Scotland
Meall a' Chairn
510M
1673FT
About Meall a' Chairn
Situated on the rugged fringes of the Letterewe Forest, this rounded gneiss hill offers a secluded vantage point above the northern shores of Loch Maree. It is a place of complex, undulating terrain and quiet isolation, providing a stark contrast to the popular trails of the nearby Torridon and Fisherfield giants.
Key Statistics
Rank
154th Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
109m
Nearest Town
Letters
Geology
You are walking on the Altnaharra Psammite Formation, a sturdy foundation of ancient sandstone that has been hardened into a tough, gritty rock.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH150857
Latitude
57.8231°N
Longitude
5.1165°W
Did You Know?
- •The name translates from Scottish Gaelic as 'Hill of the Cairn'. While a common name across the Highlands, this 510m summit is distinguished by its position on the southern edge of the vast and remote Letterewe estate.
- •The summit provides a clear, uncrowded view south across the deep trench of Loch Maree toward the massive Torridon peaks of Slioch and the quartzite-capped ridges of Beinn Eighe.
- •The approach from Kernsary involves traversing a classic 'cnoc and lochan' landscape, where the ground is composed of ancient Lewisian gneiss—some of the oldest rock found anywhere in the world.
- •To the northeast, the view extends into the 'Great Wilderness' of Fisherfield, offering a specific look at the remote Fuar Loch and the steep western flanks of Beinn Tarsuinn.
- •It is the kind of hill where any visible 'path' is usually a conceptual suggestion made by red deer, which inevitably leads you directly into the deepest section of a peat hag.