Rubha Hunish
TROTTERNISH, PORTREE AND THE BRAES
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
View an OS map of the route
Open this walk in QUO 2
Open this walk in GPX format
Open in Virtual Highlands
1. Turn off the A855 at the phone box near Kilmaluag. There is a car park on the right just before the road crosses the cattle grid. Start the walk by crossing the cattle grid and then turning immediately left on a boggy path. Follow this path along the edge of the low escarpment, heading NNW. The path is boggy in places but fairly distinct, and continues mostly along the top of the low escarpment. The ruins of the abandoned village of Erisco come into view below to the left, whilst Duntulm castle is prominent on its crag by the sea. The path eventually reaches a kissing gate in a fence.
2. Go through the gate and follow the now faint path uphill northwards onto Meall Tuath. A small flat roofed building becomes visible ahead - continue here. This is a former coastguard Lookout overlooking the Little Minch, an important shipping channel. The hut was once manned around the clock, and offers excellent shelter on a wild day. The location is spectacular, with great vertical cliffs plunging down a hundred metres just to the north, and magnificent views across the sea to the mountains on the Isle of Harris, with Clisham the most prominent. Follow the path along the cliff edge to the left (west south west).
3. The path soon descends into a hollow beneath two higher sections of cliff. At the far end of this hollow a giant boulder sits close to the cliff edge. On the far side of this boulder the steep descent to the Hunish headland begins. This rocky staircase looks alarming from the top but you should be able to see a clear path further down below, and even the first rocky section looks worse than it is. Scramble carefully down the rocks and follow the route which turns towards the right about fifty yards down. Soon you're off the rocks and following a well made path below the cliffs. If it all looks too much, skip the descent to the Hunish headland and continue at point 6.
4. A flatter grassy area is reached near the sea, below the spectacular basalt columns of the cliffs. Cross straight over the headland to the east coast, where there are some beautiful twisting geos (rocky inlets). This is a great area for spotting otters in the sea - the small green humps with white specks on top are their excrement piles marking the territories. Ascend northwards above the cliffs and follow the coastline northwest. It's worth making a circuit round the whole headland before returning back up the scramble descent. There are three great sea stacks on the east side and an impressive natural arch. The cliffs are home to countless shags and razorbills, whilst visiting gannets regularly harpoon the sea in the summer months.
5. The northernmost tip of the headland is the best place on Skye for spotting dolphins, porpoise and whales, especially in July and August. Listen for the sound of them blowing when they surface. Head back down the less spectacular western side of the peninsula before reascending the cliffs by the same route you came down.
6. Back at the top of the cliff by the boulder, ascend the other side of the dip to the west onto the hill of Meal Deas, with more great views. Continue round on the path which eventually turns south and descends to a gate. Through the gate, continue south above the shores of the bay. The island just offshore is Tulm Island. This section along the coast is another favourite haunt of otters. A mile further along the shore is a dry stone wall. Follow this to the left uphill until, round a corner, you can climb a stile over a fence. Cross this and follow the wall until you reach a gate giving access to some houses. Go through the gate and head for the access road to the nearest house. Head along this track past the white coastguard cottages. These are now holiday homes but originally were the homes of the guards who manned the lookout passed earlier. Follow the track up to the main road, and turn left along this to reach the start point in one kilometre.
Users comments on this route
Read what other walkers have said about this route HERE. Once you've completed the route yourself, why not add your own comments by going to the discussion and clicking on reply?
Have you found an error or is any information wrong or missing?
Please let us know by using the error reporting form.
Route profile
View Accommodation for this area:
Hotels in Portree, Trotternish, Braes
B&B in Portree, Trotternish, Braes
Cottages in Portree, Trotternish, Braes
Skye hostels
Skye campsites
