Scotland
A' Chruach
366M
1201FT
About A' Chruach
Rising from the central moorlands of Arran, this rounded Marilyn offers a quieter alternative to the island's jagged northern peaks. While the terrain is often heathery and trackless, the summit provides a sweeping panorama across the Kilbrannan Sound to Kintyre and the dramatic granite silhouettes of the Goatfell range.
Key Statistics
Rank
213th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Isle of Arran
Prominence
?
202m
Nearest Town
Argyll and Bute
Geology
You are walking across the Lorn Plateau Volcanic Formation. The ground is made of volcanic rocks like basalt and andesite, which formed from layers of lava flows.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NM903218
Latitude
56.3429°N
Longitude
5.3937°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Gaelic 'A' Chruach', which translates as 'the heap' or 'the stack'. It is a common descriptive term for a hill with a bold, rounded profile that stands out prominently from the surrounding lower terrain.
- •Despite its modest height, the hill is classified as a Marilyn because it possesses over 150 metres of relative prominence, making it a significant topographical high point in the southern half of the island.
- •The summit offers an excellent vantage point to view the 'Sleeping Warrior', the famous profile formed by the peaks of Cìr Mhòr and Caisteal Abhail in the north of Arran.
- •The hill is frequently climbed from the String Road (B880), the high pass connecting Brodick and Blackwaterfoot, which offers a relatively high starting point for the trek across the undulating moorland.
- •It provides a masterclass in the 'Arran experience' of navigating peat hags, where the shortest distance between two points is rarely a straight line and usually involves testing the depth of sphagnum moss with a walking pole.