An Carnais

Standing as the second highest peak on Lewis, this rugged gneiss summit offers a wild, pathless experience in the heart of the Uig hills. Often paired with nearby Mealasbhal, its slopes are characterized by complex rocky outcrops and the sprawling, watery vistas typical of the remote Outer Hebrides.

• •The name reflects the Norse-Gaelic heritage of the islands, likely combining the Gaelic 'carn' (rocky hill) with the Old Norse 'áss' (ridge or hill), aptly describing its stony character.
• •The summit is composed of Lewisian Gneiss, a rock type that is among the oldest in the world, dating back approximately three billion years.
• •It is separated from its higher neighbour, Mealasbhal, by the high saddle of Bealach na h-Airde, a pass often used by those 'bagging' both peaks in a single outing.
• •The view to the west is exceptional on clear days, looking out across the Atlantic toward the remote and uninhabited Flannan Isles.
• •To the south, the summit offers a clear sightline down into the deep trench of Loch Resort, which forms the traditional boundary between the regions of Lewis and Harris.
• •If you find an established path on these slopes, you have likely followed a stray sheep into a dead end; the terrain here is famously trackless and requires confident navigation.