Scotland
Carn Chuinneag West Top
829M
2720FT
About Carn Chuinneag West Top
Situated in the remote Glencalvie Forest, this subsidiary summit offers a rugged, boulder-strewn landscape characteristic of the Easter Ross granite. Often overlooked for its higher neighbour, the West Top provides an expansive perspective across the wild Diebidale Forest toward the distinctively sharp profile of An Teallach on the western horizon.
Key Statistics
Rank
34th Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
66m
Nearest Town
Highland
Geology
This peak is built from granite that was squeezed and heated into a tough, layered rock. This durable foundation creates the rugged ground you are walking on.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH475833
Latitude
57.8139°N
Longitude
4.5685°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Carn Chuinneag translates from Scottish Gaelic as the 'Cairn of the Churn', thought to refer to the resemblance of its summit profile to an old-fashioned milk churn.
- •The hill is part of the Inchbae complex, a geologically significant area featuring rare 'augen gneiss' and granite boulders that create a stark, grey terrain contrasting with the surrounding peat moors.
- •Most walkers approach via the long, scenic track from Glencalvie, often visiting this top as a secondary objective while traversing the main summit and the weathered granite tors of the North Top.
- •The summit offers a commanding view over the remote Gleann Beag, and on exceptionally clear days, the waters of the Cromarty Firth are visible to the southeast.
- •Standing just ten metres lower than the main peak, the West Top serves primarily as a final psychological test for walkers who mistakenly thought the climbing was finished.