Scotland
Speicein nan Garbh-choireachan
738M
2421FT
About Speicein nan Garbh-choireachan
Rising as a dramatic shark-fin of Torridonian sandstone, this secondary peak on the Ben Mor Coigach ridge offers a thrilling sense of exposure. Its name translates as the ‘pinnacle of the rough corries,’ a fitting description for the tiered, craggy slopes that drop steeply towards the Atlantic and the scattered Summer Isles.
Key Statistics
Rank
52nd Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
59m
Nearest Town
Culnacraig
Geology
The ground beneath you is the Applecross Formation, a tough sandstone filled with small pebbles. It looks and feels like a layer of solid, hardened gravel.
Classifications
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NC087036
Latitude
57.9806°N
Longitude
5.2369°W
Did You Know?
- •The name is Gaelic, where 'Speicein' denotes a small spike or pinnacle. It refers to the jagged, narrow character of this section of the ridge compared to the broader plateau of the main summit of Ben Mor Coigach.
- •This peak is a vital waypoint on the classic ridge traverse above Loch Broom, usually reached after summiting the main peak and continuing northwest towards the outlier of Sgùrr nan Fhad.
- •The summit provides an exceptional perspective of the Summer Isles archipelago, particularly Tanera Mòr, which sits directly below the hill’s western flanks in the mouth of the loch.
- •Looking north, the view features the 'inselbergs' of Assynt—isolated sandstone giants like Suilven, Canisp, and Stac Pollaidh rising from a fragmented landscape of ancient Lewisian Gneiss.
- •The descent toward Culnacraig is notoriously steep; it is one of the few places in the Highlands where you might find yourself wishing for a shorter nose to avoid bumping it on the slope in front of you.