S Airde Beinn

Tucked away in the northern reaches of the Trotternish peninsula, this compact Marilyn hides a remarkable geological secret: a perfectly formed crater lochan resting near its summit. The climb over rough, often sodden moorland is short but earns a superb vantage point for surveying the Outer Hebrides across the Minch.

• •The Gaelic name Àirde Beinn translates as 'the high point' or 'the height of the hill,' while the 'S' is likely a contraction of Suidhe, meaning 'seat,' suggesting a traditional place of rest or a lookout point.
• •The summit area is defined by Loch na h-Airde, a high-altitude tarn sitting within an extinct volcanic vent. The circular bowl creates a sheltered, amphitheatre-like feel that is rare among the otherwise linear ridges of North Skye.
• •Looking south from the summit, walkers are treated to a distinct profile view of the Quiraing’s dramatic landslips and the jagged spine of the Trotternish Ridge.
• •At 295 metres, it misses the 300-metre mark by roughly the height of a two-storey house, a shortfall the hill compensates for by ensuring the approach through the lower moorland is twice as boggy as logic suggests it should be.