www.visitscotland.com/accommodation.
Weather
It is fair to say that the Scottish weather does not always enjoy a good reputation! With prevailing westerly winds bringing rain off the Atlantic, the Scottish hills can certainly be wet and blustery places. Low cloud can even lead to some visitors wondering where the hills actually are. That said, on a sunny, clear day, of which there are many, there is no finer place to be and you will appreciate it all the more.
Check the weather forecast before you go and be prepared for the right conditions. Always carry waterproofs and spare warm clothing – even in mid-summer the weather in the mountains can change rapidly and the higher you go the colder it gets. The Mountain Weather Information Service provides good daily mountain forecasts for the different upland regions of Scotland www.mwis.org.uk.
When to go
The routes given in this guide have been described with spring, summer and autumn conditions in mind. While some would provide a pleasant winter excursion, the longer and steeper routes could be very challenging in winter.
The summer school holidays in Scotland are earlier than in England, running from the beginning of July to mid-August. During this period places are busier and accommodation is often more expensive. May, June and September are quieter and often have good spells of weather.
The summer months are also the time of midges, Scotland’s infamous small biting insects. While they are unlikely to bother you on a very sunny or on a very windy day, in damp, still conditions they can become pretty unbearable – thankfully it is often windy on Scotland’s hills! They can also be avoided by visiting in the spring or autumn.
Sgurr an Fhidhleir and Stac Pollaidh from Ben More Coigach
Taking in the view on Sgurr Dhomhnuill
Winter walking
The mountains in winter can be very different places from during the summer. Check route details and conditions carefully in advance, and only venture out if you are confident of your winter walking abilities and have the appropriate equipment including an ice axe and crampons. Make sure you know how to use them.
Plan winter routes taking into account that winter conditions will make routes longer and that the days are much shorter. Always carry a head torch for use in emergencies.
Avalanches are an additional risk in the winter – it is important to check the avalanche forecast www.sais.gov.uk.
Mountain safety
The Scottish mountains can be dangerous places and it is important to be properly equipped and prepared. While this guide covers ‘small’ mountains, they are often in remote and rugged places, and lesser height does not negate the impact of the Scottish weather.
Wear good walking boots and appropriate clothing, with extra warm and waterproof layers to put on if the weather changes.
Always ensure you carry a map and compass and know how to use them. Many of the routes in this guide have sections without paths, and even on those that do it is easy to get lost, particularly in bad weather.
Be sure to leave word with someone of where you are going and when you expect to return, and let them know when you do.
Carry a first aid kit and a whistle to alert people to your location in an emergency. The internationally recognised distress call is six blasts on a whistle within a minute.
Access
The Land Reform (Scotland) Act 2003 establishes a clear public right to access land in Scotland, meaning that so long as you act responsibly and do not interfere with the rights of the landowner, you are able to walk where you wish in the Scottish mountains.
The main potential access issue for most of the routes in this guide is deer stalking. The red-stag stalking season is from 1 July to 20 October, although the dates on which estates start stalking vary. The season for shooting hinds is from 21 October to 15 February. Roe-deer stalking is less common, but the roe-buck stalking season is from 1 April to 20 October and the doe-stalking season is from 21 October to 31 March.
Even when an estate is stalking, it is unlikely to prevent you walking many of the routes. The best advice is to contact the estate and find out where they will be. Many will post details at main car parks and popular route access points. In general, walkers are advised to stay on paths and ridges during the stalking season. It is worth noting that deer stalking does not take place on Sundays. The Hillphones network provides phone numbers for walkers to call a number of estates. The relevant hillphone and other estates’ phone numbers are given where available in the information box for each route. However, these can change and it is important to check local information where possible.
Near Cunside on the walk in to Ben Loyal
The rocky summit of Beinn Resipol
Looking south across the rocky shoulder of Meallan Diomhain on Cul Mor
Another potential access issue is forestry work, and again the relevant contact numbers are given where available.
Wherever you are walking it is important to follow the Scottish Outdoor Access Code (www.outdooraccess-scotland.com) and to be responsible for yourself and your activities. As they say, leave only footprints and take only memories and photographs.
Using this guide
For each mountain in this guide, one main route is described in detail. Where possible this is a circular route, providing an interesting and enjoyable ascent and descent of the peak, taking in any notable features and landmarks. This is often, but not always, the most popular route up a hill. It is not always the shortest or quickest.
Alternative routes, where they exist, are described in less detail, to give walkers a choice of routes or allow them to construct their own. The distance and ascent of each alternative route is given in brackets at the end of the description. The route descriptions are not designed to be followed without a map, except for armchair planning.
Little Loch Broom
Each route is accompanied by a description of the mountain and the area in which it is located, and a factual information box detailing distance, timing, ascent, difficulty, access, how to get there, grid reference and other nearby attractions and facilities.
Mountain names
The spelling of mountain names and features in this guide is taken from the Ordnance Survey 1:50,000 maps.
Maps
