Stob Odhar

About Stob Odhar

Tucked away in the northern hills of Arran, this rounded Marilyn offers a quieter alternative to the island’s famous granite tors. Rising above the steep-sided Glen Catacol, the summit provides an excellent vantage point for studying the dramatic ridges of the north without the technical difficulty of the jagged peaks.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is derived from the Scottish Gaelic 'Stob Odhar', which translates as 'dun-coloured' or 'sallow peak', referring to the muted tones of the grass and heather that cover its slopes compared to the bright grey granite of the neighbouring range.
• •The hill overlooks the geological curiosity known as the 'Great Books of Whiting' on the northern slopes of neighbouring Meall nan Damh, where the granite has weathered into massive, horizontal slabs that resemble a stack of oversized books.
• •Looking west across the Kilbrannan Sound, the summit offers a clear and unobstructed view of the Kintyre peninsula, specifically the long, low ridge leading down towards the village of Skipness.
• •It is most frequently climbed from the coastal hamlet of Catacol, with walkers often combining it with Meall nan Damh to create a wilder, more secluded circuit far from the busy tourist paths of the island's eastern glens.
• •While Arran is famous for its jagged 'Alpine' profile, Stob Odhar is for the walker who prefers their scenery at a manageable angle and likes their mountains to be reliably stationary and covered in grass.