You could spend a lifetime scaling Scottish mountains and still not summit all of them. Indeed the Scots appear to enjoy their mountain climbing so much that they have given them names based on their heights. The highest ones are called munros ( click here for an interactive map ). These mountains reach or exceed 914 metres ( 3000feet ) and there are 282 such summits to conquer. Some are little known and very hard to reach. Others are famous for their dramatic and at times challenging terrain such as The Black Cuillin on Skye. My first summit of a munro would see me climbing Slioch Mountain. It was incredible in many ways, which is why I’ve given this article the title it has!
Where In Scotland Is It?
Slioch is located in Wester Ross, one of the most sparsely populated regions of Scotland and in fact Europe for that matter. It is dominated by remote mountains, impressive lochs and small villages, which in some cases are so remote, you can’t help but wonder what the pace of life might be like living somewhere so remote. This little video I made below sums up the region pretty well I think:
The mountain is located towards the north eastern end of Loch Maree, one of the largest freshwater lochs in all of Scotland. This is stunning in its own right and contains remote islands, which have hardly been touched by man. That I believe is rather special in today’s world. This incredible video here shows just how remote and gorgeous this body of water is. It is also on the edge of an area called Fisherfield Forest. Contrary to its name, there are very few trees, but instead one of the wildest and remotest areas of the UK, which has earned it the nickname of ‘ The Great Wilderness.’
The Lower Ascent
Slioch is unusual in that it can only really be ascended from one side. The other three are extremely steep and would require excellent mountaineering skills to negotiate them.
I parked my car just outside the village of Kinlochewe, which allowed for a relatively flat three kilometres or so, before the mountain was even reached. It obviously adds time and distance to the hike, but it is through stunning countryside that provides excellent views in all directions. One river I followed almost had me believing I was in Alaska. It was the scale of it and the landscape around me which made me feel like this. I almost half expected a bear to appear on the bank at any moment in its search for fish.
Before long, my first view of Slioch came into view. It was intimidating, looming steeply from Loch Maree to the height of 981 metres. It may have been early April, but the summit was still very much white with snow. In my opinion this only added more beauty to a mountain already well known for the stunning landscape it is part of.
The Ascent Begins
After reaching a river with impressive waterfalls and plunge pools, the faint path turns north away from Loch Maree and starts to climb. It is never too steep, but focus is needed to keep sight of the path, which is tough to follow in places. Despite having an OS map, I still found myself forging my own way across thick tussocky grass and jumping small streams. It wasn’t technical, but care was still needed to ensure an ankle wasn’t twisted.
As the map below shows, much of the early ascent involves following another river uphill towards its source. As a geographer, I always enjoy walks like this, as it is amazing how the size of the river decreases over a relatively short distance.
The maps above show how the route up the mountain has no marked paths on the OS map. As already mentioned, you will still find faint ones on the ground, but they are easily lost. The best advice is to follow the river between the two summits of Meall Each and Sgurr Dubh.
Eventually, the small river will snake left into a glen of sorts. It is stunning, wild and remote by this point. I certainly felt I had left all signs of civilization behind.
The Steeper Climb Begins
There appeared to be two routes up at the head of the glen as far as I could see. I could see a steep rocky path making its way up towards the two small lochs marked on the map. I decided to stick to the now stream though and found this quite easy to complete even with snow and ice present. Crampons proved very helpful indeed and i wouldn’t suggest attempting this route in winter without them.
Before long I was trudging through deep snow and could see the summit off in the distance. Just below it must be one of the highest lochs in Scotland. It would certainly make a wild and windswept place for a wild camp.
The final hundred metres or so of elevation gain proved very challenging. Not only was the snow energy sapping, but my muscles were by now pretty tired after the three day hike I had completed across the wild Knoydart Peninsula only a couple of days beforehand. It was a relief to finally reach the trig point and feel like I was standing on top of the world.
The Views Make It Worth It
I was blown away by the view I was afforded in all directions. During my many trips away to wild and remote parts of the UK, I have explored many summits, but climbing Slioch Mountain offered one of the best views I’ve ever seen. I was thankful for the basic rocky shelter as I put my remaining warm clothes on, before I just stood and took in where I was. It was stunning and I felt truly alive. Every step for this had been more than worth it!
