The Storr East Top

About The Storr East Top

Perched on the rim of the Trotternish Escarpment, this secondary summit provides a dramatic overlook of the Sanctuary’s basalt towers. While the main peak is higher, the East Top offers a superior angle for viewing the Old Man of Storr and the Sound of Raasay across steep, shattered cliffs and grassy ridges.

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Did You Know?

• •The name "Storr" is derived from the Old Norse word stórr, meaning "great" or "big." It serves as a linguistic reminder of Skye’s Viking history, where the Norsemen used the mountain’s distinctive profile as a navigational landmark when sailing the Minch.
• •This summit sits directly above the largest landslip in the United Kingdom. The spectacular landscape was formed by the weight of massive basalt flows pressing down on weaker sedimentary rocks, eventually causing the cliff face to tear away and slump towards the sea.
• •From this vantage point, the eye is drawn across the water to the distinctive volcanic plug of Dun Caan on the Isle of Raasay. To the north, the jagged line of the Trotternish ridge stretches towards the Quiraing, following the same geological fault line.
• •Although it is classified as a Tump, most walkers bag it as an afterthought to the main summit of The Storr. However, it is the East Top that offers the most vertical perspective of the Needle Rock, a feature often lost when viewed from the tourist paths below.
• •Reaching this point requires navigating the same steep, boggy ground as its parent peak, with the added benefit that the tourist crowds usually dissipate once you move past the base of the Old Man.