An Sgurr

About An Sgurr

Dominating the skyline of the Isle of Eigg, this dramatic pitchstone ridge provides a unique Hebridean ascent. The approach winds through moorland before reaching the final, precipitous nose. Reaching the summit plateau reveals staggering vertical drops and clear, blue-water perspectives across the Small Isles toward the rugged Rum Cuillin.

Key Statistics

Find It

Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Gaelic 'An Sgùrr', which translates simply as 'The Peak' or 'The Sharp Rock', a fitting description for the most prominent landmark in the Small Isles.
• •Geologically, the hill is a rare example of a pitchstone ridge. Formed roughly 58 million years ago, it was originally a lava flow that filled an ancient river valley; over millennia, the surrounding softer rock eroded away, leaving this hard volcanic core standing in 'inverted' relief.
• •Near the base of the southern cliffs lies the Cave of Frances (Uamh Fhraing). In 1577, almost the entire MacDonald population of the island—nearly 400 people—suffered a grim fate here, suffocated by a fire lit at the cave entrance by a raiding party of MacLeods from Skye.
• •The summit offers an unparalleled view of the neighboring island of Rum, where the jagged silhouettes of Askival and Hallival rise sharply from the sea, while to the east, the mainland peaks of Knoydart are visible across the Sound of Arisaig.
• •Despite being a Marilyn, the hill’s profile is less 'rounded hill' and more 'gigantic petrified wave', suggesting that the surveyors responsible for its classification may have been looking at it from a very safe distance.