How To Visit The Old Man Of Storr

The Old Man of Storr is an iconic landmark on the Isle of Skye. To get to the best viewpoint, you need to hike the Old Man of Storr Trail. Here are all the details of the walk, including a map and instructions.

By: Mark Barnes | Last Updated: May 9, 2025 | Jump to Comments

The Old Man of Storr is the most photographed landscape on the Isle of Skye.

Situated on the Trotternish Peninsula, this spectacular 160 ft pinnacle of basalt was left behind after an ancient landslide swept the rest of the hillside away.

Believed to be a volcanic plug, today it is just one element in an array of fantastic geological features set between a dramatic cliff face and the sea.

There are several places to get great views, but the most iconic are from the Storr Lookout Point, which is at the end of the Old Man of Storr Trail.

Hiking the trail takes about 90 minutes round-trip, but it is well worth the effort as the views are magnificent.

We visited late one afternoon, just as the clouds rolled in. We had to rush to beat the incoming gloom, nevertheless, it was a great sight and one of our favourite things to do on the Isle of Skye.

In this guide, we provide maps and instructions for walking the Old Man of Storr Trail and tips on how to get the best views from the Storr Lookout Point.

At the end of the post, we suggest another excellent viewpoint, which few people take the time to stop at.

Table of Contents show

OLD MAN OF STORR TRAIL OVERVIEW

The best views of the Old Man of Storr are from the Storr Lookout Point. The lookout is at the end of the Old Man of Storr Trail.

Start & End – Old Man of Storr Car Park
Distance – 1.5 miles each way (3 miles return)
Time – 1 hour 45 minutes round trip
Elevation – 1,130 feet ascent and descent
Difficulty – Medium

The hike to the lookout is a steady slog straight up the side of a hill and takes 60 minutes.

The return to the car is along the same path, but it’s downhill, so it only takes 45 minutes, bringing the round trip to about 1 hour 45 minutes.

We took lots of photos and sent our drone up from the viewpoint, which meant the total visit took about 2 hours.

The path is mainly stony and straightforward, although the middle section can be rocky and sometimes muddy after heavy rain.

OLD MAN OF STORR CAR PARK

The Old Man of Storr is on the eastern side of the Trotternish Peninsula on the Isle of Skye. The car park for the Storr trail is 7 miles or a 15-minute drive north of Portree on the A855.

The car park is pay and display and, although it’s been enlarged in recent years, can still fill up quickly. There are public toilets and an information desk in the car park.

OLD MAN OF STORR TRAIL INSTRUCTIONS

STAGE 1

The Storr Trail begins on the A855 just south of the Old Man of Storr Car Park and toilets. The newly laid gravel steadily climbs through a forest that has been cut down to remove exotic coniferous trees and encourage native broadleaved species. Until the new ones grow it’s a fairly bleak scene.

Ignore the paths that split off to the left and keep climbing straight up the hill.

After about thirty minutes, the Storr Trail rises out of the dead forest, through a wooden gate, and over the crest of the hill to reveal the Old Man of Storr standing in front of the towering cliffs of the Trotternish peninsula. It’s the first good view of the pinnacle – marked 1 on the map below.

old man storr trail 4 — FIRST VIEWS OF THE OLD MAN OF STORR

old man storr trail 1 — FIRST VIEWS OF THE OLD MAN OF STORR

STAGE 2

The path is now a mix of a laid staircase and a stony path as it climbs towards the pinnacle. Be careful to keep an eye on your feet here as it can be rocky. Ideally, wear shoes with good grip or walking boots.

Ignore a couple of trails splitting off to the left and keep heading uphill, aiming just to the right of the pinnacle. The trail passes under the right-hand side of the 160-foot rock before bending left around the back of it.

Once you are behind the pinnacle, turn right and continue heading uphill. Make sure to stop at a narrow gap between the escarpment and a large rock and look back for another fine view – marked 2 on the map below.

Mark standing between the ricky pinnacles of the Old Man of Storr. — VIEW LOOKING BACK AT OLD MAN OF STORR PINNACLES

STAGE 3

Continue to head uphill keeping the escarpment cliff face close on your left-hand side. After about five minutes the trail splits. At the junction turn right and head off to a rocky promontory.

This is the Storr Lookout Point. It is from here the most iconic views of the Old Man of Storr can be seen – marked 3 on the map.

It takes about 1 hour to get to this viewpoint from the Old Man of Storr Car Park. When you have finished taking in the views, just head back the way you came. It takes about 45 minutes to get back to the car going downhill.

old man storr trail 5 — OLD MAN OF STORR

MAP OF THE OLD MAN OF STORR TRAIL

Below is a Google Map of the Old Man of Storr Trail. The Storr Lookout Point is at the end of the walk and marked 3 on the map below.

For more information on the contours of the land and the amount of ascent, use our Old Man of Storr Ordinance Survey Map.

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USING OUR MAPS. Click on the top right corner to open in the Google Maps app. Click on the star to save to your Google account.

LOCH FADA VIEW

The best and most iconic view of the Old Man of Storr is from the Storr Lookout Point. But there is another excellent viewpoint right next to the road that does not require any hiking.

It can easily be visited when you are driving to or from the Old Man of Storr Car Park.

When you are four miles north of Portree on the A855 (3 miles south of the Old Man of Storr Car Park) stop at the small lay-by beside Loch Fada. Take the short path over the wooden stile with a sign saying, “fishing zone” to the edge of the lake.

The view across the water to the Old Man of Storr and the escarpment behind it is one of our favourite sights in the Scottish Highlands.

loch fada skye — OLD MAN OF STORR FROM LOCH FADA

PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

What makes the Storr Lookout Point so special are the views of the pinnacle set amongst the otherworldly landscape of the Isle of Skye. Here are some tips for getting the best shots:

Walk all the way to the main viewpoint. The rocky promontory may look a long way when you first see it, but the views are worth it.
Try to come on a clear still day, it’s never fun fighting the wind and rain.
The best time to photograph the Old Man of Storr is at dawn when the sun rises over the sea and lights up the pinnacle and cliff face.
Drones are permitted but it’s a popular location so keep an eye out for other drone operators.
Don’t miss the wonderful views over Loch Fada; right by the road, almost no effort is required.

THINGS TO DO NEAR OLD MAN OF STORR

There are loads of great things to do in the Isle of Skye, many are nearby on the Trotternish peninsula and can easily be included on a day trip.

Quiraing – Another part of the Trotternish Peninsula formed by giant landslips, the Quiraing is the only section still moving today. This strange land of rocky shapes, contorted pillars and buttresses of eroded lava have slipped off the side of the mountain to create an other-worldly scene of pinnacles, ridges, cliffs and lakes that appear to be marching towards the sea. The Quiraing Walk is one of our favourites in the UK.

Portree – Perched on cliffs above a harbour, colourful Portree is the capital of the Isle of Skye and the largest town on the island. It was created as a fishing village at the beginning of the 19th century and today it’s a popular tourist destination with a busy harbour used for both fishing and leisure boats.

Kilt Rock & Mealt Falls – The basalt columns of Kilt Rock form a dramatic cliff face that resembles a pleated kilt overlooking the sea. The 55-metre Mealt Falls which plunges over the cliffs is one of the most scenic attractions on the Isle of Skye.

Fairy Glen – Fairy Glen is an area of natural rock formations, small cone-shaped hills and grass-framed ponds giving it a whimsical appearance. Created from a landslip similar to the event which formed Quiraing, Fairy Glen is like a mini version of the much larger geological feature.