Tom an Uird

Rising above the eastern coast of Skye near Kyleakin, this rugged Hump offers a pathless ascent through classic Highland moorland. What it lacks in altitude, it compensates for with commanding perspectives across the Inner Sound toward the Applecross hills and the dramatic mainland peaks of Kintail and Glen Shiel.

• •The name translates from Scottish Gaelic as the 'Hill of the Hammer,' where 'ord' (genitive 'uird') typically refers to a rounded, hammer-shaped hill or a steep-sided knoll.
• •Its position on the eastern fringe of the island provides an exceptional vantage point for watching marine traffic navigate the Kyle of Lochalsh and passing under the Skye Bridge.
• •The hill is frequently approached from the Kylerhea road, requiring a keen eye for navigation to pick a line through the boggy troughs and heather that characterise this quieter corner of Skye.
• •To the west, the summit offers an uninterrupted profile of the Red Cuillin, specifically the massive rounded bulk of Beinn na Caillich and the jagged edges of the Black Cuillin further beyond.
• •As a Hump, it provides just enough vertical ascent to justify a stop in Kyleakin on the way home, without the technical terror or crowds associated with the island's more famous ridges.