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A hike-run of Stac Pollaidh

Written by Fiona

May 12 2023

If you follow this website, you’ll know I am not a fan of ridges with steep drop offs. This meant that Stac Pollaidh, although a short hike, was outside my comfort zone at several points.

While I have completed a round of Munros, I found the Munros on the Cuillin Ridge in Skye very challenging because of the steeps and the exposure. Other ridges, such as Liathach in Glen Torridon, also tested my nerve.

Looking up at Stac Poilaidh
Arron sets off at a speedy pace.

Hike-run to summit of Stac Pollaidh

Stac Pollaidh, north of Ullapool in a region known as Assynt, is not a tall mountain. It is 612m at its highest point and has a prominence of some 438m.

This qualifies it for the list of Fionas (Old Grahams), or New Grahams, depending on the one you are following.

At first, a well-made path leads walkers uphill from a car park at sea level. This path actually continues around Stac Pollaidh to form a circuit if you are not keen to go higher.

The views over Assynt’s other-worldly landscape and some of the mountains, such as Suilven, are superb.

After a couple of kilometres heading north-easterly, there is a junction and an obvious path to the left (west). This climbs more steeply towards the rugged ridge.

By Scottish ridge standards, this is a short version, but Stac Pollaidh has plenty of precipitous drops and numerous towers.

The true summit of Stac Pollaidh is at the western end and it claims a title as one of the trickiest tops to reach on mainland Scotland.

To reach the highest point, you need to be confident on rocky towers and managing a few scrambling sections. I was fortunate to be with a small group from Highland Hill Runners and two of the group knew the route well.

A nervous pose on the ridge.
Arron is confident on the ridge.

There is a maze of paths so my advice is to go with someone who has done the route before. If you are doing the route for the first time, it’s possible to follow different paths and worn sections upwards and then retreat if it’s not for you and try another way up.

There are a couple of sections that are easier if you know exactly where you are going and if you have a friend to guide your climb up.

Even with Arron and Iain guiding us, I confess there were a few times when the exposure, or fear of what would come next, got the better of me and I said I didn’t want to continue.

I tried not to look down, only ahead, but then I’d catch a glimpse of a drop to the side or a tower of rock ahead and my stomach flipped and my heart raced. A fear of heights can be very unpleasant.

Somehow, though, I did keep going. Being part of a group of good friends was helpful because we gave each other encouraging words and also the space to vocalise our fears without judgement. While some in the group seemed totally fine on the ridge, others really were not.

We made it!

There was nothing that I found too technically challenging in terms of the climbing aspect of the Stac Pollaidh ridge and, with a little guidance, the two crux points were fairly simple short scrambles. But when your brain is telling you that it’s very scary – very scary indeed – due to the steep drops, it was challenging to keep going.

I am delighted to say I made it. Even at the top, where there is quite a wide section of ridge, I felt a dreadful sense of exposure. But I also felt proud of myself for persevering.

Of course, we also had to do the return scramble but for some reason that didn’t seem as bad as I had feared.

Our group also headed to the lower eastern summit, which most people who ascend Stac Pollaidh will enjoy.

On the return run to the car park we rejoined the lower path and followed that to complete the circuit.

Stac Pollaidh: The details

The total route was 5km.

Total height gain was 700m (although our group did make a few extra ascents and descents of various towers as we searched for the right route.)

This was my route (although please be aware that if you follow it I take no responsibility if you end up feeling exposed or get lost).

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