Sgurr na Forcan

About Sgurr na Forcan

Rising sharply above Glen Shiel, this narrow, shattered ridge provides one of the Highlands' most celebrated scrambles. Serving as the dramatic eastern approach to The Saddle, its crest offers exposed, exhilarating movement on firm rock, culminating in a Munro Top that overlooks the deep troughs of Kintail and the distant Cuillin of Skye.

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Did You Know?

• •Derived from the Scottish Gaelic Sgùrr na Forcan, the name translates as the 'Peak of the Little Forks'. This likely refers to the distinct, pronged appearance of the ridges that splay out from the main crest, a sharp contrast to the broader, grassier slopes found elsewhere in the Kintail forest.
• •The mountain is home to the 'Forcan Ridge', a classic Grade 1 or 2 scramble that follows a narrow, serrated spine of rock. The most notorious obstacle is the 'bad step'—a steep vertical drop that requires steady nerves, though a well-worn bypass path is available on the southern flank for those seeking an easier line.
• •The summit serves as a spectacular grandstand for the Five Sisters of Kintail across the glen. On a clear day, the view extends far beyond the immediate peaks of Glen Shiel to the jagged silhouette of the Black Cuillin on the Isle of Skye and the distinctive shape of Sgùrr na Cìche in Knoydart.
• •While it reaches a height of over 964 metres, Sgurr na Forcan is classified as a Munro Top. This is because it is considered a secondary peak of the nearby mountain known as The Saddle, separated by only a narrow, rocky col rather than a significant topographic drop.
• •The ridge is one of the few places in the Highlands where you might experience a minor traffic jam at 3,000 feet, as walkers often pause at the 'bad step' to offer unsolicited—and occasionally contradictory—advice on foot placement to those below.