Suilven

Suilven is one of Scotland's most instantly recognisable mountains — a remarkable, isolated sandstone spire rising almost sheer from the cnoc-and-loch wilderness of Assynt, and though only 731 metres high, its dramatic silhouette and total remoteness make it one of the finest hill days in the country.

The route starts at the end of the minor public road from Lochinver towards Glencanisp Lodge, with a small walkers' car park that fills quickly on fine days. From here, a private tarmac road continues along the northern shore of Loch Druim Suardalain to Glencanisp Lodge itself, a former shooting lodge now owned by the local community following the Assynt Foundation's landmark estate buyout. Beyond the lodge, an ATV track crosses a rugged, undulating landscape of rock and moor, with the great dome of Caisteal Liath — Suilven's western summit — growing ever more impressive ahead, alongside the more conventional cone of Canisp to the left. A detour partway along leads to Suileag Bothy, an open shelter maintained by the Mountain Bothy Association, worth a look even for those not staying over.

A well-made path, greatly improved in recent years by the John Muir Trust and Assynt Foundation, branches off towards the mountain, climbing past Loch a' Choire Dhuibh into a grassy gully leading to the "nick" on Suilven's ridge — the ascent looks intimidating from below, but is essentially a very steep, well-graded walk requiring care rather than technical skill, zig-zagging to ease the gradient before a final rocky slope reaches the vast, grassy dome of Caisteal Liath, the true summit. The view here is staggering in every direction: the watery, rock-strewn landscape of Assynt spread out below, with Quinag, Canisp, and the distinctive profiles of Cùl Mòr and Stac Pollaidh all visible, and Lochinver and the sea glimpsed just beyond the cairn.

The only way off Caisteal Liath is back down to the bealach; confident scramblers can detour along the narrow ridge to the second summit of Meall Meadhonach, involving a scramble down into a gap before the final rise, though most walkers simply retrace their steps back down the gully and along the full length of the outward route to Lochinver.

The round trip from Lochinver is around 18-20 kilometres, typically seven to ten hours — a genuinely long day for a mountain of this modest height, given the sheer distance of the approach; alternative, wilder routes exist from Inverkirkaig via the Falls of Kirkaig, or via canoe across Loch Veyatie from Elphin for the truly adventurous.

The final gully ascent is very steep and demands real care, particularly in descent or wet conditions, and the sheer length of the approach across exposed moorland means full waterproofs, navigation skills, and a realistic assessment of the whole day are essential.

Parking at Glencanisp is free but limited; there is an infrequent bus service from Ullapool to Lochinver, around 2.5 kilometres from the start.