Scotland
Roineabhal
460M
1509FT
About Roineabhal
Rising above the turquoise waters of the Sound of Harris, this rugged landmark offers a stark, otherworldly landscape. Its summit plateau is composed of ancient anorthosite, a pale rock famously similar to that found on the Moon. The ascent is rocky and trackless but delivers a truly exceptional maritime perspective.
Key Statistics
Rank
50th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Northern Isles
Prominence
?
406m
Nearest Town
Roghadal
Geology
You are walking on rare, pale rock that formed from molten magma. These crystalline slopes were later transformed by intense heat and pressure deep underground.
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NG042860
Latitude
57.7666°N
Longitude
6.9754°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is of Old Norse origin, likely derived from 'hraun-fjall', meaning 'stony hill', a fitting description for the barren, boulder-strewn upper slopes that define its character.
- •The summit's anorthosite is an igneous rock so rare on Earth but common on the Moon that NASA geologists reportedly studied the area's geology to prepare for the Apollo lunar missions.
- •During the 1990s, the hill was the focus of one of the longest-running environmental disputes in UK history over a proposed 'superquarry' at Lingerbay, which was finally defeated in 2004.
- •The summit offers a commanding view across the Sound of Harris to the small islands of Ensay and Killigray, with the jagged skyline of the Skye Cuillin often visible on the southeastern horizon.
- •While the geology underfoot might be indistinguishable from the lunar surface, the persistent Hebridean wind quickly reminds walkers they are still very much on Earth.