After a very cold snap and some snow on the ground we opted for a short walk by Storr Lochs. We were sheltered from the incoming weather by the Trotternish Ridge and more impressively the Old Man of Storr. This walk is on a tarmac surface so fully accessible for all abilities and wheelchair users if you are happy to cross a cattle grid.
The start of the walk
Follow the A855 Staffin Road out of Portree, heading towards Staffin. Once you leave Portree there is a bit of single track road before the road widens alongside Storr Lochs. In the distance on the Trotternish ridge you will see the Old Man of Storr looming over the Storr Pinnacle. At certain angles the Old Man of Storr resembles the face of someone laying on their back looking at the sky. See if you can make this out. Below this is the huge Storr Pinnacle, precariously balanced in the area known as The Sanctuary.
Just before you reach The Storr parking area you will see a bus stop on the right hand side of the road and a bit of off road parking. This is where you need to park to start the short walk by Storr Lochs. The walk follows the Private Road used by SSE and Scottish Water to access the Hydro-Electric Station. Work vehicles do use this road by it is very very quiet. In fact whilst we were walking we didn’t see any vehicles and only one other walker. There is also a sign post for a 6.5 mile walk back to Portree. Don’t worry this is not the walk we did, but our walk does follow the same route for a short while.
Pottering along Storr Lochs
As you are walking along a road, it is a very well kept surface. Sarah had few problems using her rollator other than dodging a lot of sheep poo! The access is good for wheelchairs as well. The surface is smooth and fairly level, with just a small shallow descent at the beginning.
The surrounding area is grazing land so you will encounter a lot of sheep so if you take dogs with you they must be kept on a lead at all times. Due to the livestock there are a couple of cattle grids to navigate. Both cattle grids have side gates which you can go through. The ground here is grassy so a little bumpier than the road but fairly passable. Wheelchairs with larger wheels should be able to cross over the cattle grid without too many problems. This may be much easier for self propelled or electric wheelchairs, if someone is pushing you balancing on the cattle grid might be a bit tricky. In this instance we would advise using the side gates. Just remember to leave the gates as you find them. If they are closed, then close them behind you.
Beautiful scenery all around
In half a mile you reach the bridge over the end of Storr Lochs. From here you have amazing views back to the Trotternish Ridge and the Old Man of Storr. In front of you there are views across the narrows of Raasay, the small isle of Rona and finally to the mainland. For us the views were amazing as all the peaks are currently snow capped. Running alongside the road from here onwards are the massive water pipes which feed the Hydro scheme.
The walk continues for another third of a mile until you reach the pumping station. The tarmac finishes here so wheelchair users will have to return back to the car. If you can walk across a bit of bumpy peatland on a small path you will be able to reach the cliff top. We didn’t go this far on this particular walk as Sarah was cold and tired. When we got to the bridge Sarah had a rest for ten minutes and I ran around taking photos. As soon as Sarah’s energy had recharged we headed back towards the car, following the route we had taken earlier. Walking back this way affords you fabulous views of the Old Man of Storr and across Storr Lochs.
In total we walked 1 mile to the bridge and back. Next time we go for a walk by Storr Lochs Sarah is aiming to get all the way to the cliff tops. That would be a round trip of 1.6 miles so we need to get practising a bit more and definitely chose a warmer day for it. This walk by Storr Lochs was our last one of 2019 so…
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year
Nollaig Chridheil agus Bliadhna Mhath Ùr
