Scotland
Sail Chaorainn
999M
3278FT
About Sail Chaorainn
Often overlooked in favour of its taller neighbour, Sgùrr nan Conbhairean, this high Munro provides a sense of immense scale. Its broad, grassy ridges offer straightforward walking, leading to a summit plateau that looks directly into the wild, uninhabited heart of Glen Affric and the distant peaks of Mullach Fraoch-choire.
Key Statistics
Rank
33rd Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
87m
Nearest Town
Fort Augustus
Geology
You are walking over sparkly, compressed sandstone and fine-grained, mica-rich rocks. These durable layers form the rugged foundation and high ridges of Sail Chaorainn.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NH133154
Latitude
57.1913°N
Longitude
5.0914°W
Did You Know?
- •The name derives from the Gaelic 'Sàil Chaorainn', meaning 'heel of the rowan tree', likely referring to the shape of its southern ridge or the vegetation once found in the lower corries.
- •Standing at 999.2 metres, it is the highest peak in Scotland that fails to reach the 1,000-metre mark, missing out on the milestone by a mere 80 centimetres.
- •It is almost exclusively climbed as part of a three-Munro circuit from the A87 road near Ceannacroc, forming a high-level horseshoe with Càrn Ghluasaid and Sgùrr nan Conbhairean.
- •From the summit, walkers are rewarded with a clear view of the deep, remote trench of Glen Affric and the sharp, craggy profile of An Socach to the north.
- •Despite the name promising rowan trees, the actual summit environment is a high-altitude desert of moss, grit, and stones where very little grows besides your appreciation for the descent.