munro-madness

Sgurr na Carnach

View
Discuss

Summary for Sgurr na Carnach

Sgurr na Carnach is an munro in Scotand and is located in the area as defined by SMC. (and lies in region known as )

Height	Grid Ref.	Pronunciation	Meaning
1002 metres / 3287 feet	NG977158	Skoor nuh Karnach	Rocky peak of the cairns
Location		Access

càrn
sgòr

Printer-friendly version | |

Details for Sgurr na Carnach

Sgurr na Càrnach is one of the munros that lies at the head of the great sea loch Duich forming the The Five Sisters of Kintail which features 3 munros & 2 tops. Sgurr na Càrnach is part of a north-north west to south south east long ridge which twists and terns and has steep slopes on both sides. On the eastern slopes of the summit are slopes dropping down sharply into Coire Domhain which feeds Allt a'Choire Dhomdain where Gleann Lichd can be accessed. The western slopes drop suddenly into Glen Shiel. The summit ridge of Sgurr na Càrnach runs simply from north to south with the northern ridge connecting to Sgurr Fhuaran, and the southern ridge connecting to Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe. The summit is marked which a substantial cairn. There is also a minor north western ridge which descends sharply to Glen Shiel, however this is rarely used as a means of ascent because of difficulties crossing the River Shiel in the valley and of the unremitting steepness of the ridge itself.

The usual access onto the summit top due to it's central position on the ridge is by a full traverse of the Five Sisters of Kintail. So it's either from Sgurr Fhuaran's connecting ridge on the north or Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe's on the south depending on which way your traversing the mountain range. Alternately, access can be gained from the minor north-western ridge starting from Achnangart Farm around NG963148 where there is parking space in an old quarry. Direct access can be gained by walking 1.5 km north to the base of the north western ridge and ascend steeply from there.

There are fine views from the summit of Loch Duich and the Five Sisters Ridge to the north and down into Coire Domhain to the east. On the south there's the South Shiel Ridge where you can complete 7 munros in a single outing.

From 1891 to 1997 Sgurr na Càrnach was ranked as just a "Top" of the nearby Munro of Sgurr Fhuaran and was not given separate Munro status, however in the 1997 revision of the tables by the Scottish Mountaineering Club, the mountain was elevated to the Munro category as it was decided that with 134 metres of topographic prominence it had the required characteristics of a separate mountain.

The number of registered munro-madness users who have climbed Sgurr na Carnach is Twenty-Eight