Sàil Mhòr

Sàil Mhòr stands on the northern fringe of the Fannich Mountains in the Scottish Highlands. It is a subsidiary summit of Sgùrr nan Each, a Corbett Top of Munro that rises above the surrounding ridges. The mountain lies within a vast expanse of open moorland and lochans, where the only sounds are wind and water. Its Gaelic name means ‘big seat’, a reference to the broad summit plateau that offers wide views. The peak is reached by rough tracks that climb from the shores of Loch Fannich through heather and bog. Climbers recognise Sàil Mhòr as part of the Corbett list, a register of Scottish hills between 2,500 and 3,000 feet. The Database of British and Irish Hills brings together measurements and names collected by several hill-walking societies. Each year walkers set out to tick off the list, and Sàil Mhòr is one of the more accessible entries. The route follows a stalkers’ path that winds through birch scrub before opening onto the final climb. At the top a broad slab of rock marks the summit, where a small cairn stands against the skyline. To the north the peaks of An Coileachan and Sgùrr nan Each rise above the glen. To the south Loch Fannich stretches blue and still below the ridge. On clear days the view extends to the distant hills of Affric and Kintail. The return follows the same path, descending through the quiet glen where golden eagles sometimes circle.