Fingal's Pinnacles
To follow up our nerdy, best Saturday, we lined up a challenging short walk to round off our weekend on the Isle of Skye. Saving a couple of the more famous walks for our visit next month, we head to the northern end of the Quiraing to hike to Fingal’s Pinnacles.
To Fingal's Tomb, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
We are the only car in the carpark and it is a treat to do a walk on our own, on this perhaps most popular of the Scottish tourist Isles.
Path to Fingal's Tomb, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
The path starts by rounding past two small Lochans to our left, walking towards the impressive cliffs of Leac nan Fionn, or Fingal's tomb.
Fingal's Tomb, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
Winding up the muddy, heather-edged path, the vista of the Quiraing to the left and Fingal’s tomb to the right is excellent encouragement up the hill.
Reflect-a-Loch, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
We reach an impossible fence that runs from high up at Fingal’s tomb, down into the valley, through the Lochan and up over the rolling hills into the distance towards the coast.
Impossible Fence, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
Over the fence and around a corner, we have climbed to where the path is almost level with the base of the stone that shoots upward to form Fingal’s Tomb.
Looking back over the coast, the clear day means we can see the almost magical sight of snow-capped mountains from the mainland Scottish highlands peaking above the sunlit hills of the northern Quiraing.
Lit Highlands, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
Quiraing View, Isle of Skye
Here the path ends, but we push on up the steep, grassy hill to the right toward a drystone wall at the summit of the saddle by Fingal’s tomb.
Grassy Stonewall, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
The view from this wall down across the Quiraing over the coast is particularly atmospheric on the sunny late-winter day.
Sun Quiraing, Isle of Skye
From here, there is no path around the base of Fingal’s tomb, but we keep it close to our right and follow the sheep track through the grassy saddle and into a basin.
Drystone, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
We thought we heard voices in the basin and look back to see many people walking along the clifftop of the Quiraing. Then testing it out, the basin has a thrice echo so it could’ve been us talking loudly amongst ourselves.
Saddle, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
Rocky Level, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
Working through the basin, the next marker – another drystone wall- appears and we head towards it, avoiding the bog of the saddle.
Cliff Wall, Trotternish Ridge Isle of Skye
As we reach the wall, the cliffs to the left tower above us, and once over the wall, Fingal’s Pinnacles fill the valley below us.
Fingal's Pinnacles, Isle of Skye
From a quick glance they could be the ruins of a once magnificent castle, but they are a natural, volcanic feature of the green grassy landscape.
To the Pinnacles, Isle of Skye
Winding down a steep grassy path, we make it in amongst the jagged and tall pinnacles, many could be easily climbed if we had more time.
Fingal's Fingers, Isle of Skye
The last part of the walk, leaving the tremendous cliffs and magic pinnacles behind us, is a bit of a drag. Down a steep, pathless, tussock and heathered hill, we try and follow the path of the sheep we scare out of our way.
Fingal's Ridge, Isle of Skye
If there is a simple way to come down this hills, we didn’t find it, and after a long steep walk, we make it back to the original path and head quickly back to the car.
Rainbow, Isle of Skye
This walk was a brilliant one, for its vistas, unexpected solitude and off-path challenges. It was a big ol’ cherry on top of our excellent weekend on Skye and I can’t wait to head back to discover more dinos and walk many more well-trodden paths.
