Meall Horn

About Meall Horn

Tucked between the giants of Foinaven and Ben Hee, this rounded Corbett offers a quieter, wilder experience than its famous neighbours. Its eastern slopes feed the remote Loch Dionard, while the summit plateau provides a startling perspective on the dramatic, shattered quartzite ridges of the Reay Forest and the Atlantic beyond.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is Gaelic in origin, where Meall translates to a rounded hill and Chàirn means 'of the cairn', though the phonetic similarity to the Norse 'Horn' is a common feature in Sutherland toponymy.
• •The hill acts as the primary source for the River Dionard, with the headwaters passing through the high-altitude lochans of Lochan Ulbha and An Dubh-loch nestled on its northern flanks.
• •The summit offers a specific, front-row view of the 'Great Slab' of Arkle and the sprawling, jagged ridge of Foinaven’s Ganu Mòr, providing a geological map of the Moine Thrust laid out in stone.
• •It is most commonly approached from the road at Loch Stack, following a long estate track that leads deep into the remote Reay Forest before the pathless ascent begins.
• •Despite the name suggesting a sharp, dramatic peak, Meall Horn is decidedly more 'Meall' (lump) than 'Horn,' though your knees may disagree by the time you have navigated the surrounding peat hags.