Walk Schiehallion Scotland

Walk Schiehallion, Scotland.

Schiehallion is one of Scotland's most iconic mountains. Viewed from Loch Tummel, the 'fairy hill of the Caledonians' is a distinctive conical peak. The route up the hill however follows a broad ridge from east to west, becoming increasingly stony in the upper slopes. The hill offers a fairly easy gradient, though, and is an ideal munro for beginners to try. It was indeed the first munro which I climbed and I've returned many times to enjoy the beauty of this very special mountain.

It has a unique place in scientific history for an 18th-century experiment to estimate the mass of the Earth in 1774. The deflection of a pendulum by the mass of the mountain provided an estimate of the mean density of the Earth, from which its mass and a value for Newton's Gravitational constant G could be deduced. The experiment was carried out by Astronomer Royal, Nevil Maskelyne. He was assisted in the task by mathematician Charles Hutton, who devised a graphical system to represent large volumes of surveyed heights, later known as contour lines. A plaque at the entrance to the car park commemorates this important experiment.

East Schiehallion is now owned by the John Muir Trust, who have done a wonderful job in creating a new path, which avoids the old track where the underlying peat had eroded leaving a nasty scar on the hill.East Schiehallion includes the summit and main path, and the quieter and wilder Gleann Mòr on its southern flank.It covers part of the designated Schiehallion Site of Special Scientific Interest

The walk begins at the Forestry Commission's Braes of Foss car park, located part way up the minor road between Kinloch Rannoch and the B846 Tummel Bridge to Aberfeldy road. The excellent track is clearly marked from the car park and rises gradually through the heather, bog myrtle and blaeberry covered slopes. Eventally these slopes give way to quartzite stones and boulders making difficult walking in places. Cairns follow the route, making for easy navigation

The summit is a rocky prow and provides grand views west over Loch Rannoch towards Glencoe. To the east is Loch Tummel, and to the south-west the Carn Mairg group, above Glen Lyon. Return to Braes of Foss Car Park by the same route.



Schiehallion Plaque to Maskelyne and Hutton.


John Muir Trust path on Schiehallion.


Heather on Schiehallion Lower Slopes.


Cairn on upper slopes of Schiehallion.


Loch Tummel from Schiehallion.


Allt Mor in Gleann Mor, Schiehallion.


Schiehallion Summit Cairn 16.08.09

Schiehallion 1083m (3554 ft) Grid Ref NN 714548
Gaelic name Sìdh Chailleann
Total Distance 6 miles/10km. Time 4Hr 30m approx
Height climbed 760M
Map OS Landranger 1:50,000 sheet 51.
Start Forestry Commission Braes of Foss car park (Grid Ref NN 753557).
Free Public toilets at Braes of Foss car park (closed in winter).