Small Mount

Rising above the rugged interior of the Reay Forest, this modest summit offers a surprisingly wild character for its height. Often overlooked in favour of the nearby Sutherland giants, it provides a quiet vantage point over the glaciated terrain of the North West Highlands and the winding waters of Loch Glendhu.

• •The name is a literal translation of the Gaelic Meall Beag. While 'Meall' usually refers to a rounded, lumpy hill, 'Beag' (small) is a relative term in the Highlands, used here to distinguish it from the higher ground of Meall Horn to the east.
• •From the summit, the view west is dominated by the sharp, iconic profile of Ben Stack, while looking south reveals the deep, glaciated trench of Loch Glendhu and the wild, unpopulated glens of the Reay Forest.
• •The approach from the Kylesku side requires navigating a classic landscape of Lewisian gneiss, where the terrain is a complex maze of rocky outcrops and small, hidden lochans that rarely appear on smaller-scale maps.
• •Like many hills named 'Small' in the Highlands, the title refers to its vertical stature rather than the effort required to cross the pathless, often saturated ground guarding its lower slopes.