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The stony dome of Sgùrr na Càrnach in low sun under a blue sky.
Glen Shiel and Kintail

Sgurr na Carnach

A Munro of 1,002 metres, number 134 of the 282.

Photograph by Nick Bramhall (CC BY-SA 2.0)

On the hill todayI was up today
The hill

Sgurr na Carnach stands in Kintail, in the hills between Loch Duich and Cannich, with a higher Munro close on either side.

Sgurr Fhuaran is less than a kilometre to the north and Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe just over a kilometre to the south-east: three summits close together on one ridge. Saileag is about four kilometres to the east.

At 1,002 metres, Sgurr na Carnach clears the 1,000-metre mark by two metres.

The ground
Kintail Mountain Rescue Team covers an area from Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast to Loch Ness in the east, and calls its ground particularly demanding: large areas of consistently steep ground and well-defined ridges.
Under snow
There is no avalanche forecast for this hill, but that does not mean there is no risk under snow. The Scottish Avalanche Information Service's full winter forecasts for its six areas begin on 17 December 2026.
Summit
Grid reference NG 977 158
Train
There is a railway station at Kyle of Lochalsh.
Phone signal
Kintail Mountain Rescue Team warns that mobile coverage is still poor in places: bear that in mind before you head out, and plan for it.
On the hill today

A weather model's forecast for the height of the summit, not a report from the hill. Read the mountain forecast the evening before: Northwest Highlands forecast, Sgurr na Carnach, The Met Office's Northwest Highlands mountain forecast, Scottish Avalanche Information Service.

October2026

MTWTFSS

Going another day?

Choose the day you mean to climb.Near or far: the light you will have, and what the summit is likely to be doing.

Sgùrr na Càrnach from the pass below it, one side in sun and the other in shadow.

Photographs by Nick Bramhall (CC BY-SA 2.0)

It's vital to remember that the conditions up in the hills can be very different from those at the roadside, and they can change quickly.Kintail Mountain Rescue Team, whose base is at Morvich in Glenshiel
Before you go

Carry

  • A paper map and a compass, and the skill to use them
  • Waterproofs, warm layers, hat and gloves
  • Food and drink
  • A head torch, a whistle and a first aid kit
  • A survival bag
  • Boots with a good grip

Under snow and ice this is a different day, with short light and the risk of avalanche. It needs an ice axe, crampons, winter boots and the skill to use them.

If something goes wrong

  • Dial 999, ask for the police, then mountain rescue
  • Give a six-figure grid reference: the summit is NG 977 158
  • Say how many are hurt, how many are with you, and your number
  • Register to text 999 before the day: text the word register to 999

The summit is optional. Turning back is the right decision whenever the cloud, the wind or the light say so.

How to call for help in the hills · Safety and skills for the hills · ThinkWINTER

From our readers

Nobody has written from Sgurr na Carnach yet. If you were up, yours would be the first.

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Were you up? Three words is enough.A free account, a word for the weather and a line if you like.

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From the magazine
Read more elsewhere

For the route itself, take the map and read these.

Sleep and eat at its foot

Next along: Sgurr Fhuaran, Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe, Saileag, Creag nan Damh. Checked on 10 October 2026. The facts on this page are Kintail Mountain Rescue Team's, Mountaineering Scotland's and National Rail's; the forecasts are the Mountain Weather Information Service's, the Met Office's and the Scottish Avalanche Information Service's. Height and position from The Database of British and Irish Hills, v18.3, adapted, CC BY 4.0. This page is not a route description and does not replace a map.