Hike date = May 27, 2024. While our hiking distance was shorter than the previous day’s “proper bog hike,” we needed a little over 6 hours to hike to the top of Shehallion and back. Not only was the elevation gain more challenging, but this was the day when one member of our group was feeling really under the weather. Nonetheless, he persevered, so in the end, we all made it to the summit!
Schiehallion Experiment
This section will be of particular interest to science and math geeks! Schiehallion was the site of an 18-century experiment aimed at determining the mean densty of the Earth. After an extensive evaluation of UK mountains in 1773, the Royal Society of London selected Schiehallion as the best location to attempt to measure the tiny deflection of the vertical due to the gravitational attraction of a nearby mountain.
Schiehallion was considered ideal because it stood apart from any nearby hills, somewhat isolating Schiehallion’s gravitational influence. Furthermore, its symmetrical east–west ridge would simplify the calculations. And finally, its steep northern and southern slopes allowed the experiment to be sited close to Schiehallion’s centre of mass, maximising the deflection effect.
Accordingly, in the summer of 1774 a small team set out to take the necessary measurements. Inclement weather made for challenging conditions. Add to that the complicated calculations and it wasn’t until 1778 that the results were presented at a meeting of the Royal Society. Earth’s mean density was calculated as 4,500 kg·m3. Remarkably, the results of that first attempt to measure Earth’s mean density differed less than 20% from the modern value of 5,515 kg·m3. For more details on the experiment, including the calculations, I recommend visiting Wikipedia.
Getting There
Schiehallion trailhead parking is at Braes of Foss carpark, operated by the John Muir Trust. Had we traveled directly from our hotel, the driving distance would have been a scant 14 km (9 miles). However, we detoured through Pitlochry to do a bit of shopping, so our indirect route covered 69 km (43 miles).
There’s room for about 25 vehicles in the main parking lot. Reading online, this is rarely enough, so there’s an overflow parking lot a short distance away. There is a fee for parking. Thanks to the John Muir Trust, there are basic toilet facilities off to one side of the parking area.
Ascent
After the previous day’s “proper bog hike” we were happy to start this hike without rain gear. We even enjoyed some sunny breaks as we set out from the car park. It was clear from the outset that John Muir Trust volunteers have done a lot of work on this trail up the “Fairy Hill of the Caledonians.”
It wasn’t long, however, before we were on a slightly more challenging track. The transition occured just after we went through a gate situated near the ruins of a complex of old stone enclosures, possibly a sheep fank.
Once through the gate, sections of hard packed clay and gravel trail connected flights of stone steps that led us ever further up the eastern shoulder of Schiehallion.
We overtook some other groups of hikers. It took a fair while to work our way past one larger group. All the while, I was channeling my “grumpy old woman” and mumbling under my breath about their off leash dog and drone – carryovers from regulations governing most hiking trails in the Canadian Rocky Mountain parks.
Due to our Pitlochry shopping detour, it was after 11 when we started hiking. So we stopped to enjoy our packed lunches before we entered the more challenging boulder field stretch of the hike. What a lucky decision! It started to drizzle as we finished our sandwiches. So we pulled rain covers over our backs as we stowed the remains of our lunches. And we pulled on rain jackets, which we wore for the rest of our hike.
Onwards and Upwards
Our guide provided excellent support and encouragement to the other couple in our group. In retrospect, this was the day the husband felt the worst from whatever bug he caught the previous week. Thankfully, our guide was also really good about letting Mr GeoK and I hike on ahead. Since I was also a bit under the weather, our group soon stretched out. Mr GeoK forged far ahead, I was in the middle, and our guide and our friends followed.
I paused at one saddle, to photograph our Lego minifig family. At the same time, I as trying to decide whether to wait for our friends and suggest we turnaround at that point, or to continue after Mr GeoK to the summit.
In the end, our friends were so far behind I decided to continue into the boulder field. Perhaps I’d meet Mr GeoK coming back down, and then we’d turn back together to meet our friends. The boulder field was pretty challenging, with no readily-apparent trail. It was boulder hopping at its best – mostly stable, but just enough wobbly ones to mean hiking poles were very helpful.
Mr GeoK was at the summit for quite a while on his own. He did a thorough photo study of the surrounding landscape. Wind turbines, a construction project for a power conditioner / transformer, lingering snow patches, Keltney Burn down in the valley, shades of blue and green were just some of what he captured.
I managed to approach the summit in time to get a photo of him as he finished up.
He encouraged me to check out a Pictish carving in one of the rocks. Post-trip research suggests it’s likely a contemporary “addition” to the landscape.
Our friends must have turned on turbo boost mode, because all of a sudden, they were at the summit, too! The also investigated the stone carving and took photos from the summit.
Looking back toward the car park, it was clear that wetter weather was incoming. Time to head back.
Descent
As always, the return was faster – and harder on the knees! I’m not sure which is worse – a downhill slope or stairs. 😉 Regardless, there was no option but to keep putting one foot in front of the other. There was a bit of conversation on the way down, but mostly we were all inside our own heads, talking ourselves through the decline.
Mr GeoK, our guide and I made it back to the van a few minutes before our friends. Fortunately, the weather was no where near as wet as the day before, so our boots were mostly dry when we swapped them for post-hike sandals. Our guide had a sturdy brush on hand so we could get the worst any dust and mud out of the treads. 🙂
SUMMARY
Comprised mainly of hard quartzites, Shiehallion is a glacier-carved Munro hike in the Glencoe region of Scotland. The out and back trail from the Braes of Foss car park to the summit clocks in at 10.6 km (6.6 miles) return. Total elevation gain was 759 meters. We were pretty slow, taking roughly 6 hours to hike to the summit and back. This includes a lunch break and lots of photo stops. Due to illness in the group, we were slower than usual. But everyone showed indomitable spirit, making it to the summit despite sore throats, coughs and congestion on the part of some.