Suilven
731 m
United Kingdom
Also known as Суилвен, SùlabheinnAlso known as
Суилвен · Sùlabheinn
- Elevation
- 731 m
- Prominence
- 497 m
- Difficulty
- 3/10
- Mountain hike
- Best Season
- May–Jun
- Routes
- 1
Routes
1The standard route is a long walk-in across the Assynt moors, about 2½ hours on an estate track and a restored path. It then climbs a steep zig-zag path up a grassy gully to Bealach Mòr, the gap in the middle of the ridge. A short, narrow, rocky crest with a few easy steps leads west to Caisteal Liath, the 731 m summit. About 20 km and 950 m of ascent return; 6–9 hours.
Elevation Profile
- Distance
- 10.5 km
- one way
- Ascent
- +769 m
- −92 m lost on the way up
- High Point
- 731 m
- Time Up
- 4h 03m
- DIN 33466
- Time Down
- 3h 32m
- DIN 33466 · same way back
Park at the Assynt Foundation's free car park at the end of the public road from Lochinver, just before Glencanisp Lodge (about 1.5 km east of the village). Walk east past the lodge, where there is an honesty shop, then follow the estate track signed for Suilven along the north side of Loch Druim Suardalain and out across open moorland. After about 3 km a short detour on the left leads to Suileag bothy. Continue south-east, cross the bridge over the Abhainn na Clach Airigh and, about 600 m later, fork right onto the restored path. It crosses what used to be the boggiest part of the approach towards Loch a' Choire Dhuibh beneath the north face, about 2½ hours from the car park. Cross the outflow of the loch and head for the grassy gully descending from Bealach Mòr. The path, rebuilt with boulder steps in 2017–18, zig-zags relentlessly up it to the crest. At the bealach turn right (west-north-west) through the gap in an old drystone dyke. Easy rock steps and a short dip lead to the broad grassy dome of Caisteal Liath, ringed by cliffs. The crest is narrow and slightly exposed, and unnerving in strong wind, but the steps barely count as scrambling. Return the same way. A popular alternative descends south from the bealach past the Fionn Loch and Kirkaig Falls to Inverkirkaig, about 4 km south of Lochinver, which needs a second car or a walk back by road. Heading east along the ridge to Meall Meadhonach involves exposed scrambling and is for experienced scramblers only.
Start
Glencanisp car park54 m
- Lochinver has only a limited bus link (via Ullapool); in practice most walkers drive. From Lochinver it is about 1.5 km on foot to the car park.
- Parking at the trailhead
Stages
| Day | Stage | km | m ascent | m descent | Time |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Glencanisp car park → Suilven | 10.5 | 769 | 92 | 4h 03m |
Waypoints
- Parking: Glencanisp car park54 m
Free Assynt Foundation car park (NC107219), limited spaces; fills early in summer
- Feature: Glencanisp Lodge52 m
Assynt Foundation base with honesty shop; the estate track starts behind the lodge
- Bivouac: Suileag131 m
MBA bothy, a short detour left of the track
- Feature: Loch a' Choire Dhuibh302 m
Cross the outflow at the foot of the gully
- Summit: Suilven731 m
Key Passages
- Long moorland walk-in from Glencanisp
- Steep pitched gully path to Bealach Mòr
- Narrow ridge crest with short rock steps to Caisteal Liath
Equipment
0/6 packedDownloads
Route confidence 80%Overview
A 2 km sandstone ridge rising sheer from the Assynt moors, unmistakable from Lochinver as a single grey dome. It is reached by a long walk-in and a steep gully to a narrow crest; its highest point, Caisteal Liath, reaches 731 m.
Suilven stands alone in the roadless country between Lochinver and Elphin in Sutherland. It is an isolated ridge of Torridonian sandstone on a base of Lewisian gneiss, surrounded by bog and hundreds of lochans. From the west it looks like a single tower (the name comes from the Old Norse for 'pillar mountain'). From the north and south it shows its true shape: three tops on a narrow ridge about 2 km long. Caisteal Liath ('grey castle', 731 m) is at the north-west end, Meall Meadhonach (724 m) in the middle and Meall Beag (660 m) at the south-east end.
Although it is only a Graham, it is one of the most sought-after hills in Scotland. Most of the effort is the approach: about 10 km each way over moorland, now on a good restored path. That is followed by a steep climb up a gully to Bealach Mòr and a short ridge walk to the summit. The top is a broad grassy dome ringed by cliffs, with views over Assynt to Quinag, Canisp, Cul Mor, Stac Pollaidh and the sea.
The mountain belongs to the community-owned Glencanisp estate, managed by the Assynt Foundation. The walk is long and committing for its height. Mobile signal is poor, and the weather can change fast.
Climbing Notes
Allow a full day: about 20 km and 950 m of ascent return, typically 6–9 hours, much of it on a rough track and a stone path across bog. The gully to Bealach Mòr is steep but on a built path. The ridge to Caisteal Liath is narrow, with a few easy rock steps and some exposure; it is unpleasant in high wind. Continuing east to Meall Meadhonach and Meall Beag involves exposed scrambling and is for experienced scramblers only. The eastern approach from Elphin is longer and needs a scramble to reach the ridge without using Bealach Mòr.
Navigation skills are essential. The surrounding moor is a maze of lochans and bog, there are few signs and mobile signal is patchy. Carry a map, compass and full waterproofs. Midges are fierce from June to September. Suileag bothy, about 3 km in, offers basic shelter. Winter ascents need ice axe and crampons when the gully and ridge are snow-covered or icy, and the short daylight makes the round trip hard to fit in. Deer culling takes place on the estate, with the hind season from 21 October to 15 February; follow any local signs.
History
The North-west Highlands were covered by the last ice sheet. Cosmogenic dating of erratic boulders on the summit showed that Suilven was buried by ice rather than standing out as a nunatak, and that glacial erosion carved its teardrop outline and sheer flanks. A drystone dyke crosses the ridge just west of Bealach Mòr; it is often said to date from famine-relief work in the 19th century. In 2005 the local community bought the Glencanisp and Drumrunie estates, including Suilven, through the Assynt Foundation. Between 2017 and 2018 the John Muir Trust led a £200,000 project, with the Assynt Foundation and the Coigach and Assynt Living Landscape Partnership, to rebuild about 2.5 km of eroded path, from the moorland approach up to the bealach. It was handed back to the community on 21 June 2019.
Season
Best May–Jun- January: Not advisable
- February: Possible
- March: Possible
- April: Good
- May: Best (best window)
- June: Best (best window)
- July: Good
- August: Good
- September: Best
- October: Good
- November: Possible
- December: Not advisable
- Jan
- About 7 hours of daylight; snow or ice in the gully
- Feb
- Short days; winter conditions possible
- Mar
- Snow possible on the ridge
- May
- Long days, often the driest month, before the midges
- Jun
- Very long days; midges start
- Jul
- Midges; busy car park
- Aug
- Midges; busy car park
- Oct
- Shortening days; hind cull from 21 October
- Nov
- Short days, storms
- Dec
- About 6–7 hours of daylight; winter conditions
Access & Permits
- Fees
- Parking at the Assynt Foundation car park before Glencanisp Lodge is free; donations welcome
- Rules
- Access on foot all year under the Scottish Outdoor Access Code; there are no roads on the estate
- Do not park on the single-track road or in passing places; parking at Glencanisp Lodge itself is reserved
- Deer culling: the hind season runs from 21 October to 15 February, and there is no closed season for stags
- Fishing requires a permit from the Assynt Angling Group
- Getting There
Lochinver (1.5 km from the car park)
Inverness (INV)
- Car: A835 from Inverness to Ullapool, then A835/A837 north to Lochinver (about 2 hours from Inverness); from the village, take the minor road to the Glencanisp car park
- Public transport: Citylink coaches run from Inverness to Ullapool. The onward bus to Lochinver is infrequent, so check current timetables
Hazards
- Weather
- Remoteness
- Exposure
Huts & Shelters
1- 131 m
SuileagBivouacUnstaffed
All year (unstaffed bothy maintained by the Mountain Bothies Association)