Scotland
Cadhachan Riabhach
687M
2254FT
About Cadhachan Riabhach
Sitting in the rugged Sutherland interior east of Kylesku, this rocky Tump offers a masterclass in North West Highland complexity. Its summit is a confusion of Lewisian gneiss and small lochans, providing an intimate, lonely vantage point over the deep trench of Loch Glencoul and the dramatic, triple-buttressed eastern face of Quinag.
Key Statistics
Rank
82nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
96m
Nearest Town
Highland
Geology
You are walking on Lewisian rocks, a foundation of tough, banded stone. This material was once molten, later transformed by intense heat and pressure into the ground beneath you.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH010790
Latitude
57.7565°N
Longitude
5.3459°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Gaelic Cadhachan, the plural of cadha meaning a narrow pass or steep path, and riabhach, meaning brindled or grizzled. This likely refers to the grey, speckled appearance of the rocky tracks and deer paths crossing its slopes.
- •The summit offers a unique perspective on the Glencoul Thrust, part of the wider Moine Thrust Zone, where walkers can look across the glen to see older rocks pushed over younger ones on the sheer face of Glas Bheinn.
- •Despite its modest height, the hill sits in some of the most pathless terrain in Scotland; the approach requires navigating a labyrinth of small hills and water-filled hollows known as 'cnoc and lochan' topography.
- •While the name suggests 'little paths,' any visitor will quickly discover that these are primarily for the local deer population and rarely align with a sensible human ascent.