Scotland
Cairnbrallan
619M
2031FT
About Cairnbrallan
Tucked away on Skye's Duirinish peninsula, this sprawling moorland peak offers a rugged, remote experience away from the island's more famous ridges. Its broad slopes require careful navigation but reward climbers with a commanding panorama over the Little Minch and the distinctive flat-topped summits of the neighbouring Macleod’s Tables.
Key Statistics
Rank
38th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Isle of Skye
Prominence
?
36m
Nearest Town
Moray
Geology
Underfoot lies the Blackwater Formation, comprised of gritty sandstone and fine, clay-rich mudstone. These durable rocks form the rugged, textured surface of the fell.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NJ332245
Latitude
57.3064°N
Longitude
3.1101°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic Càrn Bhrallan, which most likely translates to the 'Cairn of the Swelling' or 'Lump', describing the hill's prominent, rounded profile against the Duirinish skyline.
- •From the 619-metre summit, walkers can look directly west across the Little Minch to the unmistakable silhouette of the Outer Hebrides, with the peaks of South Uist and Harris particularly prominent on the horizon.
- •The hill is often climbed as part of a long circuit of the Duirinish coastal cliffs, passing the abandoned settlements of Lorgill and Ramasaig, which were cleared of their inhabitants during the Highland Clearances in the 1830s.
- •Despite its classification as a Tump, the hill's lower slopes consist of such deep, saturated peat that 'swamp' often feels like a more geographically accurate description than 'upland'.