Quiraing, Isle of Skye

The strange rock formations were created by volcanic activity some 70 million years ago. Huge flows of lava welled out of fissures and cooled into basalt; its weight proved too great for the softer, more plastic Jurassic rock below, which cracked and slipped. The Quiraing landslip is the largest in Britain.

As you cross the slope from the mountain road, wheatears and meadow pipits flit overhead, alongside alpine and rock plants such as moss campion, mossy saxifrage, and roseroot. Soon, you come to the Prison (a mass of castellated rocks resembling a fortress) and the Needle (a rock stack 120 feet / 37 metres high). Scrambling past the Needle leads into a high grassy valley beneath Meall na Suiramach, with panoramic views over dark blue lochans, the green fields of Staffin, the island of South Rona, and the mountains of Wester Ross.

Nearby is the Table — a grassy oval field the size of a football pitch surrounded by rock towers and pinnacles, historically used for hiding cattle from raiders and more recently as a film and commercial backdrop (dropped in by helicopter).

The final section retraces your steps back to the car park. Note: This area can become very busy in summer, and over-parking has caused serious problems, so please plan your visit with consideration.

Acknowledgment: Text derived from the Out and Out Series; Discovering the Countryside on Foot. Pictures courtesy of Wikipedia.