Stac Pollaidh was love at first sight - but how was the return?
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It was love at first sight when I first laid eyes on Stac Pollaidh as a teenager many years ago.
I mean what’s not to love? It’s an absolute stunner set amongst awe-inspiring Wester Ross scenery.
It was the first peak I returned to with my own children and I recall the feeling of deep privilege surveying the beauty of Assynt unfolding for miles around when we reached the top.
Returning the other day to the 612m hill with a seasoned Munro-bagger literally capable of charming the birds out of the trees (of which more later), I was seeing it through fresh eyes (and ascending with older legs).
An excellent path past a gate opposite the well-appointed car park makes the going good underfoot. You can see why one hiker has dubbed it “the best wee hill walk for beginners”. That breezy description should be qualified though: reaching the true summit involves a tricky scramble and there’s also a “bad step” which is not for the faint-hearted.
While Stac Pollaidh definitely LOOKS like it must have been a volcano at some point, a no-nonsense sign in the car park at its base makes clear that’s not the case. The mountain and striking neighbour Suilven were formed from 1000 million-year-old Torridonian sandstone. A thick layer of this red sandstone once covered the whole area until rivers and ice sheets gradually wore through it and left behind these isolated red peaks.
Stac Pollaidh was left with steep-sided cliffs after the last ice sheet melted around 15,000 years ago. Rocks falling from these crags formed the skirt of scree you see around the mountain.
There’s a series of dramatic sandstone pinnacles on the summit with names like The Sphinx and Madonna and Child. Natural erosion caused one, The Lobster’s Claw, to collapse in parts a few years ago.
Before enjoying those breathtaking sights, your breath may momentarily be taken away from you by some steep sections, especially if walking with a long-legged mountain goat like my friend and co-worker, James.
There are ways and means of handling fitter friends who bound upwards with endless energy, like coiled springs. The classic is to stop to admire the view rather more often than is strictly necessary, simply to get a breather.
When he started returning the plaintive call of a cuckoo somewhere up ahead (very convincingly, it has to be said), I saw another opportunity for delay.
As you continue uphill you’ll hopefully catch good views of Sgùrr Tuath across Loch Lurgainn below, and of Cul Beag to the east.
The path curves round to the far side of Stac Pollaidh. Eventually there are stunning views of Suilven across the wilderness of Assynt.
A well-maintained path climbs steeply to the lowest point of the ridge and, if cloud clears, the views are stunning with the Summer Isles clearly visible.
The high point at the eastern end of the ridge can be relatively easily reached with only a short scramble. The true summit at the western end is trickier to reach and, having previously broken an arm on a freak hill walk fall and not liking the look of the wet rocks ahead, I tapped out at this point to enjoy the view and soak up the moody atmosphere.
James hopped onwards with a jaunty thumbs up, muttering “It’ll be grand!”, leaving me with my thoughts. In his absence, there was a real sense of solitude up there in the clouds with not another soul around. I thought now of the amazing work of mountain rescue teams ready to drop everything to help people who find themselves in a jam – or much worse – in the hills.
Being up in the hills, especially those moments where you find yourself alone, can be a truly humbling experience. If you’re looking for some perspective on life, they’re not a bad place to start.
We opted to head back down the same way we had come, today not fancying the alternative, wetter option that would make it a circuit.
On the descent, we actually saw the cuckoo James had been serenading all day arcing overhead after another series of calls from my walking companion. Like I said, he’s a charmer and no mistake.
There had been nobody around on our early ascent but heading down we met possibly 20 people ranging in age from about seven to 80, most keen to know about visibility from the top and some pulling one of my own classic techniques of grabbing a sneaky breather whilst having a longer-than-strictly necessary natter.
Route details
Stac Pollaidh
Distance 4.25km / 2.6 miles
Terrain Good but steep path to the bealach; scramble with some exposed steps on ridge
Start/finish Stac Pollaidh car park – on the road to Achiltibuie off the A835 north of Ullapool
Map OS Landranger 15; OS Explorer 439
A short but sometimes strenuous walk to one of Wester Ross’s finest peaks – those with a head for heights will aim for the true summit
Click here to see the route in OS Maps
Scan the QR code to see the route in OS Maps
