Beinn a' Chaoinich

Rising steeply above the Skye Bridge and Kyleakin, this rugged Marilyn offers a commanding coastal perspective. Its terrain is quintessential West Highland—a mix of damp heather, mossy hollows, and rocky ribs. Though modest in height, it provides a grandstand view over the Inner Sound towards the Applecross peninsula and the Black Cuillin.

• •The name is derived from the Gaelic 'Beinn a' Chaoinich', which translates as 'Hill of the Moss', referring to the damp, sphagnum-heavy moorland and cotton grass that blanket the lower slopes.
• •From the summit, the view north looks directly down onto the Skye Bridge and the lighthouse at Eilean Bàn, with the distinctive flat-topped profile of Dun Caan on the Isle of Raasay visible beyond.
• •Most walkers approach from the Skye side near Kyleakin, navigating a scramble of rough grass and outcrops that makes the hill feel significantly more alpine than its 410-metre elevation suggests.
• •In a region of world-class mountains, this hill serves as a final, mossy hurdle for those arriving on the island, though most visitors are too busy looking at the Skye Bridge to notice they are being loomed over.