Scotland
Trilleachan Slabs
766M
2514FT
About Trilleachan Slabs
Rising steeply from the head of Loch Etive, this granite Tump is defined by the vast, glacier-scoured rock sheets that give it its name. It offers a rugged, tactile experience for walkers, with the summit providing an uncompromising view of the deep sea loch and the hulking mass of Ben Starav opposite.
Key Statistics
Rank
101st Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Grampians
Prominence
?
72.9m
Nearest Town
Data coming soon
Geology
You are walking on granite from the Starav Intrusion. These slabs contain large, distinct crystals that formed as molten rock cooled slowly deep underground.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NN095446
Latitude
56.5555°N
Longitude
5.0996°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic 'trilleachan', meaning oystercatcher. While usually a shorebird, the name is applied to hills in this region because the patterns of white quartz and dark granite on the slabs are said to resemble the bird's distinctive black and white plumage.
- •The hill is home to the famous Etive Slabs, a series of massive, glacier-polished granite faces that provide some of the most celebrated friction climbing in the British Isles. Routes like 'Spartan Slab' have achieved legendary status for their bold, unprotected character.
- •From the high point, you can look directly across the narrow waters of Loch Etive to the soaring peaks of the Starav range, while to the south, the long, fjord-like reach of the loch stretches away towards the Atlantic.
- •Walking on the slabs in damp conditions is an exercise in extreme caution, as the granite can transform from a grippy playground into something resembling a giant, tilted ice rink.