At a glance
Our experience
Knockan Crag, Assynt
Knockan Crag was one of those places where I didn't even have to leave the car park to know I was somewhere special. As soon as I arrived, I had views across the loch and the surrounding mountains, and I was already looking forward to seeing what was higher up.
The Walk to the Rock Room
From the car park, it was only a short walk up the hill towards the Rock Room. The walk was fairly easy, and as I climbed higher the views continued to open up around me.
The Rock Room is also where you can learn about the incredible geological history of Knockan Crag and the surrounding landscape. It was fascinating to see how much of what you can see around you has been shaped by geology over millions of years.
I really liked that this wasn't just somewhere to stop and look at a view. There was an actual story behind the landscape, and the Rock Room helped explain what I was looking at.
Heading Further Up the Hill
After exploring around the Rock Room, I continued further up the hill.
The higher I climbed, the more the surrounding landscape opened up. The loch and mountains looked even more impressive from above, and I found myself stopping several times just to take in the views.
The Tilted Globe
Further up the hill I reached The Tilted Globe, a huge stone sculpture created by artist Joe Smith.
It sits high above the surrounding landscape and makes for a really interesting feature along the trail. From around The Tilted Globe, I could look out across the loch and mountains from an even higher viewpoint.
I loved the combination of the natural landscape and the sculpture. It gave me another reason to stop and look around rather than simply walking straight through.
The Views
The views from Knockan Crag were definitely one of the highlights for me.
From the car park I already had beautiful views, but climbing higher gave me a much wider perspective over the surrounding landscape. The combination of the loch, mountains and open Highland scenery made it feel incredibly peaceful.
It was one of those places where I could easily have spent much longer just standing and looking out across the landscape.
Exploring in the Wet Weather
The weather wasn't particularly kind during my visit. The trail continued further up the hill, but with the conditions being wet I decided not to venture any further.
There was clearly more of Knockan Crag that I could have explored, but I didn't want to push on just for the sake of completing the trail when the weather wasn't on my side.
Instead, I turned around knowing that I had another reason to come back.
What I Liked Most
I loved how much there was to see without needing to do a huge hike.
The views from the car park, the short walk to the Rock Room, the geological history, The Tilted Globe and the higher viewpoints all made this feel like much more than simply a viewpoint.
I also really liked having the option to explore further depending on the weather, time and how much walking I wanted to do.
Would I Visit Again?
Absolutely.
I would definitely return to Knockan Crag, particularly on a dry and clear day when I could continue further along the trail and explore the sections I didn't reach this time.
I'd love to see the landscape again in better weather and take my time exploring more of what Knockan Crag has to offer.
Wildly Wandering Rating
5/5
Knockan Crag is a fantastic Highland stop, combining beautiful scenery with fascinating geology and some really interesting features along the trails. The views are impressive from the moment you arrive, but climbing higher makes the experience even better.
Wildly Wandering Recommendation
If you're travelling through Assynt or following the NC500, I'd definitely recommend adding Knockan Crag to your route. Even if you only have time for the shorter walk to the Rock Room, you'll still get beautiful views and an insight into the fascinating geology of the area.
Wildly Wandering tip: If the weather is good, give yourself extra time to explore further up the trails. The higher viewpoints give you an even better perspective of the surrounding mountains and loch.
