Carn a' Chuilinn

About Carn a' Chuilinn

Rising above the Great Glen near Fort Augustus, this Corbett represents the quiet, expansive character of the Monadhliath. The terrain is often peat-haggish and pathless, but the broad summit plateau offers a true sense of Highland isolation and commanding views across to the high peaks of Glen Affric and the Nevis range.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Càrn a' Chuilinn is Gaelic for 'Cairn of the Holly.' While holly is rarely found on the exposed 800-metre plateaus of the Monadhliath today, the name likely refers to historical thickets on the lower slopes of Glen Doe that were once used for winter cattle fodder.
• •The hill sits just north of the Corrieyairack Pass, the high-altitude military road engineered by General Wade in 1731 to allow government troops to move quickly between Fort Augustus and Dalwhinnie.
• •From the summit, the view west across the Great Glen is exceptional, offering a clear perspective of the 'Sisters' of Kintail and the distinctive pointed peak of Gleouraich in the South Glen Shiel Forest.
• •The approach from the south via Melgarve requires a crossing of the River Spey near its source, where Scotland’s fastest-flowing river is still just a small, jumpable mountain stream.
• •In a range often criticised for its featureless, rounded silhouettes, Carn a' Chuilinn is something of a local celebrity for possessing a summit cairn that remains visible for more than five minutes at a time.