Sgurr Fhuaran

Rising sharply above Glen Shiel, this is the highest and most prominent peak of the famous Five Sisters of Kintail. Its steep, conical profile demands a relentless 1,000-metre climb from the glen floor, rewarding hikers with a narrow summit and some of the most dramatic, airy views in the North West Highlands.

• •The name is Gaelic, translating as 'Peak of the Springs' (Sgùrr Fhuaran). This likely refers to the Fuaran Mòr, a significant spring located high on its western slopes that provides a rare reliable water source on an otherwise well-drained mountain.
• •It serves as the highest point of the Five Sisters of Kintail, a celebrated ridge walk that includes Sgùrr na Ciste Duibhe and Sgùrr na Carnach. Completing the full traverse involves over 1,300 metres of total ascent.
• •The mountain is a massive pyramid of grass and scree. Because the main path begins near sea level in Glen Shiel, climbers must tackle almost the entirety of its 1,068-metre height in a single, unrelenting push from the roadside.
• •From the narrow summit, the view south-east is dominated by the jagged, serrated profile of the Forcan Ridge, while to the west, the entire Cuillin ridge on the Isle of Skye is visible across the waters of Loch Duich.
• •Given the relentless 30-degree gradient of its western face, it is one of the few places in the Highlands where you can effectively check the quality of your boot tread by simply looking straight ahead at the path.