For mountaineers, the Cuillin of Skye is the jewel in the crown with its narrow ridges but many other areas provide superb outings. Popular areas such as Glencoe, Kintail, the Mamores or Torridon are complemented by lesser known locations such as Assynt or the mountains of Ardgour and west Lochaber. Read any magazine survey of the best mountains in the UK and names like An Teallach, Liathach, or Ladhar Bheinn are likely to appear. Winter brings very different conditions with other areas like the Cairngorms being particularly popular and also an excellent destination for Ski Mountaineers.

Climbers have long been drawn to the Highland mountains - to crags such as the Shelter stone or Hell's Lum in the Cairngorms, Rannoch Wall on Buchaille Etive Mor, the Cioch face on Skye or Ben Nevis. Or, if you don't mind a bit of a walk in, try Carnmore in Wester Ross described as "Britain's best crag". More recently lower level crag developments - notably in Ardnamurchan and on the superb gneiss of Wester Ross, (and not just at Diabaig!) complement traditional favourites such as Polldubh in Glen Nevis or Creag Dubh at Newtonmore. Quieter but still worth a visit are the Caithness sea cliffs or the far north west where there's still plenty exploration to be done.

Winter provides another range of options for climbers. The traditional grounds of Glencoe, Ben Nevis, Creag Meagaidh and the Cairngorms being ever popular - particularly classics such as the world famous Point Five on "the Ben". But today there are also many modern classics - the huge icefalls of Liathach, Fuar Tholl's steep ice smears or the modern mixed routes on Cairngorm.

Fancy something a bit easier? - see our walking page

You can also search our database for companies offering climbing and mountaineering in the Highlands.