Schiehallion

Walk Distance 10km / 6.25 miles. Time 5 hours. Ascent 731m.

Start Grid Ref NN753556

Summits Climbed -Munro - Schiehallion. Height. 1,083 m (3,553 ft)

Schiehallion Sunset

Rising dramatically above Perthshire, Schiehallion is one of Scotland’s most mythical peaks. Its hauntingly solitary, conical shape has long made it a centerpiece for Highland legends, from temperamental winter witches to portals to the fairy realm

Stories have been told about Schiehallion’s otherworldly residents for generations. In A.D. Cunningham’s Tales of Rannoch, he describes a character called The Cailleach Bheur (pronounced kal-yach vur in Scottish Gaelic) is an ancient, formidable winter goddess and divine hag in Scottish and Irish mythology. As the Queen of Winter, she rules the dark half of the year, bringing frost, snow, and storms, before transforming or passing her rule to the Spring. He states that: ‘her face was blue with cold, her hair white with frost, and the plaid that wrapped her bony shoulders was grey as winter fields.’ He describes her swooping down from Schiehallion like a winter wind to ravage the land with ice and snow. Under her reign, the land at Rannoch Moor is barren.

Cailleach Bheur will be recognized by those familiar with Scottish folklore as Beira, the Queen of Winter. She formed the mountains of Scotland with a hammer and feuds each year with Bride, the personification of spring.

Portals and Fairy Folk

Given its name, it’s no surprise the mountain is said to be home to the Sìth (Pronounced Shee ) Fairy folk, or the Good People.

• The Underworld Entrance: On the south side of the hill sits a cave known as Uamh Tom a’ Mhòr-fhir. Legend holds that this is an active gateway to the fairy underworld, often guarded by a ghostly black dog—a Cù-sìth (fairy dog).
• The Singing Fiddler: A famous local legend tells of a talented local musician who stumbled into the secret caves and found a fairy banquet underway. Because he sang so beautifully, the fairies welcomed him, rewarded him with gold, and cured his ailments. Hearing this, a second (but entirely tone-deaf) friend attempted to enter and win the same rewards, but his grating voice deeply offended the fairies. Instead of riches, they cursed him by further bending his back and twisting his face in anger.
• Sacred SpringsThe mountain is also home to the Maiden Well on its eastern side. Historically, young women would visit this spring during Beltane (May Day) to wash, drink, and bring flower offerings to bring health and luck for the coming year.
• Esoteric Lore & The “Weighing of the World”While its mythological ties are vast, the mountain entered the realm of science in 1774 when the Royal Society used it for the famous “Schiehallion Experiment” to calculate the density and weight of the Earth. However, this didn’t stop the spread of esoteric stories. Some modern mystery schools and esoteric societies claim Schiehallion is the hidden, sacred sanctuary of the Templars, sometimes referred to as “Mount Heredom”, and serves as a major site for hidden, ancient initiation rites.

I have spent long winter nights, in a tent on the mountain and can attest that there are definitely’’odd’’ goings on. The only mountain that comes close to it for ‘‘spookiness’’ is Ben MacDhui .

Ben MacDhui is the second-highest peak in the UK, located in the Cairngorms, and is infamous for Scotland's most famous paranormal legend: the Big Grey Man (Am Fear Liath Mòr). Walkers report a creeping sense of dread, crunching footsteps in the fog, and phantom figures.