Stac Pollaidh
NC107095 This is a proper easy walk, compared to the next two. Take your time and just enjoy being out. Let your eyes take in the enormity of the surrounding landscape and eye up your next route. Park in the little car park. It gets very crowded at times, as does the mountain. Definitely best approached ‘off peak’. Maybe a quick blast after driving up, for sunset? Cross the road and through the gate, heading north-west towards the mountain.
The path is well constructed throughout and easy to follow, and I did it with my 10-year-old daughter, Aili. The initial section starts off quite steeply and aims off, after a brief easing, around the right-hand (eastern) side of the mountain before reaching a split.
NC112105 Head left at the split, climbing steeply again, up towards the bealach, passing a fence on your right. The ground is a bit looser up here but not too bad. At the bealach, turn left and climb to the little summit. (not the true summit). The true summit involves tricky scrambling across some technical terrain, which Aili didn’t fancy! Recommend Highland Scrambles from Rockfax if you fancy it. There are a few options to take. Otherwise, enjoy the views north to Suilven.
NC110104 After posing for pics and relaxing, descend back down the northern side but bear left, along the top of the fence line on a loose, stony path. It does eventually get more solid again. Towards the end of the fenced area, there are a few rocky steps to descend, but nothing severe. Just take your time and gradually curve left around the north side of the mountain.
NC108107 From here, it’s just a gently descending curve around the mountain, back to the car park. The path does peter out through a few sloppy sections but only for short periods. A word of warning – take a midgie head net if going in summer. It can be horrific! Other than that, this might be the most family-friendly mountain day in Scotland, which brings with it the associated problems. Please pick up any scraps of litter you find and park sensibly. It really does get busy and can feel a little like a crowded day on Snowdon if you come on the wrong day. Quite surreal for such an isolated area. It’s so worth it though!