Ceann Garbh

Ceann Garbh is a mountain top on the long ridge of Foinaven in the far north-western Highlands. It stands above the road that runs from Durness south-east towards Loch Shin, a remote and windswept place. The summit carries a small stone cairn marking the highest point, while the parent peak Foinaven rises a little further west. It is one of the recognised Scottish ‘Corbetts’, hills between 2,500 and 3,000 feet that are listed by height and prominence. Teams of hill-walkers keep the official database up to date, and the last precise survey was carried out in January 2003. The name Ceann Garbh is Gaelic for ‘rough head’, describing the stony, uneven ground around the top. Visitors reach the ridge by following paths from the road through heather and bog. The final climb is short but steep, rewarded by wide views across Sutherland’s lochs and moors. On clear days Ben Loyal and Ben Klibreck appear to the south-east, while the sea can be glimpsed to the north-west. The summit cairn offers a sheltered spot to rest before the return walk.