Coltraiseal Mor [Caultrashal Mor]

About Coltraiseal Mor [Caultrashal Mor]

Rising from the peat moors of southern Hoy, this modest summit offers a commanding perspective over Scapa Flow. The terrain is typical of the Orkney uplands—rough heather and mossy hags that demand sturdy boots. It serves as a quieter alternative to the island’s northern giants, providing a genuine sense of remote island solitude.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is a curious hybrid of Old Norse and Gaelic; while Mor is Gaelic for 'large', Coltraiseal likely stems from the Norse 'kollr', referring to a rounded summit or hilltop.
• •Its position on the southern end of Hoy offers an exceptional vantage point over the southern entrance to Scapa Flow and the islands of Flotta and South Ronaldsay.
• •Despite its modest height, the hill is classified as a Marilyn due to its isolation from the higher peaks of northern Hoy, such as Ward Hill.
• •Walkers should be wary of the 'bonxies' (Great Skuas) that nest in the surrounding peat hags and are notorious for their dive-bombing displays of territorial defense during the breeding season.
• •The 'Mor' designation is strictly relative; it stands only eighteen metres taller than its neighbour, Coltraiseal Beag, yet the local heather makes every one of those metres feel hard-won.