Scotland
Beinn a' Charnain
196M
643FT
About Beinn a' Charnain
Rising above the rugged eastern coastline of South Harris, this modest Marilyn offers an exceptional vantage point over the Sound of Harris. The terrain is typical of the Outer Hebrides—rocky, boggy, and wild. A climb here reveals the intricate maze of islets and turquoise waters separating Harris from the Uists.
Key Statistics
Rank
205th Highest in Region
Parent Range
Data coming soon
Prominence
?
196m
Nearest Town
Ruisigearraidh
Geology
You are walking on the Lewisian Complex, featuring gneiss and rocks formed from ancient volcanic debris and sediments that were transformed by intense heat and pressure.
Nearby Fells
Siolaigh Bheag
Siolaigh
Beinn Shleibhe
Copaigh
Cnoc Bhuirgh
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NF893884
Latitude
57.7778°N
Longitude
7.2272°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is Gaelic for 'hill of the small cairn,' a common descriptive title in the Hebrides for summits marked by a modest pile of stones.
- •From the top, walkers can look directly down upon the intricate ferry channel of the Sound of Harris, identifying the low-lying islands of Ensay, Killegray, and the distant sands of North Uist.
- •The hill is composed of Lewisian Gneiss, some of the oldest rock in the world, which creates the distinctive 'cnoc and lochan' landscape of small rocky knolls and hidden peat pools visible in every direction.
- •Despite its low elevation, its status as a Marilyn—a hill with a topographic prominence of at least 150 metres—makes it a significant objective for peak-baggers visiting the Western Isles.
- •The approach often feels longer than the statistics suggest; in the Hebrides, 196 metres of elevation usually involves navigating a labyrinth of bog and rock that would make many a mainland mountain feel straightforward.