The euphoric sensation of catching the first glimpse of the vistas after reaching the peak during a hike, being overcome by a sense of accomplishment and pride for not giving up – those are just a couple of noteworthy moments of a tough hike. As Scotland is abundant with scenic routes with rugged terrain, it is no surprise our wee country made it onto the “most difficult hikes in the world” list.
PureGym has identified the world’s most difficult hikes that are “not just a Sunday stroll” and “require good fitness and respect for the mountains”. The research focused on factors like distance, elevation gain, gradient, maximum altitude, amount of scrambling required, wind speeds and the average temperature.
Mount Kinabalu Summit in Borneo, Malaysia, is officially the hardest hike in the world, boasting average annual temperatures of 28 degrees and high humidity make it harder to reach the steep 4,000-metre summit.
Cuillin Ridge Traverse
Scotland was also mentioned, with two trails making the most difficult hikes in the world list. The world’s fifth hardest hike is the Cuillin Ridge in the Isle of Skye, boasting a distance of 25.7km with a total elevation of 2,105 meters. However, the high humidity, lower temperatures, average wind speeds of 21 mph, and high precipitation make the trek much more challenging.
To complete the Cuillin Ridge, adventurers must climb a total of 22 peaks with mountaineering gear, and getting down requires abseiling. Taking anything between 12 and 30 hours to complete, the hike is for experienced climbers, requiring an overnight stay in a bivouac, as you won’t be able to bring a full tent. Well, I think I’ll sit this one out!
You can find out more about the climb here.
Ring of Steall
Ring of Steall in the Scottish Highlands is the ninth most difficult hike in the world, consisting of four munros spanning over 16.9 kilometres – Sgurr a’ Mhaim, Am Bodach, Stob Coire a’ Chairn and An Gearanach. The hike reaches an altitude of 1,650 metres and requires some scrambling, and takes between nine and twelve hours to complete. What is more, you’ll get some views of Ben Nevis during the walk. You can find out more about the hike here.
However, Ben Nevis has not been forgotten, and is still recognised as the third most difficult hike in the UK!
The most difficult hikes in the world
Mount Kinabalu Summit — Borneo, Malaysia
- Distance: 25.6 km
- Elevation Gain: 2,575 m
- Gradient: 10.06%
- Max Altitude: 4,019 m
- Difficulty Score: 72.0 / 100
Cotopaxi Summit — Cotopaxi, Ecuador
- Distance: 8.2 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,238 m
- Gradient: 15.10%
- Max Altitude: 5,868 m
- Difficulty Score: 61.1 / 100
Capitol Peak Summit — Colorado, USA
- Distance: 26.9 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,571 m
- Gradient: 5.84%
- Max Altitude: 4,307 m
- Difficulty Score: 56.0 / 100
Longs Peak Keyhole Route — Colorado, USA
- Distance: 26.4 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,687 m
- Gradient: 6.39%
- Max Altitude: 4,343 m
- Difficulty Score: 55.9 / 100
Cuillin Ridge — Isle of Skye, Scotland
- Distance: 25.7 km
- Elevation Gain: 2,105 m
- Gradient: 8.19%
- Max Altitude: 653 m
- Difficulty Score: 55.0 / 100
Mount Rundle (Waskahigan Watchi) — Alberta, Canada
- Distance: 16.4 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,735 m
- Gradient: 10.58%
- Max Altitude: 2,931 m
- Difficulty Score: 54.1 / 100
Panorama Ridge — British Columbia, Canada
- Distance: 28.6 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,623 m
- Gradient: 5.67%
- Max Altitude: 2,130 m
- Difficulty Score: 54.1 / 100
Mount Taranaki Summit — Taranaki, New Zealand
- Distance: 12.6 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,541 m
- Gradient: 12.23%
- Max Altitude: 2,467 m
- Difficulty Score: 53.5 / 100
Ring of Steall — The Highlands, Scotland
- Distance: 16.9 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,650 m
- Gradient: 9.76%
- Max Altitude: 1,090 m
- Difficulty Score: 52.9 / 100
Fimmvörðuháls Pass — Skógar, Iceland
- Distance: 24.0 km
- Elevation Gain: 1,259 m
- Gradient: 5.25%
- Max Altitude: 1,144 m
- Difficulty Score: 51.8 / 100
The hardest hikes in the UK
- Cuillin Ridge Traverse, Isle of Skye
- Ring of Steall, Nevis Range
- Ben Nevis, Fort William
- Pillar Rock High Level Route, Lake District
- Wasdale Horseshoe, Lake District
- An Teallach Circular, Wester Ross
- Aonach Eagach Ridge, Glencoe
- Crib Goch, Eryri
- Am Basteir & Bruach na Frithe Circuit, Isle of Skye
- Tryfan North Ridge Circuit, Eryri
You can find the full index here.
