For regular walkers in Scotland, Stac Pollaidh is likely nothing special. Yesterday at 12:38 PM. The path leaves the shelter of the lower slopes - we're heading for the little saddle just visible in the sawtooth ridge above. The remaining portion of the Lobster Claw is just left of centre, projecting a shadow on the rock-wall behind. If you climb all the way to the summit of Stac Pollaidh you are rewarded by a panoramic view which covers Loch Lugainn, Loch Broom, the Summer Isles, Assynt and the Inverpolly Nature Reserve. Climbs are waiting to be checked by a crag moderator, and may not be accurate. This topic has been archived, and won't accept reply postings. Please submit any useful information about climbing Stac Pollaidh that may be useful to other climbers. Royal Yacht Britannia – Scotland’s best attraction??? Stac Pollaidh’s trail starting point is visible from the car park. There are spectacular views over the Coigach peaks southwards, the Assynt hills to the north and the big Beinn Dearg Group, uhmm, over there somewhere. Consider things such as access and accommodation at the base of Stac Pollaidh, as well as the logistics of climbing … Stac Pollaidh couldn’t be more different. A heavy shower on the way up totally obscured the views, but magically cleared on the final ascent. Oh no, memories from my impetuous youth of sauntering over the loose stacks and pinnacles drove me on, in the company of another tourism professional but self-confessed novice mountain scrambler. A great climb for a wonderful view The car park is only small and gets full quickly, there is additional parking further on off the road, a short walk back to the start. Geotourism (Geology & Tourism) Lochinver Butchers. The Climbing Academy Glasgow. With a very steep climb to reach the summit ridge. You’d like to climb Stac Pollaidh? Anyway, so far, so good; and if we’d all stopped at that point, then that would have been an easy half-day rewarded with a sensational panorama. Don’t worry, this soon opens to a very well … On the other hand, it can be magical. it is a steady climb until the last 500 m when it is a scramble well worth it for the views from the top. At a crossroads, take the left fork and then climb steeply to a ridge in the summit ridge. The true summit is at the west end; although most of the difficulties on the ridge can be avoided, there is a final sting in the tail in the shape of a very short but difficult and exposed scramble up the final tower. The south face of the West Buttress offers good multi-pitch rock climbing with a mountain atmosphere but without the walk in. Photo credit: Gillian Millar. Cul Mor from the Stac Pollaidh saddle. The path is clear and well maintained. A total climb of about 450 meters. But for someone coming from 'flat' country, the hill/mountain is an exciting walk with spectacular views as a reward. In the beginning the peak was named as "The Pinnacle and later changed on maps into "Stac Polly". The views from Stac Pollaidh over the ancient Assynt and Sutherland landscape are truly wonderful, no wonder people return here again and again. There is a good path all the way although the final ascent is very steep and involves scrambling. He was a research chemist and perfume expert who worked for Yardley – but was given lots of time off for his writing! Hiking trail to Stac Pollaidh starts at the opposite side of the road from car park. Due to its relatively low height of just over 600 meters, amazing views and ease of access from a road it has become a very popular peak to climb. A climb to the true summit of Stac Pollaidh in May 2013. (To be absolutely accurate, the hill is only 2007 ft / 612m high.). We were blessed with a beautiful day and had plenty of time – yet we went the wrong way to reach the top. It ended with a wall of smooth-faced Torridonian sandstone: a little too near the vertical for a casual stroll. To get to Lochinver catch the Far North Bus service 804 from either Durness or Ullapool. You could tackle Stac Pollaidh as part of this Vikings-themed tour of the north of Scotland. Just circling the mountain is an easy walk with only a thigh burning climb for the ascent. Seine kompakte Perfektion sorgt für ein angenehm effizientes Abenteuer in den Bergen und beinhaltet die einzigartige Landschaft von Assynt, die Gelegenheit für episches Scr These climbs you Did not Finish. If you haven’t hill walked before, have a look at my beginner’s guide to hillwalking in Scotland. How long does it take to climb Stac Pollaidh? These climbs you have Dogged. Is it worth taking a rope and small rack to safeguard the ascent? But only Johanna decided to stay on the col with the dogs, sensible girl. Stac Pollaidh – or Stac Polly as it’s also known – is one of my favourite hills in Scotland. The path is clear and well maintained. At first, the trail consists of a very rough man-made stairway which winds between the overgrown foliage. But check out the Highlands weather first. Here one has to climb a slanting groove which goes around a narrowing in the rock. The spectacular profiles of Stac Pollaidh, Cul Mor, Suilven and the others can stop you in your tracks as you journey here. Get there early and don’t park in the passing places if you can’t find a spot. We mentioned in out last blog that Canisp is quite featureless and exposed at the top. Stac Pollaidh walk, Western Highlands. There is a circular route which will take you around the base of the pinnacles, or you can return the same way. Hamlet Mountaineering. Talking of erosion…I have on my shelf a copy of what used to be the hillwalkers’ bible many years ago: ‘The Scottish Peaks’ by WA Poucher (1891-1988). The road to Achilitibuie and Reiff is just visible by the edge of the loch. Och, maybe it’s easier to suggest looking at the interpretative material at Knockan, north of Ullapool, within the designated North West Highlands Geopark. With a reasonable level of fitness, the walk up Stac Pollaidh will take around 2 hours from the car park, although I’d leave around 3 hours for the climb – you’ll need plenty of time on the top for photos! However, there is a way on the south side of the mountain but this entails dropping a few metres to reach a “mauvais pas”. Stac Pollaidh is a deservedly a popular hill and on a good day the car park off the A835 from Ullapool can quickly fill up. Stac Pollaidh is a crag inside of Northwest and Islands. The view is magnificent, thousands of small and larger lakes are flashing and sparkling in the sun, the long back of the Suilven is reminiscent of a stranded Galleone. The north-west of Scotland gains much of its bare and spare character from the improbable shape of the hills. About 200 m from the road the path splits; one may choose either since both meet up on the far side of the hill, from where it is only a short distance to the summit ridge. With a seaboard open to prevailing Atlantic south-westerlies, here you can sometimes have days of low cloud and rain, so that you never see the tops. rock routes from D – E4 of up to 100m in length.. Trail Magazine. Here is how to climb it. Climb the spectacular Suilven More things to do around LochinverHow to drive the North Coast 500More iconic mountains in Scotland to climb. Stac Pollaidh is a mountain in the rugged, empty lands of Coigach in the west of Cromartyshire, close to the edge of Sutherland.The peak displays a rocky crest of Torridonian sandstone, with many pinnacles and steep gullies. Some time after that, half of it at least came down – a reminder that erosion and change isn’t always glacially slow, especially on hills like Stac Pollaidh. A Little Scottish Hill, But You Need A Head For Heights! Jul 22, 2020 - At 612 metres high, Stac Pollaidh is Scotland's best wee hill walk for beginners. Stac Pollaidh consists of two buttresses running roughly west –east joined by a pinnacled ridge. At first the path is made into stone steps built of large boulders. Professor Eric Laithwaite: Magnetic River 1975 - Duration: … From the car park on the shore of Loch Lurgainn the path leads directly up, under the spires of the crest. Route Summary A circular walk climbing Stac Pollaidh in Scotland for a magnificent panoramic view over Britain's greatest wilderness and the added reward of possible sightings of golden eagles and red deer. Although many attempt to climb Stac Pollaidh, few actually reach the summit since the final “pitch” is guarded by a rock wall which is graded Difficult. And at this point, I’m a little sheepish, because, near the west end of the hill, to get to the very top, we committed ourselves to a steep and very loose gully. This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. It’s not high but can be treacherous with loose rock and you’ll need a head for heights. As you can see from the pictures, it was superb on the late April day we had our little scramble. Above a turquoise coastline and white sand beaches rise strange mountains – Suilven, Cul Mor, and one of the most popular hills to climb in Scotland, Stac Pollaidh. Learn how your comment data is processed. Western seaboard from Stac Pollaidh Myself and a friend are going to Stac Pollaidh on Wednesday and would like to get on the west summit. Don’t attempt climbing Stac Pollaidh in winter unless you are a specialist climber. January 3 at 2:10 PM. Visit soon, before walkers’ boots and natural erosion level it completely! However, actually climbing the hill is relatively simple thanks to the well made, but steep path up to the peak. (Yes, this little hill has been the site of serious accidents.). Sometimes, I’ve found myself explaining in guidebooks and brochures that they are Torridonian sandstone peaks that are all but eroded away; and that they sit on a plinth of tough and ancient Lewisian gneiss. For all its 2000ft / 600-odd (very odd) metres, Stac Polly (or Pollaidh for the purists – you can tell I really can’t decide) offers some easy scrambling for walkers looking for a bit of adventure. For weather forecasts, I recommend you check out: Stretching from Lochinver in the west to Dornoch in the east, Sutherland & Caithness make up the far north of Scotland. Once you circle around to the north side of the hill, an optional trail leads to the top. I was amazed to find a photo of mine, probably 1975 (see below), that also shows it pretty much intact. August 2017. Aug 22, 2019 - Stac Pollaidh or Stac Polly - is one of the most popular hills to climb in Scotland. On the drive into the region the passing heavy showers made for spectacular light. This pinnacle stood in 1948, according to the caption. Stac Pollaidh Climbing Notes. If walking to the ridge, keep to the left at the fork and follow the well-made path as it climbs steeply to the lowest … For regular walkers in Scotland, Stac Pollaidh is likely nothing special. These climbs you have climbed clean. / Stac Pollaidh Difficulty: New Topic Reply to Topic. This wee tale is really how not to climb Stac Pollaidh (or Polly). They are, let’s face it, a weird lot, but in a good way. A great climb for a wonderful view The car park is only small and gets full quickly, there is additional parking further on off the road, a short walk back to the start. HTML Guide Warning - Guide view may take some time to load for areas with large numbers of routes Instant PDF Generic pre-created PDF - for Stac Pollaidh There are too few routes to pre-prepare an instant PDF. OK, at just 2007 ft / 612 m high, Stac Pollaidh might just a tiny pup in comparison to many of Scotland’s bigger hills, but with incredible views of the mountains of the Inverpolly Nature Reserve, down to Loch Lurgainn and across to the mighty Suilven, this mini-mountain punches well above its weight. Be the first to submit your climbing note! On Thursday a combined group did the classic east to west scramble traverse of Stac Pollaidh to the true west top after driving up from Falkirk. In December 2013 I climbed Stac Pollaidh (Stac Polly) with my dad! Just circling the mountain is an easy walk with only a thigh burning climb for the ascent. December 31, 2020 at 5:58 AM. Damon Ritchie 5,832 views. Hamlet Mountaineering. Cul Beag (the mountain) and Loch Lurgainn (the water) from the top of Stac Polly. Soon you reach the junction where the circuit path continues around the base of the mountain and the main path climbs to the ridge. Stac Pollaidh 7 day weather forecast including weather warnings, temperature, rain, wind, visibility, humidity and UV The climbing team, minus John, at the end of a good day at Reiff. Cul Mor soon joins Cul Beag, and eventually there are stunning views of Suilven across the wilderness of Assynt. It was just a wee reminder that Scotland’s hills demand respect. 2:37. It’s a very odd hill. It´s west, which is the highest, buttress provides a varied range of 50 trad. Climbing to the very top of the pinnacles should only be attempted by experienced scramblers – there are lots of deep gullies and slippery Torridonian Sandstone to navigate. One only has to pass the gate and the adventure begins! Well, any excuse. Once you circle around to the north side of the hill, an optional trail leads to the top. Stac Pollaidh is one of the best known and most popular mountains in Scotland, its steep pinnacled ridge often likened to a porcupine. You will need hill walking gear and be prepared for the weather to change in a heartbeat – mist, fog and rain can sweep in quickly off the west coast of Scotland. Judge for yourself how much/little scrambling over the pinnacles you’re comfortable with to climb higher. He describes the ascent of Stac Pollaidh and in one striking picture portrays the feature called The Lobster Claw. Downloads. Whilst the best way to explore Assynt is by car  – there are daily bus services. This path takes you round to the shady side of the hill, then up to the col at the eastern end. We went all round the hill, below the crags, and had a real close-up of how fast the sandstone pinnacles are eroding. Here is how to climb Stac Pollaidh on the North Coast 500 by Lochinver The crag is south facing dries quickly and catches the sun, when it shines. From the roadside, Stac Pollaidh (the name comes from the Norse “Pollå” or ‘above the Pool River’) looks a mess of pinnacles (look out for Lobster’s Claw, the Sphinx and Madonna and Child) deep gullies and intimidating scrambles. Stac Pollaidh is a mountain in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. (Actually it’s not by longboat or anything, and you don’t get to go pillaging – it’s more full of references to the Norsemen who once lived there.) These climbs you have climbed by seconding or top-roping. Our local hills. While much of the region can be visited by driving the famous North Coast 500 you need to detour off the route between Unapool and Ullapool to visit Assynt. Camp A selection of campsites and glamorous camping locations. A few meters to the left, and you are standing on the eastern summit of Stac Pollaidh. Vikings-themed tour of the north of Scotland. However, for most people though this is one mountain you won’t mind not getting to the true summit of… the views are just fabulous anyway. Whilst climbing Stac Pollaidh is not technically hard, it is steep, and the Torridonian Sandstone can be lethal in the wet, so don’t climb up expecting a wee trip up Arthur’s Seat. In the far north-west of Scotland, Assynt’s landscape of otherworldly rock formations is literally jaw-dropping. If you intend to tackle Stac Pollaidh for the first time, then read on. Dieser winzige Berg ist die Verkörperung dessen, warum Meter allein keinen Berg ergeben. It gives you sensational views of the north-western seaboard and the glaciated landscape all around. Climbs can't be verified by a crag moderator, and they need more information to confirm it. Hamlet Mountaineering. Auf ihm geht es zurück auf die Südseite des Stac Pollaidh und weiter hinunter zum Parkplatz. If you aren’t driving the NC500, Stac Pollaidh is around 5 hours north of Glasgow and Edinburgh and 2 hours from Inverness. Stac Pollaidh can be climbed in less than 3 hours by any relatively fit person. Stac Pollaidh is not a Munro (a 3000ft / 914m peak in Scotland) – but for spectacle and entertainment it beats many of them. If the wind is preventing you from having some well earned refreshments, a sheltered spot isn’t far away. Here are our suggestions for some good hillwalks in Scotland. I suppose it was what the climbing guides call an easy scramble. :-) 16. Sutty22 28 Jun 2010. Along with some great scrambling at the top – you get a big pay off for such a short climb. The crest is extremely weathered, more so than other Torridonian peaks, suggesting that it was not covered in ice during the last Ice Age. And chocolate. But for someone coming from 'flat' country, the hill/mountain is an exciting walk with spectacular views as a reward. To help you get to the rocky fun at the top, these days there is a very well-constructed path (which I don’t remember from my youth), lacking only an electrically operated stair-lift for the less fit. The path curves round to the far side of Stac Pollaidh. Sunsets on the village. It winds thru woodland, low bushes and high heather. With a reasonable level of fitness, the walk up Stac Pollaidh will take around 2 hours from the car park, although I’d leave around 3 hours for the climb – you’ll need plenty of time on the top for photos! Stac Pollaidh Walking Routes From Car Park. Stac Pollaidh, Assynt Crux Climb - Duration: 2:37. Music: Pure Morning - Muse Stairway to Heaven - Led Zeppelin Giorni Dispari - Ludovico Einaudi. Click here to find out about digital map subscription* with Ordnance Survey and always have a map in your pocket. Scotland’s weather is best in May and September. Pitstops An assortment of interesting stop off points along our walks. it is a steady climb until the last 500 m when it is a scramble well worth it for the views from the top. West Buttress is a good scramble/climb graded ‘Diff’ and is a very satisfactory way of reaching the summit. Welcome to Love, From Scotland, the Scotland travel blog that shows you where to stay and how to get outside in Scotland. Stay Handpicked boutique luxury to family & pet friendly hotels. Amazing watching Rescue 948 training with the Ullapool ferry in the distance. Recent Post by Page. 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