Sidh Chailleann

Sidh Chailleann, Schiehallion, the ‘Fairy Hill of the Caledonians’. 


"By the wee birchen corries lie patches of green
Where gardens and bare-headed bairnies have been,
But the huts now are rickles of stone, nettle-grown,
And the once human homes, e’en their names are unknown."

~ Anon ~


Schiehallion's isolated position and regular shape led it to be selected by Charles Mason for a ground-breaking experiment to estimate the mass of the Earth in 1774. The deflection of a pendulum by the mass of the mountain provided an estimate of the mean density of the Earth, from which its mass and a value for Newton's Gravitational constant G could be deduced. Mason turned down a commission to carry out the work and it was instead coordinated by Astronomer Royal, Nevil Maskelyne. He was assisted in the task by mathematician Charles Hutton, who devised a graphical system to represent large volumes of surveyed heights, later known as contour lines.

A great climb with some interesting terrain near the top. The views were incredible!

A great climb with some interesting terrain near the top. The views were incredible!