Region: Assynt and Coigach, Northwest Highlands, near Ullapool, Scotland
Places To Stay: Base yourself in Ullapool for cafés, pubs, shops and easy access to the Assynt and Coigach hills, or stay closer to Achiltibuie if you want a quieter west-coast feel with sea views, lochs and mountains all around you. Looking for more Scottish walks? Head to your Scotland Hiking Guides page to see more routes across the Highlands, islands and national parks.
This short but spectacular Stac Pollaidh circular walk starts from the car park near Loch Lurgainn and climbs anti-clockwise towards the ridge and eastern top before looping back around the mountain on the Stac Pollaidh trail. It may only be around 4.5km, but this is a walk that massively over-delivers.
Stac Pollaidh is famous for its jagged sandstone crest, steep gullies and huge views across the wild Assynt landscape. The easier eastern top gives most walkers the classic viewpoint without needing to tackle the exposed scramble to the true western summit, which is a much more serious undertaking.
This is one of the best short mountain walks I have completed anywhere in Scotland. You gain height quickly, the views begin almost immediately and the landscape around Loch Lurgainn, Suilven and the Summer Isles feels far bigger and wilder than the distance might suggest.
For more mountain days in Scotland, my Ben Macdui Circular Walk explores the highest ground in the Cairngorms, while the Ben Nevis Mountain Track leads to the highest summit in Britain. You can also explore my complete collection of Scotland hiking guides for more walks across the Highlands and national parks.
Below are a 3 ideas for trips and tours available in the Highlands, GetYourGuide offer great discounts and availability + Many Highlands options!
For a bigger selection of Highlands accommodation, Booking.com has plenty of cottages, lodges and hotels to browse.
Getting There: Directions, GPX and App Link
- Start point: Stac Pollaidh car park near Loch Lurgainn. Google Maps link: Stac Pollaidh Car Park
- Parking: The expanded Stac Pollaidh car park has spaces for around 78 vehicles, along with off-grid toilets and payment machines. It can still become busy during peak periods, so arrive early and avoid parking along the narrow single-track road.
- Transport: Public transport is very limited. Walkhighlands notes an infrequent bus service from Ullapool, so driving is the most practical option for most visitors.
- GPX: Download the GPX file here for use on your GPS device or watch
- You can also view and follow this route on my Outdooractive and Komoot profiles
- Avoid the early start – find accommodation in Ullapool
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Hike Profile
- Distance: ~4.5km / 2.75–3 miles
- Duration: ~3–4 hours with stops
- Ascent/Descent: ~510m
- Highest point: Eastern top and ridge area
- Difficulty: Moderate, with steep climbing and some rough ground
- Terrain: Constructed mountain path, steep rocky ridge approach and rougher, wetter circuit trail
- Best For: Mountain views, geology, photography and shorter Highland walks
- Navigation: The main route is fairly clear in good visibility, but carry a map and downloaded GPX route
Route Overview
| Section | From → To | Path | Distance | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Car park → ridge-path junction | Constructed mountain path | 2 km | A steady and increasingly steep climb with views over Loch Lurgainn, Cùl Beag and Cùl Mòr. |
| 2 | Junction → ridge and eastern top | Steep rocky path | Around 0.5–1km return | Climb to the bealach and easier eastern top. The true western summit is not included. |
| 3 | Junction → car park | Circuit trail | 2 km | A rougher and wetter path around the western and southern slopes before rejoining the outward route. |
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Hike Description
The walk starts from the car park near Loch Lurgainn, and straight away Stac Pollaidh looks almost impossible for something so short. It rises above the road like a broken stone crown, with its jagged pinnacles and steep gullies clearly visible from below.
It’s an amazing sight, with the loch sitting beneath the mountain and the isolated Assynt hills scattered across a huge landscape of moorland and water.
From the car park, cross the road and pick up the main path. The first section climbs steadily through young woodland before emerging onto more open ground.
The path has been carefully managed because Stac Pollaidh became so popular that erosion was causing serious damage. The current constructed route curves around the mountain rather than following the old direct path up its southern face, allowing some of the damaged ground to recover.
As you climb, the views arrive quickly. Behind you, Loch Lurgainn stretches out beneath the mountain, with Sgùrr Tuath, Cùl Beag and Cùl Mòr beginning to appear.
This is one of the things I enjoyed most about Stac Pollaidh: you don’t have to wait until reaching the ridge for the good views. Every time you turn around, the landscape seems to have become a little bigger.
Geologically, this is a fascinating hill. Stac Pollaidh is made from Torridonian sandstone, and its sharp pinnacles and gullies were shaped by deep weathering and glacial action during the Ice Ages. The wider Assynt landscape contains some of the oldest rocks in Europe, with ancient Lewisian gneiss forming the low ground and younger sandstone mountains like Stac Pollaidh standing proud above it.
Higher up, the path curves around the mountain and you begin to appreciate its shape properly. The ridge above looks wild and broken, but the route to the eastern top is the more accessible option for ordinary hillwalkers.
The true summit lies farther west along the ridge and involves crossing a succession of rocky towers. The final summit tower requires a short but difficult and exposed scramble above a substantial drop, and the same move must be reversed when returning. It is therefore only suitable for experienced and confident scramblers.
The final climb towards the ridge is steep, although the path remains fairly clear. Once you reach the bealach, the whole of Assynt suddenly seems to open around you.
The easier eastern top can be reached with a short section over rock. Take your time here, particularly if it is wet or windy, but it is not in the same category as the scramble to the true western summit.
When you reach the ridge area, the views are ridiculous. To the north and west you get that classic Assynt panorama, with Suilven, Cùl Mòr, Loch Sionascaig, the Summer Isles and countless smaller lochs spread across the moorland.
Stac Pollaidh stands apart from the surrounding hills, which is why the viewpoint feels so much bigger than its height might suggest. It isn’t a Munro, but it gives you one of the finest mountain views in Scotland.
Take your time around the eastern top. This is the place to stop for something to eat, take the photographs and enjoy the landscape.
Assynt doesn’t look like most other mountain regions in Britain. Its mountains rise as isolated blocks from a wide, ancient and loch-filled landscape, and Stac Pollaidh provides one of the best short-walk viewpoints over it.
Once you’ve had your fill, return carefully from the eastern top to the main path junction.
The easiest option would be to return along the outward route, but this walk continues around the mountain to complete the circuit. The western return path is rougher, wetter and more eroded in places, so it can feel slower than the distance suggests.
This side also gives you a completely different view of Stac Pollaidh. Looking back towards the ridge, you can see how fractured and weathered the sandstone crest really is, including the rocky towers leading towards the true summit.
Continue around the lower slopes until the circuit path passes back through the deer fence and rejoins the outward route.
The final section follows the familiar path downhill, with Loch Lurgainn returning to view as you approach the road and car park.
It is one of those walks that feels much bigger than its distance. You get a steep mountain climb, a dramatic ridge, huge Highland views and a proper circular route, all within a relatively short day.
For me, that is exactly why Stac Pollaidh is such a classic. It is accessible enough to fit into half a day, but dramatic enough to stay in your memory for years.
Places to Stay in the Highlands
For a bigger selection of Highlands accommodation, Booking.com has plenty of cottages, lodges and hotels to browse.
Recommended Stays
Croft Cottage in Ullapool offers family rooms with private bathrooms, sea or mountain views, and modern amenities including free WiFi, TV, and free toiletries.
Tigh Uisdean Bed and Breakfast
Tigh Uisdean Bed and Breakfast is located in Achiltibuie and boasts uninterrupted views overlooking the Summer Isles and Torridon Mountains. Free WiFi access is available and the property has free parking.
Practicalities
- Start early: This is one of the most popular short hill walks in northwest Scotland.
- True summit warning: The western true summit is exposed and involves serious scrambling. The East Summit is the better target for most walkers.
- Footwear: Wear proper walking boots or grippy trail shoes. The return path can be wet and rough.
- Weather: Conditions can change quickly in Assynt. Carry waterproofs and warm layers even on a good morning.
- Navigation: The path is generally clear, but take a map or GPX, especially in mist.
- Parking: Use the official car park and don’t block the single-track road.
- Food and water: No facilities on the mountain. Bring everything you need.
- Toilets: Walkhighlands lists toilets at the Stac Pollaidh car park.
- Dogs: Possible for fit dogs, but keep them under close control around steep ground and wildlife.
- Best season: Late spring to early autumn gives the best chance of clear views, but it can be walked year-round in suitable conditions.
Walk this route yourself in 3D!
The Video is a 3D walk through of this route; it will give you a unique sense of having walked through the route before you start.
I have created 3D Videos of my adventures and have shared them with the OutdoorActive community as well as my walking community.
Stac Pollaidh FAQs
How long is the Stac Pollaidh walk?
How long does it take to climb Stac Pollaidh?
Where does the walk start?
How difficult is the Stac Pollaidh circular walk?
Can ordinary walkers reach the top of Stac Pollaidh?
Is the eastern top the true summit of Stac Pollaidh?
Is Stac Pollaidh a Munro?
Is the Stac Pollaidh route easy to navigate?
What mountains can you see from Stac Pollaidh?
Is Stac Pollaidh suitable for beginners?
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