East Schiehallion

What we’re doing

Schiehallion is anglicised from the Gaelic, Sìth Chailleann, meaning ‘Fairy Hill of the Caledonians’. It is home to red deer, hares, many different birds and a wide range of habitats. You can find all sorts of wild flowers and wildlife here.

We work to improve the important upland habitats of Schiehallion. This includes heather moorland and bog, which are home to threatened species such as black grouse.

We’re also working to restore native woodland by controlling deer and sheep numbers where we can. Deer are an essential part of the ecosystem but high numbers prevent trees from growing and impact other habitats.

We work closely with our neighbours at Dun Coillich and Kynachan. In July 2017 we launched the Heart of Scotland Forest Partnership, a collaborative project to connect woodlands across 3,000 hectares of land between Schiehallion and Loch Tummel, benefiting wildlife, visitors and the local community.

Schiehallion is a popular Munro, with more than 20,000 people ascending the summit every year. When we took ownership in 1999 the main path to the summit had become an ugly scar on the hillside. It was muddy and up to 90 feet wide in sections. Over a five-year period, the Trust realigned the path onto a more sustainable and less intrusive line.

Staff and dedicated volunteers built the new path using locally sourced materials. We have since embarked on a programme to heal the damage caused by the old path, and the scar is much less noticeable. We maintain the new path to prevent erosion. Through our Schiehallion Path Appeal we are hoping to raise £60,000 for a full programme of path improvements in 2019.

If you want to help our work on Schiehallion, please support our Heart of Scotland Forest appeal or our Schiehallion Path Appeal.

About the land

East Schiehallion lies within the Loch Rannoch and Glen Lyon National Scenic Area. It's also designated a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) for its geology and montane habitat.

The summit offers fabulous views across Loch Rannoch, the wilds of Rannoch Moor and the hills of the central Highlands as far as Glencoe.

People inhabited and cultivated this area from more than 3,000 years ago until around 200 years ago. There are archaeological remains across the site.

Schiehallion was the setting for Reverend Neville Maskelyne’s 18th Century experiment in ‘weighing the world’. There is a memorial to commemorate this at the entrance of the Braes of Foss car park (read about parking charges).