Sta Pollaidh is an iconic mountain within the Assynt space of Sutherland, Scotland. Though comparatively modest in top, it presents a feisty ridge hike to succeed in the summit.

Modest but mighty mountaineering

With a summit of simply over 2000ft, Stac Pollaidh, within the gorgeous Assynt space of north-west Scotland, can’t declare the standing of being the tallest, nor essentially the most distant of mountains.

Nonetheless, what the height lacks in stature and distance, it makes up for with rugged magnificence, a feisty ridge and views which are ceaselessly spell-binding.

I loved a walk-run of Stac Pollaidh – pronounced Stac Polly – with a bunch of pals on a dry summer time’s morning. 

A well-made path that climbs to the ridge begins throughout reverse a parking lot, over a slender, tarmac highway. Whereas continuously uphill, the trail offers a comparatively light gradient to start out with and my pals ands I set off at jogging tempo.

Do you know?: Stać Pollaidh means “steep rock on the pool”.

At first, the surroundings is shrub and younger woodland earlier than the terrain opens up right into a tough moorland. 

As we ascend, contouring across the jap aspect of the mass of Stac Pollaidh, we’re handled to ever-widening views of the encompassing panorama, together with the mountains of Cùl Beag and Cul Mòr, in addition to the long-lasting humped define of Suilven.

At a junction, there’s a option to proceed on a lower-level circuit of Stac Poliadh, or flip uphill on a path of enormous stone steps to succeed in the ridge. 

The gradient abruptly steepens and our group slows to a stroll earlier than lastly rising on to the bottom level of the ridge, between the west and east summits.

The vista is much more gratifying as we survey the otherworldly panorama of Assynt. The world is dominated by Inselbergs, which is the geological time period to explain the various remoted peaks – or “island mountains” – created from Torridonian Sandstone some 1000 million years in the past. To the west, we are able to see the ocean stretching to the horizon and, within the foreground, the scattered Summer season Isles.

To achieve the best level on the ridge requires a ridge scramble over a succession of difficult towers.

Th ridge has been slowly cracking over the centuries. The sandstone rock is worn by wintry frosts, which fracture and shatter it into scree. Wind and rain have helped to hasten the erosion, with storms washing out deep gullies within the slopes. 

Whereas I love the spectacular ridge, I worry the publicity of steep drops and I have to dig deep mentally to remain calm.

Our group is lucky to take pleasure in an skilled climber Aaron and we take his result in discover our approach on the undulating crest.

We handle to keep away from among the towers by skirting round to the north, however the last pinnacle requires a few anxiety-inducing strikes above a steep drop. 

Aaron patiently and expertly factors the course and one after the other we obtain the crux transfer. 

The ultimate metres are on a brief, however slender path that lastly provides us our summit at 2011ft. 

I’m proud – and relieved – to have made it, though there’s nonetheless a take a look at to come back as we reverse the route again to the bealach. 

The group decides to move to the marginally decrease jap summit of the ridge, too. This can be a a lot simpler objective and one which many different individuals discover is completely passable for his or her highest level on Stac Pollaidh.

After extra pictures, we descended the rocky steps once more and, on the junction with the circuit path, we flip north-west to compete a full circle of Stac Pollaidh. 

There are extra wonderful views as we glance up on the tower on the western fringe of the ridge and the various pinnacles.

At a bit over three miles, the outing took solely 2.5 hours, however the rewards felt a lot better.

Stac Pollaidh particulars

Begin and end: Stac Pollaidh automobile park, north of Ullapool. There’s a bus from Ullapool if you wish to use public transport.

Distance: 3 miles

Complete ascent: 700m.

See: www.walkhighlands.co.uk/ullapool/stacpollaidh.shtml

• This “wee journey” was written for The Scots Journal.