![Carn Ghaltair [Cairn Galtar]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/d/dd/The_trig_point_on_Carn_Ghaltair_on_Sandray_-_geograph.org.uk_-_3219829.jpg)
Scotland
Carn Ghaltair [Cairn Galtar]
207M
679FT
About Carn Ghaltair [Cairn Galtar]
Dominating the skyline of Westray, this rounded Marilyn provides an expansive vantage point over the Northern Isles. The ascent follows heathery slopes to a summit trig pillar, where the reward is a clear panorama stretching across the Papa Sound to the low-lying fields of Papa Westray and the dramatic cliffs of Noup Head.
Key Statistics
Rank
190th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Northern Isles
Prominence
?
207m
Nearest Town
Baile Bhatarsaigh
Geology
The ground beneath you is made of tough, banded rock called gneiss. These layers from the Lewisian Complex form the rugged foundation of this landscape.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NL640915
Latitude
56.8930°N
Longitude
7.5196°W
Did You Know?
- •The name likely derives from the Old Norse 'galti', meaning boar; Viking seafarers frequently named hills and coastal features after animals that mirrored their physical profile.
- •As the highest point on the island of Westray, the summit offers a rare aerial perspective of Pierowall village and its sheltered natural harbour to the east.
- •The hill qualifies as a Marilyn, a classification for peaks with at least 150 metres of topographic prominence, which is a significant feat for an island summit of this height.
- •Looking south from the trig point, the views extend across the Westray Firth to the distinctive silhouettes of Rousay and the dark, heather-clad hills of Eday.
- •In a landscape where many neighbouring islands barely sit above sea level, this summit provides what is arguably the most commanding 'mountain' perspective in the Northern Isles.