Scotland
Sgorr nam Faoileann
429M
1407FT
About Sgorr nam Faoileann
Rising from the rugged eastern moors of Islay, this prominent Marilyn offers a wilder perspective of the island’s coastline. The ascent across pathless peat and heather leads to a rocky summit, providing a front-row seat to the Paps of Jura and the deep, swirling waters of the Sound of Islay.
Key Statistics
Rank
58th Highest in Region
Parent Range
The Southern Hebrides
Prominence
?
171m
Nearest Town
Camas an Staca
Geology
You are walking on the Jura Quartzite Formation. This incredibly hard, crystalline rock forms the solid foundation of the mountain beneath your boots.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NR432606
Latitude
55.7709°N
Longitude
6.0945°W
Did You Know?
- •The name derives from the Scottish Gaelic Sgorr nam Faoileann, which translates as the 'Peak of the Seagulls', reflecting its position near the coast where maritime birds are a constant presence.
- •Standing as the highest point on Islay’s eastern ridge, the summit offers an exceptional, unobstructed profile of the three Paps of Jura—Beinn an Òir, Beinn Shiantaidh, and Beinn a' Chaolais—directly across the water.
- •The hill forms part of the dramatic landscape overlooking McArthur's Head, where a remote lighthouse has guided shipping through the narrow Sound of Islay since 1861.
- •Despite its modest height, the hill is notoriously heavy going; the Islay peat bog at its base is often more of an obstacle to progress than the 429-metre climb itself.