around wide tracks so you can keep moving along catching the views as you ascend. Just below the Old Man it quickly grows steeper and tougher on your legs. Well, my legs anyway, some bloke with a dog ran past me and was on his way back down before I got anywhere near the top.

‘But what luck! Another person appeared’

I was heading past the Old Man and up to a high viewpoint to capture the scene from above. But as always, keeping an eye on the view behind as I climb, and just as I passed beneath the Giant’s thumb, the outline of a human appeared at the base of the pinnacle. I scrambled to grab my camera and grab that first shot. A great start. In a flash he was gone. Thanks Man!

Standing on the shoulders of GiantsStanding on the shoulders of Giants

Standing on the shoulders of Giants

I had a decent climb ahead of me to get above the stacks, so I found a spot to sit and grab a bite to eat. I’m well known for making lunch, including a litre of cool drink, taking it to the top, carrying it back down and eating it back at the van. I do it all the time! But not today. Today I was going to relax and take in the views. It was warm, and I was just wearing a t-shirt in March in Scotland. I’ve clearly been lucky so far as I was expecting at least half my days to be rained off. How long would my luck last?

Bag packed up again and ready for the final climb I stood and surveyed where I had come from and where I was going. I always do that. But what luck! Another person appeared just as I stood up. I quickly changed my lens so I could get a wider shot pulling in the mountains in the background.

The only way to appreciate the scale of this pinnacle.The only way to appreciate the scale of this pinnacle.

The only way to appreciate the scale of this pinnacle.

What perfect light, with the sun coming from my right illuminating the stacks, the almost silhouette of the lady who had bravely climbed to this spot and the pastel colours of the distant mountains. Can it get any better? I was buzzing now.

Lungs full of fresh air the climb began. I met up with a group of youngsters on their way up who gave me a run for my money. I never thought to ask one of them to carry my camera bag for me.

The view from the top is amazing, across the sea to mainland Scotland and down the ridge to the Cuillin and mountains beyond. It really feels like you are on top of the world.

On top of the worldOn top of the world

On top of the world

There was quite a breeze picking up as I reached the top, so having celebrated with the “youngsters”, and spent a bit of time getting my shot, I decided I would do some exploring back down at the stacks and find the best location for when the sun began to get low in the sky.

I retraced my steps and wandered towards the pinnacles and what I call the church organ. It’s a slab of vertical rock that has holes in it making it look a little like a church organ. Well, I think so anyways.

The church organThe church organ

The church organ

Wandering around under the Old Man is quite unnerving. There are warning signs, and you know you are in the middle of a slow-moving landslide. You can see the scars left by very recent rockfalls and some of the boulders coming off the ridgeline above are as big as a truck. I picked my way in and out of the boulders strewn around the site trying to imagine what I would do if I heard a rumble. Run? Hide? Get my camera out?

The giant’s thumbThe giant’s thumb

The giant’s thumb

I think on my next visit I will explore the southern side of the stacks for a few reverse angle shots. Or even go up that path to the thumb. Maybe. But for today I needed to go and find my final location.

The sun was dropping behind the Storr above me now and I could feel the temperature dropping away rapidly. Within 30 minutes I had another 2 layers on and my hood up to keep the icy wind off me. I found a spot halfway back up to the previous viewpoint where I could get the light reflecting off the small lochan at the base of the pinnacles. I could shelter from the wind here and wait for just the right mix of light and shadow before the sun dropped behind the Trotternish ridge.

Stacks - Storr, Isle of SkyeThe majestic stacks and the Old Man of Storr overlook the lochs and bays around Skye.

Setting winter sun at the Old Man of Storr

This image is a panoramic stitch taken from multiple images. Placing my camera in the portrait position and making sure the tripod is absolutely level, I take a series of images from left to right. In this case a total of 8 images. You must make sure that you have everything on manual and set the exposure to the brightest part of the image. Moving the camera from left to right, make sure you have at least 1/3 of the previous image in your next. Practice makes perfect with this technique, and one tip is to try and get any significant focal points in the middle of the frame of one of your shots. In this example I made sure the small lochan and the “thumb” were centre of the relevant frames. Its easier for the software to stitch and you know you won’t have any odd lines or strange aberrations.

Why do this? it means you get maximum pixels across the image and can zoom in on detail or crop to your heart's content.

One last shot of “The cathedral” as the sun disappeared behind the ridgeOne last shot of “The cathedral” as the sun disappeared behind the ridge

One last shot of “The cathedral” as the sun disappeared behind the ridge

Yes, you guessed it! As I grabbed my last image of the “cathedral” as I now named it, two welcome guests appeared at the base of the thumb. Tiny as they are, you can see how magnificent this rock formation is and how humans pale into insignificance. It would have been some great view of the sunset from there I bet.

I hoped for a ray of light to burst through one of the holes in the church organ, but I think I had used up my lucky tokens for one day.

Time to climb back down and grab one more shot as the sun set.

Pastel shades of the mainland mountains as the sun sets on my way downPastel shades of the mainland mountains as the sun sets on my way down

Pastel shades of the mainland mountains as the sun sets on my way down

Black and white shot from high up could be from MarsBlack and white shot from high up could be from Mars

Black and white shot from high up could be from Mars

Another great day and another great climb. Today was to be my last day on Skye before I took the ferry in the morning to the Isle of Harris. I’m not great on boats so was starting to get a little anxious now.

As I climbed down the track to the van, just as I passed the Old Man, my phone in my pocket decided it was going to play a “Made in Manchester” mix from Spotify out loud. Singing at the top of my lungs to the likes of The Smiths, Oasis and Stone Roses I skipped down the path past the late arrivals huffing and puffing on their way up.

Great day in the “sunsheeeeeeine”.