An Cliseam [Clisham]

About An Cliseam [Clisham]

Standing as the lone Corbett and highest peak in the Outer Hebrides, this Harris giant offers a rugged, boulder-strewn ascent. While the climb from the A859 is direct, the terrain is characteristically boggy. The summit rewards walkers with an expansive Atlantic panorama and a clear look at the surrounding horseshoe ridges.

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Did You Know?

• •Though the name is Gaelic, it likely has Old Norse roots, possibly derived from 'kliss-hamm', reflecting the Viking influence on the nomenclature of the Western Isles.
• •Standing at 799 metres, it is the highest peak in the Outer Hebrides and the only mountain in the archipelago to reach the 2,500ft threshold required for Corbett status.
• •The summit offers a specific and spectacular view of the Shiant Isles to the east in the Minch, and on exceptionally clear days, the remote stacks of St Kilda can be seen 40 miles out in the Atlantic.
• •The mountain is composed of Lewisian Gneiss, a rock complex approximately three billion years old, representing some of the oldest geology found anywhere in Europe.
• •For those looking beyond the direct path, the Clisham Horseshoe provides a more technical traverse of the neighbouring peaks, including Mullach an Langa and the jagged Mulla bho Thuath.
• •The 'direct' route from the A859 is famously efficient, but in Hebridean mist, it has a remarkable ability to turn a simple descent into a comprehensive tour of the island’s deepest peat bogs.