Scotland
Sgaoth Aird
559M
1834FT
About Sgaoth Aird
Rising above the desolate border between Harris and Lewis, this rugged Marilyn offers a wild, untracked ascent. Its summit provides a commanding vantage point over the remote waters of Loch Resort and the steep cliffs of Scarp, making it a rewarding objective for those seeking solitude away from the busier Clisham range.
Key Statistics
Rank
20th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Northern Isles
Prominence
?
373m
Nearest Town
An Tairbeart
Geology
You are walking across the Lewisian Complex, made of a hardy, banded rock called gneiss. This solid foundation forms the rugged landscape beneath your boots.
Classifications
Nearby Fells
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NB165039
Latitude
57.9348°N
Longitude
6.7901°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic 'Sgaoth', meaning a swarm or shoal, and 'Aird', meaning height. This likely refers to the way mist or clouds 'swarm' around the peak in the Atlantic weather.
- •The summit offers a bird's-eye view of the narrow sound of Caolas an Scarp and the island of Scarp, famous for the unsuccessful 1934 rocket mail experiments conducted on its sands.
- •It serves as a significant marker on the historic boundary between the Lewis and Harris estates, situated in a vast, roadless tract of moorland that is one of the quietest corners of the Outer Hebrides.
- •The western slopes overlook the remote Uig hills of Lewis, specifically the dramatic peaks of Mealisval and Cracaval across the deep incision of Loch Resort.
- •Finding the summit cairn in a typical Hebridean mist is less of a navigation exercise and more of a test of character, usually rewarded by a panoramic view of the inside of a cloud.