MacLeod's Maidens
Close to Idrigill Point, at the southern tip of the Duirinish peninsula, stand three very impressive sea stacks in an appropriately dramatic setting. These are the famous Macleod’s Maidens. The tallest stack – the mother – rises over 200ft out of the sea. She is accompanied by her two daughters, standing just off the cliffs of Maidens’ Point (Rubha na Maighdeanan) at NG243362.
The ten mile return walk to Macleod’s Maidens is one of Skye’s classic and popular trips. It is on an easy to follow path all the way until the final half mile or so. The terrain holds no big challenges either, though the path does rise and fall twice in each direction and by the end of the walk you will have climbed around 1500 ft in total. Despite its straightforward nature, don’t treat it too casually. When you reach the Maidens you will be five miles from the nearest road. That’s a long way in an emergency.
There is space to park cars at Orbost Farm (NG257431). The first section of the walk is on a rough motor road that runs to the beautiful bay of Loch Bharcasaig. On a clear day, you are quickly rewarded by the views of Loch Bracadale and its islands spread before you. The road moves onwards into the community owned forests of the Orbost Estate. It emerges from the trees into an area where the forest has been clear-felled and, soon after, it fords the Forse Burn and continues as a footpath up the slopes ahead.
Brandarsaig Burn
The route is packed with interest. Stunning views, beautiful burns, a deserted village at Brandarsaig, newly planted woodland to the memory of Joe Strummer…
Approaching the point, the most obvious path swings west to head up the coast towards Lorgill. To reach the Maidens, go left along your choice of the many sheep tracks, aiming to reach the cliff edge at around the head of Geodha nan Daoine. Then you can follow the edge (carefully!) until the Maidens come into sight. The best views of the stacks are from either before or beyond the point itself. From directly above you will not get a true sense of the scale of it all.
View north-west from the Maidens
There are plenty of rocky perches where you can sit and take in the spectacle before heading back the way you came. It may be the same path, but the variety is maintained by the remarkably different views on the way home.
