Old Man of Stoer

The Old Man of Stoer stands on the north-west coast of Scotland, a 60-metre-high sea stack of Torridonian sandstone. It rises from The Minch, a strait separating the Highlands from the Outer Hebrides. The stack lies close to the villages of Culkein and Stoer, near Stoer Head Lighthouse. Access is usually from the lighthouse, a short walk away along the B869 road. The seas around the stack have claimed several vessels, including a fishing boat lost in 1953. Climbers prize the Old Man of Stoer for its height and manageable routes. The first ascent was made in 1966 by Brian Henderson, Paul Nunn, Tom Patey, and Brian Robertson. In 2024, 11-year-old Aden Thurlow became the youngest to lead the climb. A Tyrolean traverse is needed to reach the base, sometimes requiring a swimmer to set it up. Routes range from easy to demanding, attracting climbers from across the UK. The stack and nearby cliffs host northern fulmars, great skuas, peregrines, and seals. Seabirds such as guillemots, razorbills, and bonxies nest here alongside twite, skylarks, and dunlin. The BBC series Men of Rock featured the stack in a programme about pioneering geologists. Its dramatic profile and wildlife make it a striking landmark on Scotland’s wild north-west coast.