📌 Assynt, Highland
★★★★
The landscape of Assynt contains the most amazing landforms in Scotland: remarkable, spectacular hills standing proud and alone among a labyrinth of lochs and bogs. Suilven (Pillar Hill) has surely the most unlikely shape of them all: an abrupt dome when seen from the coast tapering to a stegosaurus-like ridge behind. The summit lies in the middle of a vast moorland miles from civilisation, but stalkers paths (excellent on the north side, boggy on the south side) make a superb circuit achievable in a long day, with stunning scenery throughout – there’s also an open bothy to break the journey overnight if daylight hours are limited.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Culag Woods 
Suilven from the track to Glencanisp Lodge 
Suileag Bothy 
Canisp on the approach to Suilven 
Suilven looming ahead 
Highland colours 
Loch a’ Choire Dubh with Suilven beyond 
Suilven’s summit ridge 
Suilven’s summit ridge 
Summit views of a spectacular landscape 
Descent from the ridge 
Looking back from the descent 
Cùl Mòr (left) and Cùl Beag (right) across Fionn Loch 
The long, boggy, beautiful walk out 
Red deer 
Rounding the northwestern finger of Fionn Loch 
View across the moorland to Cùl Mòr (left), Cùl Beag (centre) & Stac Pollaidh (right) 
Falls of Kirkaig 
River Kirkaig 
Woodland path 
River Kirkaig 
Inverkirkaig bay 
Scenic road walking for the last section
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish on south side of Culag Woods, minor road 1 mi south of Lochinver. Several alternative start points elsewhere along circuit – see map
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NC 093214
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 58.140822,-5.241331
🚌 Extremely infrequent bus to start (marginally better service to Lochinver, elsewhere on route)
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 29 km / 18 mi | ▲ 1430 m | ⌛ 10-12 hr
Features: 🌳 Culag Woods ★★★; 🏠 Lochinver ★★; △ Suilven (731 m, “Torbett”); 💧 Fionn Loch; 🌊 Falls of Kirkaig ★★★★; 🏖️ Inverkirkaig bay
⬤ Very tough | Good paths and tracks through Culag Woods and from Glencanisp Lodge to foot of Suilven. Ascent to and descent from ridge is steep with only one short boggy section, with a few very easy scrambles. Walk out from Suilven is boggy, though tends to improve over the miles. Quiet tarmac roads for remainder. No pathless sections.
Download file for GPS➡️ Clockwise circuit: start – Culag Woods – Lochinver – Glencanisp Lodge – Suileag Bothy – path junction at 🧭 NC 168196 – Bealach Mòr – Suilven summit – return to bealach – Fionn Loch by Allt an Fearna – Falls of Kirkaig (short detour to falls) – Inverkirkaig – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: A few red deer, lizards, butterflies, dragonflies, frogs and hairy caterpillars. Sheep with lambs on the road section. Large fish trying to leap the Falls of Kirkaig!
Weather: Mostly cloudy at start but becoming increasingly sunny. Light winds, temperature at base in mid teens.
July 2017
