Scotland
Meall nam Peithirean
974M
3197FT
About Meall nam Peithirean
Sitting on the expansive high plateau of the Beinn Dearg massif, this Munro Top offers a rugged, stony landscape typical of the North West Highlands. Often visited alongside its parent peak, it provides a dramatic vantage point over the steep-sided Gleann na Sguaib and across to the jagged ridges of the Fannichs.
Key Statistics
Rank
18th Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
29.3m
Nearest Town
Achanalt
Geology
You are walking on the Vaich Pelite Formation, a rock formed from ancient mud and silt. Look closely for tiny garnet crystals embedded in the stone.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH207708
Latitude
57.6920°N
Longitude
5.0092°W
Did You Know?
- •The name Meall nam Peithirean translates from Gaelic as the 'Hill of the Portals' or 'Hill of the Openings', likely referring to the deep, dramatic gaps of the corries that bite into the edge of the high plateau.
- •It serves as the northern shoulder to Beinn Dearg (1,084m). The two are separated by a high-altitude stony col that remains above 900 metres, making it a straightforward addition for walkers completing the local circuit from Inverlael.
- •The approach often follows the 'Destitution Wall', a remarkable drystone structure built during the 1840s as a famine relief project. The wall stands as a stark historical monument, stretching high into the mountains where shelter and stone were the only available resources.
- •The summit offers a commanding view north across the remote 'Great Moss' (A' Chathair Dhubh) towards the wilderness of the Freevater Forest, one of the most uninhabited areas in Scotland.
- •Being a Munro Top rather than a full Munro, it is frequently treated as a mere navigational waypoint by walkers whose primary interest is the higher cairn located a short distance to the south.