Scotland
Sgurr na Carnach
1002M
3287FT
About Sgurr na Carnach
Positioned at the heart of the iconic Five Sisters of Kintail, this steep-sided Munro lives up to its Gaelic name with a notably stony, boulder-strewn summit. It offers a dramatic aerial perspective into the depths of Coire Domhain and a striking end-on view of Loch Duich stretching toward the coast.
Key Statistics
Rank
30th Highest in Region
Parent Range
North West Highlands
Prominence
?
134m
Nearest Town
Kyle of Lochalsh
Geology
You are walking across layers of hardened sandstone and mudstone, mixed with tough, crystalline granite-like rocks that define this rugged peak.
Find It
OS Grid Reference
NG977158
Latitude
57.1882°N
Longitude
5.3494°W
Did You Know?
- •Its name translates from Scottish Gaelic as the "peak of the stony place," a literal description of the grey, shattered quartzite boulders that cover the summit area and upper slopes.
- •For over a century, the mountain was denied Munro status, classified only as a subsidiary "Top" of its northern neighbour, Sgùrr Fhuraran. It was finally promoted to a full Munro in 1997 following a remeasurement of its 134-metre topographic prominence.
- •The mountain is defined by its extreme local relief; the eastern face drops precipitously into the glacial hanging valley of Coire Domhain, while the western side falls nearly 1,000 metres directly to the floor of Glen Shiel.
- •From the narrow summit ridge, walkers are treated to a unique "end-on" perspective of Loch Duich to the northwest, looking straight down the length of the sea loch towards the coast.
- •While a direct ascent from Achnangart is technically possible, the unrelenting 800-metre wall of grass and scree ensures that most walkers wisely prefer to visit it as part of the high-level Five Sisters traverse.