Needle Rock [The Cathedral]

Standing at 505 metres on Skye's remote Trotternish Peninsula, this twin-peaked sea stack rises dramatically from the cliffs near Staffin. Known locally as The Cathedral, the sheer rock formation demands a serious scramble and a good head for heights. Its isolated position offers sweeping views across the Sound of Raasay to the mainland hills.

• •The name 'Needle Rock' describes the sharp, spire-like profile of the northern summit, while the alternative name 'The Cathedral' reflects the ecclesiastical appearance of its twin pinnacles when viewed from certain angles.
• •The stack sits on the eastern coast of Trotternish, part of the vast landslip complex that also created the Quiraing and the Old Man of Storr further south along the same escarpment.
• •Though modest in height, the exposed scramble to reach the twin summits makes this one of Skye's more challenging Tumps, with steep grass, loose rock, and significant exposure on all sides.
• •From the summit, the view extends east across the Inner Sound to the peaks of Torridon and Applecross, with Raasay's distinctive flat-topped Dun Caan prominent in the middle distance.