Top 5 Places to Climb in Scotland

On 16 May 2004, Vicky Jack finished climbing the Seven Summits; the highest mountains in each of the seven continents. Here, she tells us her top 5 places to climb in Scotland in no particular order:

Buachaille Etive Mor in Glencoe

"This is definitely in my top five. It's a beautiful hill. The view from the top is tremendous. You're looking down to Glencoe and the scenery is stunning."

Cuillin ridge in Skye

"There are lots of hills on that ridge. It's not for the faint-hearted. It's very precipitous so you'll need rope to climb it, but the scenery is stunning too. You should go with a guide if you’ve not got much climbing experience."

Stac Polly near Ullapool

"I love this mountain because it's a good scramble. There are no other hills close to Stac Polly so you get panoramic views to the Summer Isles. It’s magnificently exposed so you get the brunt of the weather."

Ben Lomond

"Ben Lomond is lovely because it's within easy access of Glasgow. It looks over the fault line of the Highlands and Lowlands. The fault lines run across Scotland and it’s the demarcation of the Highlands and Lowlands."

Ben Mhor

"This is a very nice hill close to where I live in Perthshire. It's a conical shaped hill. If you climb it from Glen Dochart, it's just straight up. There's no rest, and I like it. You gain height so quickly so you feel you’re getting value for money! It's tricky to climb in winter because of its steepness. It’s one of the 4000ft hills in Scotland."

Ben Nevis

"This is the highest hill in Scotland and the UK. Perversely, I don’t like taking the formal tourist route. I like the route that takes me over Carn Mor Dearg which drop down to a col and then goes up over an arête to the summit of Ben Nevis. Not many people go there."

Coming home to Scotland

Despite her achievements, Vicky doesn’t think she is a climber. "I am not a technical climber; I classify myself as a walker," she says. "I have a full-time career in my own consultancy and I do motivational speaking as well. So I just climb at the weekend. Some people spend their life climbing. It would be ridiculous to think that I am like one of them. I tend to think if I could do it, anyone can."

Even though Vicky has climbed the world's highest mountains, she still loves the Scottish peaks. She says, "Having done the Seven Summits, it's still fantastic to come back to Scotland. I think it's the fresh air. Of course, you get that on other mountains in the world, but it's different in Scotland. I live in the countryside and love coming home. I love taking deep breathes in my garden or going out at night and looking at the stars. There's no pollution where I live.

"In the Caribbean the sunsets are quick. But in Scotland, the beautiful lights and deep oranges in summer are delightful. I just love it."

Vicky Jack

Vicky first started climbing because she wanted to know Scotland better. It took her 10 years to climb all the Munros, which are the highest mountains in Scotland.

Anna Magnusson has written a book about Vicky's life and climbing the Seven Summits, 'The Sky's the Limit' published by Black & White Publishing.

Related Links

• Vicky Jack's Online Diary
• The Sky's the Limit