Scotland
Meall an t-Suidhe
711M
2333FT
About Meall an t-Suidhe
Often overlooked by the crowds heading for Ben Nevis, this rounded moorland shoulder offers the best perspective of the Big Ben’s towering western precipices. Its broad, heathery summit provides a quieter alternative to the busy Mountain Track, overlooking the dark waters of the lochan that shares its name.
Key Statistics
Rank
115th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Lochaber
Prominence
?
146m
Nearest Town
Achintee
Geology
You are walking on a foundation of tough, granite-like rock. It is shot through with narrow bands of volcanic stone that once squeezed into cracks in the earth.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NN139729
Latitude
56.8103°N
Longitude
5.0501°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is Gaelic for 'Hill of the Seat.' This likely refers to its broad, flat-topped profile, which resembles a resting place when viewed from the glens below.
- •The hill is separated from its famous neighbour by the col containing Lochan Meall an t-Suidhe. While thousands pass this water—often called the 'Halfway Lochan'—on the Mountain Track each year, very few take the short, boggy detour to this summit.
- •The summit offers an unparalleled 'front-row seat' to the massive cliffs of the West Face of Ben Nevis. From here, walkers can clearly trace the vertical lines of Castle Ridge and look directly into the steep, scree-filled cleft of the Red Burn.
- •Looking south and west, the view opens up across the depths of Glen Nevis to the sharp, quartzite peaks of the Mamores, specifically the distinctive white-topped Stob Bàn and the long ridge of Mullach nan Coirean.
- •It is arguably the most ignored 700-metre peak in Scotland, serving primarily as a scenic backdrop for hikers stopping to adjust their boot laces before the real climbing begins on the Ben.