Scotland
Beinn na Duatharach
456M
1496FT
About Beinn na Duatharach
Rising as the highest point of Skye’s Sleat peninsula, this Marilyn offers a wild, pathless ascent through classic Highland moorland. It is often overlooked for the island's jagged Cuillin peaks, yet the summit rewards walkers with a superb perspective across the Sound of Sleat to the rugged mountains of Knoydart.
Key Statistics
Rank
172nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Isle of Skye
Prominence
?
305m
Nearest Town
Argyll and Bute
Geology
You are hiking over an ancient volcanic center. The ground beneath you is composed of hard granite, dark volcanic rocks, and debris from old eruptions.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NM604363
Latitude
56.4581°N
Longitude
5.8894°W
Did You Know?
- •Its name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic Beinn na Duatharach, likely meaning 'mountain of the shadowy place', referring to the way its broad slopes catch the shifting Atlantic light.
- •From the summit, you get a distinct profile of the Small Isles, particularly the dramatic gabbro peaks of Rum, which sit on the southwestern horizon across the Sea of the Hebrides.
- •The hill is the highest point of the Sleat peninsula—often called 'The Garden of Skye'—providing a green, rolling contrast to the stark volcanic rock of the island’s northern massifs.
- •The approach involves negotiating a complex mosaic of deep heather and peat hags, making the 456-metre ascent feel significantly more strenuous than the map might suggest.
- •On an island where the Cuillin attracts thousands of climbers, you are far more likely to share this summit with a passing golden eagle than another human being.