The Old Man of Storr is synonymous with pictures of the Scottish Highlands. Once you’ve seen it you’ll forever recognise it. This easy approach hikes rates very high on the bang-for-buck scale, offering panoramic views of the Isle of Skye.
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Key Details
Distance – 4 Kilometres Return
Duration – 1.5 hours
Elevation – 340 Metres
Difficulty – 6/10
What is the Old man of Storr?
The Old Man of Storr is a striking rock pinnacle made of basalt and the remnants of a 2000 million-year-old volcanic plug. The old Man of Storr came into existence in its current form 60 million years ago as a giant landslide caused by molten lava flowing under the Skye area gave way. This formed what is now known as the dramatic landscapes of the eastern side of Skye.
Today the Old man of Storr is Skye’s most famous day hike, creating a 4 Kilometre out and back loop with ample parking anbd visited by thousands of tourists yearly.
Top Tips to Hike the Old Man of Storr
Arrive Early – This can get busy. Make sure you arrive early to get the
Bring a rain Jacket – I’ve never seen rain anywhere in the world like I have in Scotland. Be Prepared.
Bring a Camera – This is a fascinating vista from the summit. Capture that memory.
Time your Summit – I’d suggest sunrise or sunset. We managed a perfect sunset with an orange glow behind the Old Man.
Don’t climb on the formations – The rock isn’t the highest quality and I’m sure we all want to savour this one.
Old Man of Storr Trail Overview
The trail is very straightforward. An out-and-back trail in open ground, very well signposted from the carpark. You can’t get lost here.
Gear required to Hike the Old Man of Storr
Hiking Shoes – Most will do fine. I use Merrell’s.
Softshell pants – I use Arcteryx.
Base layers (if visiting in winter) – Top and bottom. Only ever use Merino wool. It keeps you warm without overheating.
Sweat wicking top or fleece (if visiting in winter)– It can get quite cold at the top.
Puffer jacket – Lightweight with a stuff sack. Most will be fine. No need to spend loads. This is a safety precaution.
Hard Shell Jacket – I use Arcteryx Beta. This is very important in Scotland.
Where is the Old Man of Storr?
The Storr and the old man of Storr are located in the northern realms of Scotlands Isle of Skye. Approximately 15 minutes north of the isle of Skye’s main township, Portree.
How to get to the Old Man of Storr
Portree is the main access point to the hike. You can get to Portree from Glasgow by car in 5 hours or by train in 6 hours. From there:
Car – The Old Man carpark is approximately 15 minutes north of Portree by car.
Bus – The 57C bus leaves from the centre of Portree about every hour. It will take 15 minutes direct.
Walking – I wouldn’t recommend this one. It’ll take 2 hours and is down the side of the highway.
Parking near Old Man of Storr
There is ample parking at the foot of the hike with room for approximately 100 cars and tour buses. Should you need more, there is roadside parking available.
Best time to visit the Old Man of Storr
The best time to visit is undoubtedly summer. Long days and plenty of sunshine make this a very popular attraction. However, this is also joined by tourists and midgees (flying bugs).
Spring and autumn allow for great shoulder season visits, not yet in full Skye peak season, however, the formidable Scottish rain might make an appearance.
Winter is the quietest time to visit. This is when we were there. However, be prepared to battle some of the elements.
Is hiking the Old man of Storr Dangerous?
Hiking the Old Man of Storr is relatively risk-free. Sure there are some steep stairs at point however if you’re not doing anything stupid, this hike is very safe.
Is it dog friendly?
As you can see by the multitude of pictures of my boy Rufio. The Old Mann of Storr hike is very dog-friendly.
My Experience Hiking the Old Man of Storr
My partner and I spent a few days between Christmas and New Year’s on the Isle of Skye. The weather didn’t play in our favour (I’ve never seen so much rain) and we had to combat 5 hours of daylight a day. However, we were blessed with relatively crowd-free experiences.
We tackled the old man hike after already visiting the Fairy Pools, attempting to jam as much into a day as possible.
Arriving late on the date at around 4 PM we set off from a roadside car park (to the main car park). We took a longer extended loop of the walk which adds around an extra kilometre but offers a few nice views back to Portree.
Being winter as we ascended we started to tackle a few snow and ice patches which our boy Rufio (the dog) loves to slide and roll in.
Approaching the old man formation we came across many people sitting and enjoying the view and maximising the photo opportunities. There are multiple places to enjoy the vista from so feel free to find a seat.
The trail continues uphill for around another 500 metres to a flat lookout above the old man. I’d highly recommend the extra leg. This offers a magnificent sweeping view over the Isle, the Old Man and the ocean. We arrived as a light dusting of snow set in with sunset so didn’t stay long.
A quick 30-minute trip back downhill and we were at our car ready to find our campsite for the night (which you can read about HERE)!!!
If you liked this article feel free to check out my other articles on SCOTLAND or my HIKING GUIDES!
