Schiehallion

Schiehallion, at 1,083 metres, is one of Scotland's most instantly recognisable mountains — a near-perfect cone when viewed from Loch Rannoch, and one of the most popular first Munros for beginner hillwalkers thanks to its accessible, well-built path.

The route starts from the Braes of Foss car park, where a memorial commemorates the mountain's role in scientific history: in 1774 the Astronomer Royal, Nevil Maskelyne, used Schiehallion to carry out the first measurement of the mass of the Earth, observing the deflection of a pendulum caused by the mountain's own gravitational pull — and in the process of mapping the hill for this experiment, contour lines were invented for the first time. From the car park, a path built by the John Muir Trust winds through regenerating native oak woodland before reaching open ground and climbing steadily along the mountain's long east ridge, with the classic conical profile only becoming apparent from certain angles rather than throughout the ascent.

At around 870 metres the well-maintained path gives way abruptly to a substantial quartzite boulder field covering the final two kilometres to the summit — angular, loose rock requiring careful, slow-paced footwork after the smooth going lower down. This is the crux of the whole walk, catching out those expecting an easy finish after the gentle path below.

The out-and-back route is around 10 kilometres with roughly 730 metres of ascent, typically taking four to five hours.

Despite its reputation as a beginner-friendly Munro, Schiehallion should not be underestimated — the upper mountain is exposed and disorientating in poor visibility, the boulder field becomes treacherous in ice or snow, and full winter equipment is essential whenever conditions demand it. This remains a proper mountain, not a simple walk.

The Braes of Foss car park is chargeable, with an overflow area half a kilometre further along the road when full.