The Old Man of Storr is one of Skye’s iconic locations. It is the highest of a group of rock pinnacles in the “Sanctuary”, a semi-enclosed amphitheatre of dramatic formations below the Storr cliffs that form part of the Trotternish Ridge. Over millennia, this stark and beautiful landscape formed as a result of a huge landslip that literally slid the cliff-face down the slope towards the Sound of Raasay. Even today the area is prone to landslips and rockfalls, especially when freeze-thaw action of water in cracks fractures off huge boulders that scatter the hillside.
Due to its popularity and the resulting massive increase in visitor numbers, erosion of the hillside became a serious problem. Parking also became highly problematic with cars and tour buses dangerously littering the road below.
Starting in 2020, a new car park, toilet block and motorhome waste disposal area was created at the bottom, providing much needed and excellent facilities. At the same time, construction of a formal path was started. The path’s route is steep, awkward and challenging, requiring heavy equipment and helicopters to bring in the stone. I think the result is fantastic, and the path all the way up to the “Photographer’s Knoll” from where this sequence of pictures was taken, is a very welcome addition.
This time slice image was created between sunset and sunrise in early August. It shows how the light changes, the stars emerge, the moon rises in the east, and fades again as dawn approaches.
It was a beautiful night to be outside. There was a gentle breeze, little cloud, stars, the Milky Way, and it wasn’t too cold.
During the night I walked down from the Photographer’s Knoll into the area under the Old Man of Storr, known as “The Sanctuary”. The cloud had cleared and the Milky Way had risen, as had the moon.
While the moon limited the brightness of the stars, it cast a gentle light on the side of the rock pinnacles giving them form and structure rather than just being silhouetted.
The sense of scale was immense, and coupled with total silence it made for one of my most memorable nights in this whole project.