Trotternish facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Trotternish National Scenic Area |
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The Quiraing
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 Trotternish National Scenic Area
Location in Highland
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| Location | Isle of Skye, Scotland |
| Area | 79 km2 (31 sq mi) |
| Established | 1981 |
| Governing body | NatureScot |
Trotternish (also known as Tròndairnis in Scottish Gaelic) is the most northern part of the Isle of Skye in Scotland. Its very tip, called Rubha Hùinis, is the most northern point on all of Skye.
This area is famous for the Trotternish landslip. This is a huge landslide that stretches for about 30 kilometers (19 miles) along the peninsula. Inside this landslip, you'll find two of Skye's most amazing sights: the Old Man of Storr and the Quiraing. The Old Man of Storr is a tall, lonely rock pillar. The Quiraing is an area with many dramatic and unusual rock shapes. The highest point of the peninsula is the top of The Storr.
Scientists have even found dinosaur footprints at a place called An Corran. This spot was also home to ancient hunter-gatherers around 9,000 years ago. At the northern end of Trotternish, you can see the old ruins of Duntulm Castle, which was built a long time ago in the 1300s or 1400s.
The three main towns in Trotternish are Portree, which is often called the capital of Skye, Uig, where ferries leave from, and Staffin. More people speak Gaelic in Trotternish than in any other part of Skye.
Exploring the Landscape and Nature
Trotternish sits on top of a type of rock called basalt. This rock helps create rich soil and some very cool rock formations. For example, the Kilt Rock gets its name from patterns in its 105-meter (344-foot) cliffs that look like a Scottish tartan.
The Quiraing is a stunning area with many tall, pointed rocks on the eastern side of the peninsula. Further south, you'll find the famous rock pillar known as the Old Man of Storr. Even though there are many tall cliffs, it's not a good place for rock climbing because the rocks can break easily.
At An Corran near Staffin, someone found a slab of rock with a dinosaur footprint! It was probably made by a small plant-eating dinosaur. Later, experts found even bigger dinosaur prints, up to 50 centimeters (20 inches) long. These were made by a dinosaur similar to Megalosaurus. These footprints are about 160 million years old. They are the youngest dinosaur remains ever found in Scotland.
Protecting Trotternish's Beauty
The north-eastern part of Trotternish, especially around the Quiraing, is a National Scenic Area. Scotland has 40 such areas. They are special places with amazing views that are protected from building too much. This protected area covers about 79 square kilometers (30 square miles). Most of it is land, but it also includes the sea just off the coast.
The entire Trotternish landslip is also a Special Area of Conservation (SAC). This means it's part of a European program called Natura 2000. It's a protected area because of its unique natural features.
A Look Back in Time: Trotternish's History
One of the oldest places where people lived in Scotland is at An Corran in Staffin. This was a Mesolithic (Middle Stone Age) site for hunter-gatherers around 9,000 years ago. Tools found here suggest these early people might have traveled between Skye and the mainland.
The ruins of Duntulm Castle stand on a rocky point at the very north of the peninsula. In the 1600s, it was the main home for the leaders of the Clan MacDonald of Sleat. This castle is a protected historical site. People think the castle might have been built on an even older fort, but no proof has been found yet. The castle was built in the 1300s and 1400s when different clans like the MacLeods and Macdonalds often fought over the land. The castle was left empty around 1732 when a new house was built nearby.
Between 1750 and 1772, Flora MacDonald lived in Flodigarry, north of Staffin. She became famous for helping Charles Edward Stuart (also known as Bonnie Prince Charlie) escape after he lost the Battle of Culloden. Later, she moved to Kingsburgh on the southwestern coast of Trotternish. Famous writers Boswell and Johnson met her there in 1773 during their trip to the Western Isles. Johnson said she was a woman with "soft features, gentle manners and elegant presence."
Gaelic Language in Trotternish
Trotternish has the most Gaelic speakers on the Isle of Skye. In 2001, 61% of the people living here said they spoke Gaelic. There are even special Gaelic-speaking classes in the primary schools in Staffin and Kilmuir. An organization called Comunn na Gàidhlig has a program called Lasair to help Gaelic grow here. In 2010, Staffin was named their Gaelic Community of the Year.
Getting Around Trotternish
The main road in Trotternish is the A87. It connects Portree at the south end of the peninsula to Uig on the northwest coast. From Uig, the A87 continues all the way to Invergarry. Another road, the A855 road, also links Portree and Uig. This road goes along the eastern coast and around the northern tip of the peninsula, so the two roads make a loop around Trotternish. There's also a smaller road that crosses the middle of the peninsula, going between Uig and Staffin through the Quiraing.
Portree is where buses from Glasgow and Inverness end their journey. Some of these buses continue on to Uig. Uig is also a ferry port. From here, you can take a Caledonian MacBrayne ferry to Tarbert on Harris and Lochmaddy on North Uist. These ferries connect Skye to the Outer Hebrides.
Towns and Villages in Trotternish
- Achachork
- Bornesketaig
- Brogaig
- Carbost
- Duntulm
- Ellishadder
- Eyre
- Flodigarry
- Garafad
- Kensaleyre
- Kilmaluag
- Kilmuir
- Kilvaxter
- Kingsburgh
- Lealt
- Portree
- Skeabost
- Staffin
- Tote
- Uig
Images for kids
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A traditional Blackhouse at The Skye Museum of Island Life on Trotternish.
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The famous rock formation, The Storr.
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Mealt waterfall near Ellishadder, with the Kilt Rock behind it.
