A' Chioch

About A' Chioch

Often regarded as one of the finest viewpoints in Wester Ross, this sharp Torridonian sandstone spur juts out from the Beinn Bhan plateau. Famous for its spectacular scrambling ridge, the summit overlooks the dramatic, shadowed depths of Coire na Poite, offering an earned perspective of the Applecross hills and the distant mountains of Skye.

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Did You Know?

• •The name A' Chioch translates from Gaelic as 'The Pap' or 'The Breast'. It is a common descriptive term throughout the Highlands used to denote a peak with a notably conical or pointed profile, which is particularly evident when this hill is viewed from the floor of the corrie below.
• •The ascent via the A' Chioch ridge is one of the most celebrated Grade 2 scrambles in the northwest Highlands. It follows a narrow, stepped line up the sandstone tiers, requiring a good head for heights and sure-footed movement to reach the main plateau.
• •The summit provides a front-row seat to the immense eastern cliffs of Beinn Bhan, arguably the most impressive rock faces in the Applecross region. Looking west across the Inner Sound, the entire Cuillin ridge on the Isle of Skye is visible beyond the islands of Raasay and Rona.
• •Geologically, the hill is a classic example of Torridonian sandstone. The rock is approximately 800 million years old and its horizontal bedding planes create the characteristic 'giant's staircase' terraces that define the local landscape.
• •Despite the suggestive Gaelic name, most visitors tackling the airy ridge find themselves significantly more preoccupied with the proximity of the scenery than its poetic resemblance to the human form.