Scotland
Carn an Lochan
646M
2119FT
About Carn an Lochan
Situated in the remote heart of Sutherland, this 646-metre Tump offers a quiet, pathless alternative to the famous Assynt peaks. Its broad, heathery slopes rise above the lonely moors north of Strath Oykel, rewarding those who make the trek with an expansive, uninterrupted sense of northern isolation and views toward the Atlantic.
Key Statistics
Rank
82nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
47m
Nearest Town
Highland
Geology
You are walking on granite-like rock that was squeezed and heated, creating the beautiful, patterned foundation you see beneath your feet.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH501839
Latitude
57.8195°N
Longitude
4.5252°W
Did You Know?
- •The name derives from the Scottish Gaelic 'Càrn an Lòchain', meaning the 'Cairn of the Small Loch', referring to the clusters of water that dot the peatland depressions surrounding the summit.
- •Located in the vast wilderness between the Oykell and Cassley valleys, the terrain is characterized by deep heather and peat hags that require careful navigation and a high tolerance for boggy ground.
- •The summit provides a distinctive perspective of the Assynt giants to the west, with the isolated silhouettes of Suilven, Canisp, and Ben More Assynt standing out clearly against the horizon.
- •It is most frequently climbed in a circular route alongside its slightly higher neighbour to the northwest, Càrn an t-Sionnaich, which sits at 687 metres.
- •Success on these particular slopes is measured less by your time to the summit and more by whether you manage to return to the road with both boots still firmly attached to your feet.