Skye day 3 - an easy walk round the Quiraing

[Beery Hiker]

After two Munro climbs in successive days, we opted for something easier despite more fine weather. After a brief stop in Portree we headed for the Quiraing. The first part of the walk is very popular.
IMG_0753 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0756 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
Many of the day's pictures show heather burning in the distance
IMG_0754 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
Before long we got a first glimpse of the Needle:
IMG_0757 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0758 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0760 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
Unlike most of the people we saw, we opted to continue beyond the needles with a view to returning along the top
IMG_0761 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
The path finds an obvious gap in the cliff, and leads up to a shapely ridge
IMG_0763 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0766 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
The view north
IMG_0767 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0769 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
The landscapes here are less striking than the needles, but still very interesting
IMG_0770 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
We headed up the edge of the cliff towards Meall na Suiramach
IMG_0773 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0774 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0775 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0777 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
All thoughts of visiting the summit disappeared with the first view down to the Table (more heather burning):
IMG_0778 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
Following the edge, the views kept changing subtly
IMG_0779 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0780 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
IMG_0787 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
and at one point there is a dramatic view down a gully
IMG_0795 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
The walk back along the moor is less exciting, but the car park was soon in sight
IMG_0797 by Beery Hiker, on Flickr
So an easy day but a very rewarding one with more amazing weather.

[2manyYorkies]

Lovely pictures thanks, just can't help feeling that that walk needs to be done on a day of gloominess and imminent ominous weather for full effect ... not that one gets that kind of weather in Skye often ..

[Borderhugh]

Great stuff. Have been up there twice in reasonably good conditions but not as stunning as your day

[Beery Hiker]

Thanks for the comments. We used all of our luck with the weather in our first three days in Skye - the rest of the week was quite changeable, but three fine days is pretty good going for a week there. I agree that the sunshine makes the needles look a bit tamer than they might and the landscapes might have looked more dramatic with a few more shadows later in the day, but for a half day walk it was a pretty good one.