Scotland
Na Rathanan
864M
2835FT
About Na Rathanan
Forming the eastern arm of the spectacular Beinn Alligin horseshoe, these three sandstone pinnacles offer the most technical terrain on the massif. Scrambling over their notched crest provides an airy, hands-on experience, with sheer drops into Toll a’ Mhadaidh Mòr and expansive views across the Torridon giants and the Minch.
Key Statistics
Rank
38th Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
103m
Nearest Town
Coire
Geology
You are walking on the Applecross Formation. This sturdy rock is a gritty sandstone naturally filled with small pebbles and gravel.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NG873613
Latitude
57.5919°N
Longitude
5.5602°W
Did You Know?
- •The name translates from Scottish Gaelic as 'The Horns,' a literal description of the three jagged peaks that punctuate this section of the ridge.
- •Traversing the crest involves a classic Grade 1 scramble, where the stepped nature of the ancient Torridonian sandstone provides excellent, reliable holds for those comfortable with significant exposure.
- •The hill overlooks the Eag Dhubh na h-Eigheachd, a massive black cleft on the neighbouring Sgùrr Mòr created by one of the largest post-glacial rockslides in Britain.
- •Looking north-east from the highest point, you get a clear perspective of the Triple Buttress of Beinn Eighe, one of the most celebrated geological features in the North West Highlands.
- •While a bypass path exists for those wary of the heights, it is notoriously eroded and slippery; many find it safer to simply stay on the ridge and embrace the vertigo.