Hiking Highlight
Recommended by 4 hikers
This Highlight is in a protected area
Please check local regulations for: The Small Isles National Scenic Area
Routes leading to this Highlight may be dangerous
Routes may comprise technical, difficult, or hazardous terrain. Specialist equipment and prior experience may be required.
Askival is the mightiest of the Rum Cuillin, an ancient range of sharp-peaked mountains. Sparsely populated and effortlessly spectacular, the Isle of Rum is an adventurer’s dreamland and the Cuillin dominate its southern half, rising abruptly from the sea with their unique Norse names.
Askival is the range’s crowning glory, its highest mountain, and a superb objective. It is most often tackled as part of the challenging Rum Cuillin Traverse and requires scrambling ability. Its north ridge is rocky and exposed, while the crest of its west ridge offers some exciting scrambling or the option of a bypass path.
The ferry to Rum from the mainland at Mallaig brings you to Kinloch, which is a good starting point for hikes to Askival. The other usual starting point is Dibidil bothy, reached via a challenging coastal path.
Wild camping on Rum is undoubtedly magical. This is especially so when the otherworldly cacophony of the Manx shearwater is heard, an eerie racket that terrified the Vikings, convincing them the island was inhabited by trolls!
The Isle of Skye isn’t the only Scottish island with a Cuillin ridge. The extraordinary island of Rum has its own alternative version – and Askival is its crown, the highest and most satisfying peak of the Rum Cuillin. The majestic pyramidal peak is the highlight of this classic Inner Hebrides ridge traverse.
December 2, 2019
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