Isle of Skye · United Kingdom · Pinnacle · Wall
Macleod Maidens
Pinnacles that widen underwater into a stepped wall of gullies and small caves
Photo: Andrew Tryon · CC BY-SA 2.0
The Macleod Maidens are pinnacles off Idrigill Point, in north-west Loch Bracadale, that widen below the surface into a stepped wall. Divers come for the gullies, crevices and small caves of that wall and the octopus and pollack around it, and the nearby wreck of the Urlana is often dived on the same trip.
Also known as Macleod's Maidens, MacLeod's Maidens.
Where it is and how deep
No published position for this site — the map shows Isle of Skye and its other sites; operators know the mooring.
The dive
Underwater the Maidens enlarge into a stepped wall broken by little gullies, full of crevices and small caves, and the bottom lies some 22 m down. When the sun shines through the pinnacles and the sea is flat calm, divers exploring the bottom can sometimes be seen from the boat above. Octopus, shoals of pollack and the odd dogfish are often seen along the wall, while blennies, gobies and velvet crabs shelter in the crevices and little holes.
Marine life and season
- Octopus & cuttlefish
- Reef fish swarms
| Jan | Feb | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good | Good |
Season follows Isle of Skye: Diving runs all year when the weather allows, and winter calm spells can bring excellent visibility.
Know before you go
- The tide can run strongly at the western extremities of the site, though it should not be a problem within the gullies.
- A heavy swell can build with a south-west wind and make the site undiveable.
- Fishermen occasionally lay monofilament nets on the sand at the base of the rock.
Dive videos
Diving MacLeods Maidens with Dive & Sea the Hebrides · Dive & Sea the Hebrides on YouTube
Sources
- Skye Diver: Exploring the Majestic Underwater Realms of Scotland's Isle of Mist — Divernet
- MacLeods Maidens — Dive & Sea The Hebrides
Photo credits
- A tall dark rock stack and a smaller one stand in calm sea beside high sheer cliffs under a pale sky by Andrew Tryon, CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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