Visits to Skye's Storr could hit post-pandemic high

The Storr is an area of volcanic geology

Visitor numbers at one of Skye's best-known landscapes could hit a post-Covid pandemic high.

Visits had been rising annually before the UK went into lockdown in 2020, according to a Highland Council report.

Numbers have been increasing again since 2021 and the local authority said they were forecast to reach a total of about 300,000 this year - 9% higher than 2023.

A new visitor centre, parking and two electric vehicle charging points were opened over the summer as part of efforts to cope with visitors.

The landscape has remnants of volcanic activity from 2,800 million years ago and The Old Man of Storr is among its most recognisable geological features.

The area has also featured prominently in films, including 2012 sci-fi Prometheus and the opening scenes of 1973 horror The Wickerman.

The council's report said it was one of the region's most popular destinations.

It said The Storr won TripAdvisor's 2024 Travellers' Choice Award and the website ranked the area among its top places to visit worldwide.

The Highland region as a whole gets about seven million visitors a year, according to Highland Council figures.

The dramatic landscape on Skye draws many visitors

Over the years, improvements have been made to footpaths and car parking.

A new visitor centre, Ionad an Stòir, opened to the public in July and is the base for five full-time jobs.

Highland Council said a new dedicated website and social media accounts provided information on the area's geology and wildlife, and also advice on busy times.

In the report to next week's Isle of Skye and Raasay Area Committee, council officers said: "Both the website and social media spread awareness of The Storr, enable visitors to better plan their trip with access to key information such as path conditions or weather forecasts, and promote education specifically around local history, geology, culture, and Gaelic."