Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters

Take your next trip with Atlas Obscura!

Our small-group adventures are inspired by our Atlas of the world's most fascinating places, the stories behind them, and the people who bring them to life.

Visit Adventures
Trips Highlight
A view of Brașov’s Old Town.
Romania • 12 days, 11 nights
Legends of Romania: Castles, Ruins & Culinary Delights
from
Balkans road trip
Bosnia and Herzegovina • 9 days, 8 nights
Balkans Road Trip: Serbia, Croatia & Bosnia and Herzegovina
from
View all trips
Top Destinations
Latest Places
Most Popular Places Random Place Lists Itineraries
Add a Place
Download the App
Top Destinations
View All Destinations »

Countries

  • Australia
  • Canada
  • China
  • France
  • Germany
  • India
  • Italy
  • Japan

Cities

  • Amsterdam
  • Barcelona
  • Beijing
  • Berlin
  • Boston
  • Budapest
  • Chicago
  • London
  • Los Angeles
  • Mexico City
  • Montreal
  • Moscow
  • New Orleans
  • New York City
  • Paris
  • Philadelphia
  • Rome
  • San Francisco
  • Seattle
  • Stockholm
  • Tokyo
  • Toronto
  • Vienna
  • Washington, D.C.
Latest Places
View All Places »
The ‘Old Secretariat’ government building in New Delhi.
The 'Old Secretariat'
This set is inspired by a Roman arena.
Bozdağ Film Platolari
The Sea Water Distilling Plant.
Sea Water Distilling Plant
Contemplative paths.
Ayo Rock Formations
Latest Places to Eat & Drink
View All Places to Eat »
The pavlova comes crowned with jewel-like fruit.
Central Park Boathouse
The Village Tavern of Long Grove - exterior.
The Village Tavern
Hunter House Hamburgers
L’Escamoteur
Names on the bartop.
The Dive
Recent Stories
All Stories Video Podcast
Most Recent Stories
View All Stories »
Wortley built the wooden backpack she used while retracing Alexandra David-Néel’s journey from a chair she found on the street in London.
How Elise Wortley Climbed Mont Blanc in 1830s Women’s Attire
27 days ago
Simplicity is key: Just a slice of bread with a sprinkling of salt and pepper is the perfect accompaniment.
The Sweet Second Life of Creole Cream Cheese
27 days ago
My rendition of frog legs, popping mushroom curry, pad prik khing with salted egg yolk, and sweet khanom thuai.
Recreating My Favorite Meal From Thailand
27 days ago
Inside London’s Gorgeously Curated ‘Art Restaurants’
27 days ago

No search results found for
“”

Make sure words are spelled correctly.

Try searching for a travel destination.

Places near me Random place

Popular Destinations

  • Paris
  • London
  • New York
  • Berlin
  • Rome
  • Los Angeles
Trips Places Foods Stories Newsletters
Sign In Join
Places near me Random place
All the United Kingdom Scotland Isle of Skye Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls

Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls

Ancient cliffs resembling a kilt on Scotland's second largest island emit an entrancing sound.

Isle of Skye, Scotland

Added By
Clinton
Email
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list
Kilt Rock   http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nt9c0...
Kilt Rock   http://picasaweb.google.com/lh/photo/nt9c0...
A view from the cliff of the coast below.   http://flickr.com/photos/98833136@N00/1271...
Mealt Falls and Kilt Rock   http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/129589
Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls as seen from Rubha nam Brathairean   http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1266635
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Kilt Rock   gslohr / Atlas Obscura User
  rebeccaclyde / Atlas Obscura User
Mealt Falls   Dominikus / Atlas Obscura User
  Rachel Preskitt / Atlas Obscura User
  annacostarowan / Atlas Obscura User
  coljay72 / Atlas Obscura User
  coljay72 / Atlas Obscura User
  Collector of Experiences / Atlas Obscura User
Been Here
Want to go
Added to list

About

On the Inner Hebridean Isle of Skye are two spectacular sights, both visible from the same observation point on the Trotternish Peninsula.

One of these is the magnificent 90 meter Kilt Rock, which looks strikingly similar to a pleated kilt. Made up of basalt columns resting on a sandstone base, one might even say that the colors of the rock formation appear almost tartan.

The other point of interest is the Mealt waterfall, which, fed from nearby Mealt Loch, plummets from the top of the cliffs to the rock-laden coast below.

Beyond these visual treats there is also an aural element to the site. When a strong wind is blowing while one observes the sights, a beautiful yet haunting tone appears to come from the surrounding area. Disguised, the instrument emitting the eerie noise is actually the fencing that surrounds the lookout point. Holes facing the sea allow wind in to the piping, turning the safety feature into an organ of sorts to accompany the breathtaking views off the north-eastern coast of Skye.

On clear days, the Isle of Lewis and even mainland Scotland can be seen from the Trotternish Peninsula. About 17 km north of Portree, up Staffin Road, and just 2 km shy of Staffin, the observation point can be found.

Related Tags

Natural Wonders Cliffs Geological Oddities Music Optical Oddities Geology Nature

Know Before You Go

Take Staffin Rd. from Portree, Kilt Rock is near Mealt Loch and Elishader about 15 km north of Portree, and 2 km south of Staffin.

Community Contributors

Added By

Clinton

Edited By

gslohr, annacostarowan, Collector of Experiences, Rachel Preskitt...

  • gslohr
  • annacostarowan
  • Collector of Experiences
  • Rachel Preskitt
  • Dominikus
  • rebeccaclyde
  • coljay72

Published

January 25, 2010

Edit this listing

Make an Edit
Add Photos
Sources
  • http://www.dcs.shef.ac.uk/~mark/blog/2009/09/kilt-rock-and-singing-fence.html
  • http://www.panoramicearth.com/4462/Skye/Mealt_Waterfall_and_Kilt_Rock
  • http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skye
  • http://www.geograph.org.uk/photo/1266635
  • https://www.google.com/maps/place/Kilt+Rock+and+Mealt+Falls+Viewpoint/@57.6110415,-6.1764274,16.25z/data=!4m5!3m4!1s0x488dd1de9b803627:0xac8cc6c1e18e7218!8m2!3d57.6107868!4d-6.1719475
Kilt Rock and Mealt Falls
Isle of Skye, Scotland, IV51
United Kingdom
57.610636, -6.172385

Nearby Places

Isle of Skye Dinosaur Tracks

Isle of Skye, Scotland

miles away

The Quiraing

Isle of Skye, Scotland

miles away

Fairy Glen

Isle of Skye, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Isle of Skye

Isle of Skye

Scotland

Places 14

Nearby Places

Isle of Skye Dinosaur Tracks

Isle of Skye, Scotland

miles away

The Quiraing

Isle of Skye, Scotland

miles away

Fairy Glen

Isle of Skye, Scotland

miles away

Explore the Destination Guide

Photo of Isle of Skye

Isle of Skye

Scotland

Places 14

Related Places

  • The Smoking Hills, as seen from the sea.

    Inuvik, Unorganized, Northwest Territories

    The Smoking Hills

    These hellish-looking cliffs in the Canadian Arctic have been burning for centuries.

  • Tasman Island, Australia

    Cape Pillar Sea Cliffs

    The tallest sea cliffs on the Southern Hemisphere are a climber's worst nightmare.

  • The musical stone

    Qobustan, Azerbaijan

    Musical Stone of Gobustan

    Resonant stone, that has been played since prehistoric times.

  • Paved but phenomena still works - right before the curve

    Klamath Falls, Oregon

    Old Fort Road Gravity Hill

    This strange hill on Old Fort Road where gravity works in reverse has been fascinating locals for years.

  • Fingal’s Cave

    Isle of Staffa, Scotland

    Fingal's Cave

    This astonishingly geometric cave has inspired everyone from Jules Verne to Pink Floyd.

  • Bandiagara, Mali

    Bandiagara Escarpment Cliff Dwellings

    These homes carved into the mountains seem to defy the laws of nature.

  • Upper Black Eddy, Pennsylvania

    The Sonorous Stones of Ringing Rocks Park

    Mysterious rocks that ring musically when struck.

  • Whitehall, Montana

    Ringing Rocks of Montana

    The rocks of a certain area of Butte, Montana give off a musical ring when hit.

Aerial image of Vietnam, displaying the picturesque rice terraces, characterized by their layered, verdant fields.
Atlas Obscura Membership

Become an Atlas Obscura Member


Join our community of curious explorers.

Become a Member

Get Our Email Newsletter

Follow Us

Facebook YouTube TikTok Instagram Pinterest RSS Feed

Get the app

Download the App
Download on the Apple App Store Get it on Google Play
  • All Places
  • Latest Places
  • Most Popular
  • Places to Eat
  • Random
  • Nearby
  • Add a Place
  • Stories
  • Food & Drink
  • Itineraries
  • Lists
  • Video
  • Podcast
  • Newsletters
  • All Trips
  • Family Trip
  • Food & Drink
  • History & Culture
  • Wildlife & Nature
  • FAQ
  • Membership
  • Feedback & Ideas
  • Community Guidelines
  • Product Blog
  • Unique Gifts
  • Work With Us
  • About
  • FAQ
  • Advertise With Us
  • Advertising Guidelines
  • Privacy Policy
  • Cookie Policy
  • Terms of Use
Atlas Obscura

© 2025 Atlas Obscura. All Rights Reserved.