Old Man of Stoer
The Old Man of Stoer is a sea stack of Torridonian sandstone 200 feet high on the west coast of Sutherland, close to villages of Culkein and Stoer and the nearby Stoer Head Lighthouse. It is a popular climbing challenge.
Geography
The stack is composed of Torridonian sandstone, cloven in some ancient time from the cliffs. It towers 200 feet tall overlooking the northern entrance to the Minch, which separates Great Britain and the northernmost Inner Hebrides from Lewis and Harris in the Outer Hebrides.
Access is normally from the Stoer Head Lighthouse, which is within walking distance of the stack.[1] The lighthouse is on the B869 Lochinver to Unapool road.[2]
The seas around the Old Man of Stoer have claimed a number of vessels. There is believed to be the wreck of a fishing boat in the vicinity of the stack, which sank on 17 February 1953.[3]
Climbing
The Old Man of Stoer is popular with climbers due to its height and approachability.[4] It was first climbed in 1966 by Brian Henderson, Paul Nunn, Tom Patey, and Brian Robertson.[5] Along with Am Buachaille and the Old Man of Hoy, it has become something of a legend among climbers.[6]
To gain access to the foot of the stack, a Tyrolean traverse is necessary, which may require a swimmer to put it in place.[7] There are a number of routes of varying levels of difficulty.[7]
In the Channel 4 television programme Hidden Talent, 45-year-old Maggie Reenan climbed the stack after 18 days of intensive training, after her natural aptitude for climbing was discovered.[8][9]
Wildlife
Northern fulmars (Fulmarus glacialis) inhabit the stack and nearby sea cliffs.[1] Other wildlife in the area includes the great skua (also known by its Norse name "bonxie") peregrines, seals and dolphins.[10]
Seabirds which can be seen include bonxies, twite, dunlin, guillemots, razorbills, skylarks, and fulmars.
Location
- Location: 58°15’39"N, 5°22’58"W
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Ross, David. "Old Man of Stoer". Britain Express. http://www.britainexpress.com/attractions.htm?attraction=5094. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑ "The Old Man of Stoer and the Point of Stoer". Walking Britain. http://www.walkingbritain.co.uk/walks/walks/walk_b/1266/. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑ Grateful: Old Man of Stoer, North Minch – The Royal Commission on the Ancient and Historical Monuments of Scotland
- ↑ Mellor, Chris. "Stack Rock". UKClimbing Limited. http://www.ukclimbing.com/articles/pdf/StackRock1Intro.pdf. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑
- Robinson, Adrian Henry Wardle; Millward, Roy (1983). The Shell book of the British coast. p. 460. ISBN 9780715381502. https://books.google.com/books?id=oVQKAQAAMAAJ.
- "The Old Man of Stoer and the point". walkhighlands.co.uk. http://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ullapool/old-man-of-stoer.shtml. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- Scott, Doug (1996). "Obituary: Paul James Nunn 1943-1995". Alpine Journal 101: 325–329. http://www.alpinejournal.org.uk/Contents/Contents_1996_files/AJ%201996%20315-342%20In%20Memoriam.pdf. Retrieved 23 September 2014.
- ↑ Grylls, Bear (2009). Bear Grylls Great Outdoor Adventures. p. 155. ISBN 9781905026524. https://books.google.com/books?id=ULw_9xQg_ygC&pg=RA1-PT155#v=onepage&q&f=false.
- ↑ 7.0 7.1 "Old Man of Stoer". UKClimbing Limited. http://www.ukclimbing.com/logbook/crag.php?id=300. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑ "Hidden Talent". Channel 4. 15 February 2012. http://www.channel4.com/info/press/programme-information/hidden-talent. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑ Heritage, Stuart (24 April 2012). "Hidden Talent: my quest to find one". The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/tvandradioblog/2012/apr/24/hidden-talent-tests. Retrieved 1 December 2013.
- ↑ "Assynt Events 2011". Assynt Leisure Centre. http://www.assyntleisure2.force9.co.uk/ranger.pdf. Retrieved 1 December 2013.