SUILVEN, on the top of the world
Posted: Tue May 14, 2013 11:03 pm
my recent trip to assynt, just last week.
i still live the experience, i hope you will feel the enthusiasm i am about to share
as it usually happens in scotland: the sunniest and nicest day comes straight after the dullest and wettest one.
that day did not disappoint us at all, sometimes i actually thought it was too hot and too sunny! well, the entire day we walked against the sun, walked east in the morning and west in the afternoon. lovely
there is so much i could tell about suilven! definitely this is an amazing and special mountain. although it is not a munro ('only' 731m), the day on suilven i would classify as a long and hard one. maybe because the walk starts from the sea level and you actually have to gain every metre of those 731. mind you, often when walking munros you gain less height, as you start from higher level.
suilven is full of character. his mighty silhouette is seen from everywhere in assynt, staying in lochinver we saw him every day, teasing us.
if you, like us, cant stand the idea of not climbing suilven, here are some tips:1. even if you stay in lochinver it is worth to drive to glencanisp lodge (where the track begins). believe me, on your way back you will be happy to save yourselves every possible meter of the walk. walking from lochinver to the lodge is an over 40 mins stroll.
2. if possible, take the approach shoes with you. from glencanisp lodge up to the cairn marking path off towards foot of suilven (2 hrs walk!) there is a very good and pretty dry track. easily walked in approach shoes, which you can then change for boots (and leave shoes at the cairn, collect them on your way back. unless you decide to take alternative route down). proper mountain boots will be required for the walk from the cairn to the very foot of suilven, you will have to spend about an hour trying not to sink in a neverending bog pit, swampy moorland. and then sharp up the gully.
3. there are alternative paths down, 3. you can either come back the same route you came up, take the gully down south (didnt look that bad) or walk down via eastern summit
last tip: if you're ever in assynt, tackle the suilven, IT IS A MUST DO!
beginning of the walk, just before glencanisp lodge. morning inversion in the suilven/canisp area
next 2 hours we walked along this track. tiresome!
mister
quanaig
path off the main track is marked with a small cairn
path up the gully.
actually there are two paths going up to the ridge. one of them goes straight up the gully, the other just on the side of the gully. we took the steeper path up. it was reasonably steep, but nothing scary. however, if you dont like too much exposure or steepness, this could be difficult already.
looking down from the gully
the gully
summit ridge
looking south towards stac pollaidh
eastern ridge of suilven (and canisp)
shortest route down! (just looks scary)
canisp
nice afternoon light
enjoy!
i still live the experience, i hope you will feel the enthusiasm i am about to share
as it usually happens in scotland: the sunniest and nicest day comes straight after the dullest and wettest one.
that day did not disappoint us at all, sometimes i actually thought it was too hot and too sunny! well, the entire day we walked against the sun, walked east in the morning and west in the afternoon. lovely
there is so much i could tell about suilven! definitely this is an amazing and special mountain. although it is not a munro ('only' 731m), the day on suilven i would classify as a long and hard one. maybe because the walk starts from the sea level and you actually have to gain every metre of those 731. mind you, often when walking munros you gain less height, as you start from higher level.
suilven is full of character. his mighty silhouette is seen from everywhere in assynt, staying in lochinver we saw him every day, teasing us.
if you, like us, cant stand the idea of not climbing suilven, here are some tips:1. even if you stay in lochinver it is worth to drive to glencanisp lodge (where the track begins). believe me, on your way back you will be happy to save yourselves every possible meter of the walk. walking from lochinver to the lodge is an over 40 mins stroll.
2. if possible, take the approach shoes with you. from glencanisp lodge up to the cairn marking path off towards foot of suilven (2 hrs walk!) there is a very good and pretty dry track. easily walked in approach shoes, which you can then change for boots (and leave shoes at the cairn, collect them on your way back. unless you decide to take alternative route down). proper mountain boots will be required for the walk from the cairn to the very foot of suilven, you will have to spend about an hour trying not to sink in a neverending bog pit, swampy moorland. and then sharp up the gully.
3. there are alternative paths down, 3. you can either come back the same route you came up, take the gully down south (didnt look that bad) or walk down via eastern summit
last tip: if you're ever in assynt, tackle the suilven, IT IS A MUST DO!
beginning of the walk, just before glencanisp lodge. morning inversion in the suilven/canisp area
next 2 hours we walked along this track. tiresome!
mister
quanaig
path off the main track is marked with a small cairn
path up the gully.
actually there are two paths going up to the ridge. one of them goes straight up the gully, the other just on the side of the gully. we took the steeper path up. it was reasonably steep, but nothing scary. however, if you dont like too much exposure or steepness, this could be difficult already.
looking down from the gully
the gully
summit ridge
looking south towards stac pollaidh
eastern ridge of suilven (and canisp)
shortest route down! (just looks scary)
canisp
nice afternoon light
enjoy!