The climbing diversity in Scotland is huge, from mountain crags and sea cliff climbing to bouldering. Typically, people associate the Highlands with the best Scottish climbing areas, however they could not be more wrong! The Scottish western isles have some amazing climbs that are complete with unparalleled views!
Mull
With an area of 875 square kilometres, Mull is the fourth largest Scottish Island. The island has a mountainous core, which makes it a great destination for climbers. Around 50 million years ago the area that is now Mull was the location of a series of volcanic eruptions that left the island with a huge vatiety of rock types, offering a wide variety of climbing styles ranging from beginner to advanced.
The best climbing areas on Mull are on the coast and the majority of them are hidden away. Climbing enthusiasts can try their hand at scaling 600ft rhyolite cliffs right next to the sea with views across the Firh of Lorne to Jura or you can explore the endless granite domes that protrude from a sea of grass at the end of Ross.
Kintra of Mull is also a big draw for climbing enthusiasts due to its magical granite! The rock changes colour throughout the day, starting at a dark red in the morning, then turning pink in the afternoon sun and finally flaming orange at the sunset.
But the beauty of climbing on Mull is that at every turn you will uncover boulders and crags hidden away in the midddle of nowhere that have barely been touched!
Iona
Iona is a tiny island off the west coast of Mull; it is only 1.5 miles wide and 3 miles long with a year around population of only 120.
Again, the beauty of climbing on Iona lies in its anonymity within the climbing community. All climbing on Iona is situated along the coastline in small bays and sea cliffs and tends to get over looked as it requires slightly more effort to get to them. The effort however is definitely worth it as you are treated to incredible climbs along stunning rock faces with magnificent views out to sea.
We hope that we’ve inspired you to venture off the beaten track and visit the west coast of Scotland on your next climbing adventure! If you fancy scoping out the area before your climbing trip, our Three Isles Tour allows you to visit Mull, Iona and Staffa in one day!
