Old Man of Stoer facts for kids
The Old Man of Stoer is a really tall rock column that stands in the sea off the coast of Sutherland, Scotland. It's like a giant stone tower, about 60 meters (200 feet) high! This amazing sea stack is made of a type of rock called sandstone. It's a famous spot for climbers and a home for many seabirds. You can find it near the villages of Culkein and Stoer, not far from the Stoer Head Lighthouse.
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What is the Old Man of Stoer?
The Old Man of Stoer is a special kind of rock formation called a sea stack. Imagine a tall, narrow pillar of rock that stands alone in the ocean, separated from the main coastline. That's a sea stack! This one is about 60 meters (200 feet) tall. It's made from very old Torridonian sandstone, which is a type of rock formed from sand over millions of years.
Where is it located?
This impressive stack is found in the The Minch, which is a strait (a narrow sea channel) in northwest Scotland. This strait separates the Scottish Highlands from the islands of Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides.
To visit the Old Man of Stoer, most people walk from the Stoer Head Lighthouse. The lighthouse is easy to reach by car on the B869 road, which connects Lochinver to Unapool.
Climbing the Old Man of Stoer
The Old Man of Stoer is very popular with rock climbers. They love its height and the challenge it offers. It was first climbed in 1966 by a team of four climbers: Brian Henderson, Paul Nunn, Tom Patey, and Brian Robertson.
How do climbers reach it?
To get to the bottom of the stack, climbers often use a special technique called a Tyrolean traverse. This means they stretch a rope between the mainland cliff and the stack. They then slide across the rope, often needing a strong swimmer to help set up the first rope across the water. Once at the base, there are many different climbing routes, some easier and some much harder.
Famous climbs
The Old Man of Stoer is considered a legendary climb, just like Am Buachaille and the Old Man of Hoy. These are all famous sea stacks that attract climbers from all over the world.
In a TV show called Hidden Talent, a woman named Maggie Reenan, who was 45 years old, successfully climbed the stack. She had discovered her natural talent for climbing and trained for 18 days before taking on this big challenge!
Wildlife around the Old Man of Stoer
The Old Man of Stoer and the nearby cliffs are home to many amazing birds and other animals. It's a great place to see Scottish wildlife.
Birds
Many types of seabirds live here. You can often spot Northern fulmars, which are birds that look a bit like gulls but fly with stiff wings. Great skuas, also known as "bonxies," are large, powerful birds that hunt other seabirds. You might also see peregrines, which are very fast birds of prey.
Other birds that live in the area include guillemots, razorbills, twite (a small finch), skylarks (known for their beautiful songs), and dunlin (a small wading bird).
Other animals
Besides birds, you might also see pinnipeds, which are marine mammals like seals. If you're lucky, you might even spot cetaceans, which are sea mammals like dolphins or whales, swimming in the waters around the stack.
