The SARDA Scotland logo, as used by the founder Hamish MacInnes in 1965

The magic of Skye, the Misty Isle, is a mecca for hill climbers and mountaineers.
Most serious mountaineers, hillwalkers and climbers gravitate to the Black Cuillin (above picture from Sgurr Na Stri) for some of the best Alpine style mountaineering that Britain can offer.
There is a special combination of serious yet enjoyable mountain terrain mixed in with stunning, panoramic views that only those who venture to the magical island  can truly enjoy.
The whole of the island is covered by the Skye Mountain Rescue Team who have two main bases, one at Sligachan and one at Glen Brittle.  The volunteer members of the Skye Team are from all walks of life and all ages. The very nature of the terrain makes the team one of the busiest in Scotland with an average of 45 “shouts” each year.

SARDA Scotland has a dog team permanently based on the island. Handler, Pat Rudram and his dog, Coruisk are involved in most searches on the island and on the larger scale searches, other dogs from around the country are called in.

The Trotternish Peninsula

The Trotternish Peninsula (the Northern bit of Skye) is dominated by the Trotternish Ridge, which effectively splits the peninsula into two halves (East and West), with only a few ways across.
The main attractions are all geological...
The Quiraing (pictured above) - an ancient landslide that left odd bits of rock sticking up dramatically
The Storr (pictured right) - the remains of a volcano forming a cathedral of dramatic rock in gothic shapes (beats anything Gaudi created!)
The Fairy Glen - filled with enchanting little conical mounds, and said to be inhabited by fairies

There are four peaks that make it to Marilyn status along the Trotternish Ridge (two are Grahams as well), they can be done in a couple of outings, but with time, and a tent, it is worth traversing it in full over two days (not least because it avoids the boggy bits on either side).

Geology
The Trotternish Ridge, like so much of Skye, is volcanic. It’s comprised almost entirely of basalt, though in places this is made more interesting by voids which have subsequently become filled with a variety of crystals. Kilt rock on the East Coast is a good example of the classic 'organ pipe' formation of basalt; whilst the Old Man of Storr is the remains of a volcanic plug.
Settlements
There are two main settlements in this area. Portree - the capital of Skye, effectively a small town where all the buses meet Uig - a port for the Outer Hebrides, and home to a nice youth hostel
Transport
There are several buses a day serving the port of Uig from Portree, and a local bus that runs around the coast.  If you're coming from the Outer Hebrides (the Western Isles), the ferry to Uig meets the bus to Portree. ‘

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