Spidean Mialach

About Spidean Mialach

This rugged Munro overlooks the turquoise waters of Loch Quoich, often climbed alongside its neighbour, Gleouraich. Its steep, grassy southern slopes transition into a boulder-strewn summit ridge. The ascent is short but sharp, offering a dramatic vantage point over the Knoydart wilderness and the South Glen Shiel Ridge.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic Spidean Mialach, most commonly translated as the 'louse-infested peak.' This likely refers to the presence of deer keds or ticks, reflecting the mountain's history as a prime grazing spot for red deer.
• •The summit offers a spectacular, unblocked view of the 'Rough Bounds of Knoydart' to the west, specifically the sharp, unmistakable cone of Sgùrr na Cìche and the long, serrated profile of the South Glen Shiel Ridge to the north.
• •The mountain is renowned for its well-engineered stalker's paths, which provide a relatively civilised way to navigate the steep terrain, a legacy of the Victorian era's passion for deer stalking in the Highlands.
• •The approach road along the northern shore of Loch Quoich was constructed as part of the massive Glen Garry hydro-electric scheme in the 1950s, which significantly raised the water level and created the drowned-valley landscape visible today.
• •Despite its name suggesting a parasitic infestation, you are far more likely to be bothered by the midges at the Loch Quoich car park than anything living on the summit itself.