Cir Mhor

About Cir Mhor

Positioned at the heart of the Arran hills, this sharp granite peak is often called the island's ‘Matterhorn’. It offers a classic, rugged profile and some of the finest scrambling in the Firth of Clyde. Reaching its pointed summit provides a dramatic, central perspective over the deep glacial troughs of Glen Sannox and Glen Rosa.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic 'A' Chìr Mhòr', which translates as ‘The Big Comb’. This refers to the mountain’s jagged, serrated profile when viewed from certain angles, resembling the cockscomb of a rooster.
• •Though lower than its neighbour Goat Fell, it is considered the geographical heart of the northern Arran hills. It is frequently climbed as part of a classic circuit from Brodick, linked to the island's highest point via 'The Saddle', a steep col separating the two main glens.
• •The peak is renowned among rock climbers for its steep granite walls, most notably the Rosa Pinnacle. The sheer South Face provides some of the highest-quality multi-pitch climbing in Scotland, characterized by firm, grippy granite and dramatic exposure.
• •From the summit, the view north across the 'Castles' of Caisteal Abhail is particularly striking. To the west, the view extends across the Kilbrannan Sound to the Kintyre Peninsula and, on clear days, the distinctive profiles of the Paps of Jura.
• •The mountain's distinctive shape is the result of glacial 'plucking', where ice moving through the surrounding glens stripped away the rock, leaving behind the hard, resistant granite core that forms the current summit.
• •Despite its ferocious appearance and the 'Matterhorn' nickname, the summit is officially a Corbett, falling less than two metres short of the 800-metre mark—a fact that does little to diminish the effort required to reach the top.