Sgurr an Utha

About Sgurr an Utha

Rising steeply above the Glenfinnan road, this rugged Corbett offers a quiet alternative to the more famous Munros nearby. The terrain is a classic mix of craggy outcrops and boggy troughs, leading to a sprawling summit ridge. It is usually paired with its twin peak, Fraoch-bheinn, for a satisfying horseshoe walk.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Sgurr an Utha translates from Scottish Gaelic as 'The Peak of the Udder.' This is a descriptive reference to the hill's rounded, swelling shape, a naming convention similar to the 'Paps' found in other parts of the Highlands and Islands.
• •The ascent is almost always made from the A830 near Glenfinnan, following the course of the Allt an Utha. The route allows walkers to bag two Corbetts in one outing by crossing the high col to reach the neighbouring summit of Fraoch-bheinn.
• •From the summit, the view south looks directly down the 17-mile stretch of Loch Shiel. To the west, the jagged profiles of the Rum Cuillin—specifically Askival and Hallival—are clearly visible across the sea, while the 'Rough Bounds of Knoydart' fill the northern skyline.
• •The hill overlooks the site where Prince Charles Edward Stuart raised his standard in 1745. While the Glenfinnan Viaduct is a major tourist draw below, Sgurr an Utha offers a much grittier perspective of the unforgiving, rocky landscape the Jacobites had to traverse.
• •The local combination of relentless Atlantic weather and remarkably absorbent peat hags ensures you will feel every bit of its 796 metres by the time you return to the glen.