SKYE HIGH ON THE QUIRAING PART 2
20th September, 2015
As we head along the pathway into the Quiraing Jonah who is leading in front says quite casually!!!!! there is a tricky bit coming up!-we turn a corner and indeed there is-help! The path gives way to what they call in Scotland -a Burn. This is basically a mountain or hillside gorge where rocks and a stream have carved themselves, as it were, into the craggy hillside. Looking down the hillside falls away quite steeply here and so does the rocky stream which is reasonably wide and has rocks that are Basalt which can be slippy. This juxtaposed with the steep slope is not good for me. I can feel a sense of discomfort and try to disguise the unease. But Mack the dog senses it and runs around in concern. However I do as instructed and follow the footsteps that Jonah has just done and Greg is close behind at the rear. I try not to look down and eventually with help I do make it across. I have discovered since that it is possible to navigate away from the gorge by leaving the path and moving down the slope to walk. But I am glad we did not do that-the vertigo was really challenged here, but with help I did get across and you do feel good when you have achieved the task-but hang on, I was with two mountainers who tell me it will be easier on the way back as we will be walking upwards, I certainly hope so.
There will be another tricky bit towards the end of the walk but all in all the Quiraing is a surreal place to walk with awe inspiring views over the Atlantic and Staffin Bay.
Like The Old Man of Storr, The Quirang has three landmark rock formations. They are The Table, The Prison and The Needles. The Prison is the first one you see and as The Cathedral on Storr does resemble in Caspar David Friedrich style a cathedral so The Prison in its square but rugged shape resembles some sort of building that could be a penetentiary.
We are walking towards the Needles so
CHECK OUT: SKYE HIGH ON THE QUIRANGE 3