HIKING THE QUIRAING

A quick guide to the Quiraing on the Isle of Skye in Scotland

Where: Isle of Skye, Scotland. Access to the Quiraing is located on a road connecting Uig and Staffin, and can be accessed from either side. It is a single-track road; meaning it is wide enough for just one car. Do not worry though, there are passing-zones every 50-100 meters where one car will pull to the side, allowing another to pass. If you drive mindfully, you will not have any problems.

Parking: The lot is located on the road connecting the towns of Uig and Staffin. Scroll to the bottom of this post to check out the exact location on the map. The lot is small, so it can fill up quickly, but parking is free.

Level of Difficulty: Easy to Medium. The hike alone can be as easy and as short as you like. The best views are at the beginning. However, if you are looking for a bit more of a challenge, just continue on the path to tailor it to your needs.

The Hike: After parking, if you walk approximately 100 meters you are hit with the first stunning view. As the hike goes on, you will see the same scenery from slightly different angles. Some spots along the path become narrow, are rocky, or might be wet from rain. The hiking path is actually a loop, approximately 7 kilometers (4.5 miles) long, and should generally take about 2 hours. However, if you are like me and stop to take a picture every 10 seconds, it may take longer.

Time of day: We would recommend going early, or holding off until after 4-5pm. The parking lot tends to fill up around 10am, but there is usually room somewhere.

Weather: We visited in July, so naturally the weather was unpredictable and ever-changing. If it starts to rain, we would honestly recommend waiting it out. Within 10-20 minutes it will likely stop and some sunshine might even peek through. Around October is when weather might begin to shift and become colder with possible icy conditions, so plan your trip accordingly.

What to wear:Though it is an easy hike, we would recommend wearing comfortable athletic wear and hiking shoes.Don’t forget to bring light layers and a rain coat or poncho.