Scotland
Sgurr nan Spainteach
990M
3248FT
About Sgurr nan Spainteach
Often the first summit reached when tackling the Five Sisters of Kintail from the east, this rugged Munro Top offers a dramatic introduction to the ridge. Its rocky crest provides immediate, sweeping views across Glen Shiel to the jagged silhouette of the Forcan Ridge and the sprawling South Shiel peaks.
Key Statistics
Rank
38th Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
65m
Nearest Town
Innis a' Chrotha
Geology
You are walking on tough, hardened sandstone. Look for dark ribbons of cooled magma that have sliced through this rocky foundation from deep underground.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NG991150
Latitude
57.1817°N
Longitude
5.3256°W
Did You Know?
- •The name translates from Scottish Gaelic as the 'Peak of the Spaniards.' It commemorates the Spanish marines who fought alongside Jacobite rebels during the Battle of Glen Shiel in 1719; retreating soldiers are said to have occupied this high ground after the government forces used coehorn mortars to dislodge them from the lower pass.
- •While officially a Munro Top of the neighbouring Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe, it is rarely climbed as a standalone peak. Most walkers encounter it after the steep, unrelenting 600-metre pull from the Bealach an Lapain at the start of the full traverse.
- •The summit offers one of the best perspectives of the Five Sisters' classic profile, looking northwest along the narrowing ridge towards the sharp peaks of Sgurr na Carnach and Sgurr Fhuaran.
- •If you reach this summit and find your legs are already protesting, it is worth remembering that there are still four more 'Sisters' to navigate before you reach the descent toward Shiel Bridge.