Old Man of Stoer Sea Stack

Old Man of Stoer Sea Stack

The Old Man of Stoer is a dramatic sea stack north of Stoer Head Lighthouse in Sutherland. The Old Man (not to be confused with the Old Man of Storr rock needle on the Isle of Skye) is 60 metres high (197 feet in old money) and composed of Torridonian sandstone.

The stack is popular with climbers, though they have to be mighty cautious due to the frequent high winds in this area. The area is rich in seabirds, with fulmars nesting on the rock and the nearby cliffs.

VISITING THE OLD MAN OF STOER

There is a very nice walk to the Old Man from the parking area at the Stoer Head Lighthouse. A signposted trail leads along the cliffs to the stack.

It takes about 30-45 minutes to walk the route. The trail is obscure in places, but there is absolutely no danger of getting lost; just follow the coastline and you will easily pick up the trail again.

The east face of the Old Man of Stoer

There is one section where the path dips down into a small ravine and up the other side, and a bit of agility is called for, but any reasonably fit person will have no trouble at all. Please do wear good waterproof footwear, though, as the going can be boggy in places.

Also, the winds along the coast can get pretty strong, so be prepared for cold gusts even on the warmest days of summer.

There is sometimes a coffee van at the Stoer lighthouse parking area, but otherwise no visitor facilities. Do take a moment to look over the lighthouse, built in 1870 by the famous Stevenson family of engineers for the Northern Lighthouse Board.