The Cuillin – History & the Peak Names
The Cuillin are a 12 km long, horseshoe shaped range of rocky mountains with over 30 peaks on the
Isle of Skye. The Cuillin are made up of two main ridges, the true Cuillin are also known as the Black
Cuillin, which distinguishes them from the lower, but by no mean less spectacular Red Hills (Am
Binnean Dearg), sometimes called the Red Cuillin, which lie across Glen Sligachan, around Loch
Coruisk. Local myths tell of how the Black Cuillin were created by the sun god, who burned the
ground with so much heat that great blisters arose, and to this day they have never cooled enough
to allow thick snow to settle.
What’s in a name?
In Gaelic, the Cuillin are called An Cuilthionn or An Cuiltheann and there are three differing theories
on how the area got its name. The first theory is that they take their name from the legendary
Gaelic hero, Cúchulainn (or Cú Chulainn), who learned martial arts from the warrior woman
Scáthach, who is said to have a school on Skye, although this is probably a folk etymology. The
second theory is that the name comes from the Gaelic for holly, cuileann or cuilionn, which
translates as defender. The final theory, which is seen as the most likely given Skye’s Viking
heritage, and the shape of the Cuillin ridge, is that the name comes from the Norse kjollen or keelshaped.
All the peaks of the Cuillin have Gaelic names, some stranger than others. Some have traditional
names, many which are based on their size and looks, whilst others are be named (or renamed)
more recently, after the men who pioneered climbing in the Cuillin. Sgùrr Alasdair, for example, was
named for Sheriff Alexander Nicolson, who in 1873 was first to climb it. Charles Pilkington is
commemorated in Sgùrr Thearlaich, Charles' Peak, and both Norman Collie and John MacKenzie
have given their names to summits. Sgùrr Thormoid is Norman's Peak while Sgùrr Mhic Coinnich
translates as MacKenzie's Peak.
The names of the Cuillin peaks can be seen in the table below, along with a short description of the
name and the height of the peak. There heights of the Cuillin peaks differs between publications, so
the give figures should be used as a rough guide.
Peak Name
Name Description
Feet
Metres
Sgùrr Alasdair
Alexander's peak. Highest in the Cuillins
and named after Alexander Nicolson
3,257
who was the first to climb it in 1873.
993
Inaccessible Pinnacle on Sgùrr Dearg
In Pin or In Pinn – colloquialism used by
3,234
mountaineers
986
Sgùrr Dearg
Pron. Jerrack, the red peak. Actual
summit is the top of the Inaccessible
Pinnacle.
3,209
978
Sgùrr Thearlaich (Sgùrr Tearlach)
Charles' Peak; named after Charles
Pilkington and formerly known as
northeast peak of Alasdair
3,208
977
Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh, North Top
Pron. greeta. Peak of torment, anxiety,
thrashings, mighty winds
3,192
973
Sgurr a'Ghreadaidh, South Top
Pron. greeta. Peak of torment, anxiety,
thrashings, mighty winds
3,181
970
Sgùrr nan Gillean (Sgorgillean)
The lads' peak, peak of the young men,
gillies, servants or gylls. The most
shapely mountain in the Cuillins.
3,167
965
Sgùrr na Banachdich (A
Bhanachdaich)
Small-pox peak; so called after the
peculiar rock formation of its corry.
Known locally as Sgùrr na Banachaig,
the dairymaids' peak.
3,166
965
Bruach na Frithe (Bruthach Na Free)
Pron. Bruach na Free. The brae of the
forest, heath, moor or slope
3,143
958
An Stac
The stack or rock. A spur on the main
ridge of Sgùrr Dearg.
3,125
952
Sgùrr Mhic Coinnich (Sgùrr Mhic
Choinnich)
Mackenzie's Peak; named after a
famous guide to the Cuillins, John
MacKenzie.
3,111
948
Sgùrr Sgumain (An Sguman)
The stack or stackshaped hill.
3,108
947
Sgùrr Dubh Mor
The Big Black Peak – named due to the
darkness of the gabbro
3,096
944
Sgùrr na Banachdich, Second Top
Small-pox peak; so called after the
peculiar rock formation of its corry.
Known locally as Sgurr na Banachaig,
the dairymaids' peak.
3,089
942
Sgùrr Dubh an da Bheinn
The black peak of the double mountain,
perhaps the peak at the junction of two 3,078
ridges. Pron. Sgurr Doo na Da Ven.
938
Am Basteir (Basadair)
The Executioner, probably in reference
to the outline of the Bhasteir Tooth,
which some consider resembles a
headsman's axe.
3,069
935
Sgùrr a' Fionn Choire
Peak of the white or bright corry, or cold
3,068
corry
935
Blaven (Blabheinn, Blath-Bheinn),
North Top
The hill of bloom, the warm or sunny
mount, from red appearance, the blue
3,044
wild mountain. Flath-bheinn, the Heroes
Mount.
928
Sgùrr Thormaid
Norman's peak, named after the late
Norman Collie.
3,040
927
Blaven (Blabheinn, Blath-Bheinn),,
South Top
The hill of bloom, the warm or sunny
mount, from red appearance, the blue
3,032
wild mountain. Flath-bheinn, the Heroes
Mount.
924
Sgùrr nan Eag
The notched or serrated peak.
3,031
924
Sgùrr na Banachdich, Third Top
Small-pox peak; so called after the
3,023
922
peculiar rock formation of its corry.
Known locally as Sgurr na Banachaig,
the dairymaids' peak.
Sgùrr a' Mhadaidh, south-west Peak
Pron. Vatee, the foxes' peak. Actually
there are four separate tops.
3,012
918
Bhasteir Tooth
Executioners Tooth
3,005
916
Sgùrr a' Bhasteir
Peak of the Executioner
2,951
899
Three Teeth
three individual rock towers set out
along the ridgeline like teeth on the
Cuillin Ridge
2,950
899
Sgùrr a' Mhadaidh, Third Peak
Pron. Vatee, the foxes' peak. Actually
there are four separate tops.
2,939
896
Gars-bheinn (Garsbheinn)
Possibly the echoing mountain. Pron.
Garsven. Southern terminus of the Main 2,935
Ridge of the Cuillins
895
Sgùrr a' Mhadaidh, north-west Peak
Pron. Vatee, the foxes' peak. Actually
there are four separate tops.
2,934
894
Sgùrr a' Mhadaidh, Second Peak
Pron. Vatee, the foxes' peak. Actually
there are four separate tops.
2,910
887
Sgùrr Thuilm
Pron. Hulim, peak of Tulm.
2,885
879
Sgùrr a'Choire Bhig
Peak of the little corry. Pron. Vick.
2,872
875
The summit of the ridge of the roots,
Bidein Druim nan Ramh, Central Peak whence the Cuillins radiate. The 'hub' of 2,850
the range.
869
Sgùrr na Bhairnich
Peak of the limpet.
2,826
861
Sron na Ciche
A massive black cliff on the south side of
Coire Lagan beneath the peak of Sgùrr 2,817
Alasdair
859
Bidein Druim nan Ramh, North Peak
The summit of the ridge of the roots,
whence the Cuillins radiate. The 'hub' of 2,794
the range.
852
Bidein Druim nan Ramh, West Peak
The summit of the ridge of the roots,
whence the Cuillins radiate. The 'hub' of 2,779
the range.
847
An Caisteal
The Castle – one of the peaks of the
Great Traverse.
2,730
832
Caisteal a' Gharbh-Choire
Castle of the Rough or Wild Corry
2,719
829
Gharbh-bheinn
The rough or wild mountain. North of
Blaven.
2,644
806
Clach Glas (Ghlas)
The grey stone. The prominent massive
tower to the north of Blaven.
2,582
Sometimes known as the 'Matterhorn of
Skye.'
787
Glamaig (Glamag)
The greedy woman or female. Conical
peak opposite Sligachan.
2,525
770
Sgùrr Beag
The Small or Little Peak - positioned on
the Cullin ridge between Sgùrr na
H'uamha and Sgùrr nan Gillean
2,511
765
2,491
759
Cave peak; the northern terminus of the
Sgùrr na h'Uamha (Sgùrr na h-Uamha) Main Ridge of the Cuillins. Pron. Sgurr
2,416
na Hoo-a.
736
Sgùrr Coire an Lochain (Sgùrr Coir' an Peak of the corry of the loch. Forms a
Lochain)
lower buttress of Sgurr Thearlaich.
Marsco (Marscow)
Sea-gull rock. The pyramidal mountain
in Glen Sligachan.
2,414
735
Sgùrr Dubh Beag
The Little Black Peak
2,403
732
Beinn na Caillich
Literally, the old woman's mountain. It
is near Broadford and said to be named
after a Norwegian or Danish Princess (or 2,401
her nurse), whose remains are interred
on the summit.
731
Beinne Dearg Mhor, Sligachan
The middle summit of the group of Red
Hills above Sligachan. It has a fine cone2,401
like summit above its vast flanks of
scree
731
Sgùrr nan Each
Horses' peak. North of Blaven.
2,350
716
Beinn Dearg Mhor, Broadford
Second highest of the Broadford Red
hills
2,325
709
An Diallaid (Diollaid)
Saddle, a ridge to the north of Sgurr nan
2,300
Gobhar.
701
Belig (Beilig; Beileag; Bhelig)
Beileach means birchtree bark. This
mountain, like several others, does not
have 'Beinn' prefixed. Strath.
2,300
701
Sgùrr an Fheadain
Pron. Aityan, peak of the water-pipe.
2,253
686
Beinn Dearg Mheadhonach
The Middle Red Mount
2,140
652
Sgùrr nan Gobhar
Goat’s Peak
2,069
631
Sron Dearg
Red Promontory – lower slope to Sgùrr
Dearg
2,012
613
Beinn Dearg Bheag, Broadford
One of the Broadford Red Hills
1,916
584
Glas-Bheinn Mhor
Big Green Hill – linked at a high level to
Belig
1,871
570
Ciche na Beinn Deirge
The pinnacle or breast of the red
mountain.
1,670
509
Sgùrr na Stri (Sg ùrr na Strith)
Peak of the conflict or fight-opposing
winds.
1,631
497
(Adapted from Virtual Hebrides, date unknown)
Geology 101 of The Cuillin
The formation of the Cuillin started approximately 70 million years ago, with a series of volcanic
eruptions. The two ranges of the Cuillin differing in their geological composition. The Black Cuillin is
mainly composed of gabbro and basalt, and it is due to the dark colour of the gabbro that the Black
Cuillin receives its name. The gabbro also gives the black Cuillin two other distinctive feature; along
with the basalt, the gabbro means that the Black Cuillin are predominately bare rock, jagged in
outline, particularly at the summit, with steep cliffs and deep cut corries and gullies; the composition
of the gabbro makes it a mountaineers dream, as it is a very rough rock that makes for superb grip.
The Red Hills are mainly formed from granite, which is paler that gabbro and in the right conditions
has a red tinge. The granite of the Red Hills has weathered into a more rounded landscape, with
vegetation to summit level and long scree slopes on their flanks.
It is not only volcanoes that have formed the shape of the Black Cuillin and Red Hills, as with many of
the mountainous regions of Scotland, glaciation has helped to shape the landscape that is visible
today. There is evidence that the Cuillin region of central Skye was the site of an independent ice
cap about 12000 years ago, which when melted left the tell-tale signs of scratch marks (striae), icesmoothed rocks (roche moutonnées) and frost shattered rocks that can still be seen today, with the
latter particularly clear in the Red Hills.
(from Stephenson & Merritt, 2006: 12-14 & 16-17)
The Greatest Mountaineering Challenge in Britain
The Black Cuillin ridge has been called the Greatest Mountaineering Challenge in Britain, but it is not
only mountaineers that visit to experience the Cuillin, but also walkers and ramblers, and people off
all ages and experience who are attracted to the ranges.
The first reported successful summit attempt in the Cuillin took place on 7th July 1836. Duncan
Macintyre, a local forester, lead scientist James Forbes via the ‘Tourist Route’ to the summit of Sgurr
nan Gilean. It was towards the late 19th century that the Cuillin became fashionable for climbing,
and two of the most notable climbers who visited around this time were Charles Pilkington and
Norman Collie. It was Sgùrr nan Gillean that changed both men’s feeling about the Cuillin. It was
after two failed attempts to climb Sgùrr nan Gillean that Collie turned to local guide John MacKenzie
for help. MacKenzie, who is believed to have first climbed Sgùrr nan Gillean at the age of 10, took
Collie on what has now become known as the ‘Tourist Route’ to the summit. The two became great
friends, climbing many of the Cuillin together, with Collie being one of the first British climbers to
show that there was climbing in Britain to match the demands, if not the height, of the Alps or
Rockies. (Mill, 1987)
Pilkington too succeeded with the help of John MacKenzie. Having learnt most of his
mountaineering skiils in the Swiss Alps, on arrival on Skye for a holiday in 1880, he assumed that the
small peaks would offer no significant difficulty. However, after failing in an attempt at Sgùrr nan
Gillean, Pilkington developed at great love and respect of the Cuillin and made many first climbs on
Cuillin peaks with MacKenzie. (McDonald, 2011)
Nowadays, it is the traverse of the Cuillin that attracts many people. The traverse can take anything
from 12 hours upwards, dependant on the weather (the record is less that 3 ½ hours, but did not
include the initial ascent or final descent). The first recorded traverse was made in 1911, but the
first winter traverse didn’t take place until 1965, and remains the hardest climbing challenge in
Britain, and one of the hardest in Europe.
Clan History of the Cuillin
Since the 13th century, the Cuillin have been associated with Clan MacLeod, who hold their seat at
Dunvegan. The last clan battle fought on Skye was the Battle of Coire Na Creiche in 1601, fought on
the slopes below Bruach na Frithe, and saw the Clan MacDonald of Sleat defeat Clan MacLeod after
a long and bitter feud. (Roberts, 1999: 140-141)
The Cuillin for Sale
The Cuillin were controversially put up for sale in 2000 by John MacLeod of MacLeod, the 29 th Chief
of Clan MacLeod. He placed the central range of The Cuillin, that at the time he owned, up for sale
for £10 million, to pay for repairs to Dunvegan Castle, the seat of the Clan. The proposed sale was
opposed by locals, rambling and climbing organisations and environmental groups. An attempted
deal, brokered by public agencies and conservation bodies, would have seen both the Cuillin range
and Dunvegan becoming property of the nation, but the application failed, and no private buyer was
found, and the Cuillin remain the property of the current Clan Chief. (Cramb, 2008)
References
Cramb, A. (2008) A watertight plan for Dunvegan and the Cuillin. Daily Telegraph: Tuesday 13 May
2008.
Available at: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/1953358/A-watertight-plan-forDunvegan-and-the-Cuillin.html (accessed: 27 August 2012).
McDonald, A. (2011) Merseyside Mountaineers and Explorers. Avid Publications.
Mill, C. (1987) Norman Collie, a life in two worlds – mountain explorer and scientist 1859-1942.
Aberdeen University Press.
Roberts, J. (1999) Feuds, Forays and Rebellions: History of the Highland Clans, 1475-1625. Edinburgh
University Press.
Stephenson, D. and Merritt, J. (2006) Skye: A Landscape Fashioned by Geology. Scottish Natural
Heritage.
Virtual Hebrides (date unknown) Cuillin Peaks in Order of Altitude.
Available at:
http://www.virtualhebrides.com/location/isle-of-skye/cuillins_list.htm (accessed: 24 August 2012).