Foinaven

Foinaven is a mountain in the northwest corner of the Scottish Highlands. Its white quartzite cap stands out against the darker Lewisian gneiss beneath. The quartzite resists weathering, leaving sharp ridges and steep slopes. Neighbouring peaks like Arkle and Cranstackie share this feature. Frost shattering has carved corries and left block fields below the summits. The mountain’s name first appeared as Foinne Bheinn on an 1878 map. Early surveys listed it as 914 metres high, close to Munro status. A later survey in 2007 confirmed it reaches 911 metres, just short of the required height. It stretches for 8 kilometres and has four main tops above 800 metres. The highest top was originally called Ceann Mòr, meaning ‘big head’. The north top is known as Ceann Garbh, or ‘rough head’. The two southern tops remain unnamed, but a prominent spur is called A’ Cheir Ghorm. The mountain lent its name to a racehorse that won the 1967 Grand National at 100–1 odds. Its striking shape and rugged terrain make it a landmark in the region.