SCO TLAND ADVENTURE
ituated in a remote location in the far north-west of scotland is an eloquently positioned mountain ridge of outstanding beauty. Suilven or Suilebheinn as it is known in gaelic has been admired by walkers, climbers, artists and photographers for many centuries. The surrounding
landscape of the Inverpolly nature reserve is an eclectic mixture of sparkling lochans and sandy bays with an almost lunar feel to it. This distinctive lump of Torridonian sandstone with its bed of Lewisian Gneiss can been seen for literally miles away. It does have a habit of playing with you as one journeys closer by completely vanishing from view then re-emerging in true splendour as a giant sugar-loaf just when you least expect. In a similar fashion to the way the iconic peaks of Buachaille Etive Mòr and Stac Pollaidh only look monumental when viewed from a particular direction, Suilven looks most dramatic when viewed from the south.
As a climbing and landscape photographer
I have experienced many special moments questing round the Assynt area as it is known, immersing myself in its mesmerising beauty; but right from the early days it was always Suilven that captivated me the most. Often opting for the lesser-known Corbetts in favour of their unique perspectives I would regularly camp out on their summits so as to experience the magic of both sunrise and sunset. On one occasion after a peaceful winter’s day bouldering at Reiff in the woods, I ventured onto the northern slopes of nearby Stac Pollaidh. The towering fortress glowed in the warm winter light as I eagerly scampered up the tourist path. Emerging close to the summit I was greeted by a view encompassing the entire Inverpolly area and the sea to the west. Peaks galore projected out from the glinting loch infested wilderness, the Torridonian sandstone glowing pink as the last rays of the day left their mark. Cùl Beag dominated the foreground but centre stage was the 2km ridge line of Suilven. The rounded dome of Caisteal Liath (the grey hill) could be seen on the north-west end with Meall Meadhonach (middle round hill) nestled to the right followed by Meall Beag (little round hill) on the south-east section. According to my map neither
32 | CLIMB. WALK. JOIN.
“ALWAYS DOMINATING THE VIEW THOUGH WAS SUILVEN WITH ITS EVER-CHANGING APPEARANCE AND DISTINCT LACK OF ANY EASY SUMMIT PATH.”
of them warranted Munro or even Corbett status though Caisteal Liath at 731m came in as a Graham. From my angle there appeared to be no obvious or easy angled approach. It must be round the other side I thought. What struck me most was how far it appeared to be from any road or stalking track. In the following years I trekked to the tops of most of its surrounding peaks, including the likes of Cùl Mòr, Canisp and Ben Mór Coigach and witnessed its glory from many different angles. On another occasion after climbing on the Reiff sea-cliffs we ventured inland to spend the night by the sparkling Loch Osgaig. As dusk approached Suilven’s lower flanks became cloaked in a veil of mist drifting in from the atlantic and pastel pink clouds formed over-head on what was a very special moment. Despite these memorable encounters gazing at it from afar, it wasn’t until recently that I actually laid foot on its
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