Sgurr na Sgine
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| Sgurr na Sgine | |
|---|---|
 Sgurr na Sgine seen from the outlying top of Faochag |
|
| Elevation | 946 m (3104 ft) |
| Location | Glen Shiel,  Scotland |
| Prominence | 247 m |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 33, OS Explorer 414 |
| OS grid reference | NG944113 |
| Listing | Munro, Marilyn |
| Translation | Peak of the Knife (Gaelic) |
| Pronunciation | [“skoor na skeenya”] |
| Listed summits of Sgurr na Sgine | ||||
| Name | Grid ref | Height | Status
|
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
| North West Top | NG943115 | 942 m (3090 ft) | Munro Top | |
Sgurr na Sgine is a Scottish mountain situated eight kilometres south of Shiel Bridge in the Glenshiel (deer) Forest at the lower end of Glen Sheil in the Highland District. Sgurr na Sgine is a Munro and has a height of 946 metres (3104 feet), it is a fine mountain but is overshadowed by it’s near neighbour The Saddle which is ranked as one of the best mountains in Scotland. Sgurr na Sgine is a shy mountain and the best valley to summit view of it is from the remote country to the west.
Sgurr na Sgine has a subsidiary top along it’s north eastern ridge called Faochag (The Whelk) which reaches a height of 909 metres and it is this top which is seen as a sharp distinctive cone alongside The Saddle when viewed from the A87 road at the Battle of Glen Shiel site (grid reference NG988135) in what is regarded as a classic mountain view. Despite its visual prominence Faochag does not even qualify as a Corbett, it used to be classified as a "top" in the Munro Tables before being deleted in 1974. Sgurr na Sgine’s north ridge has been christened “Concorde Ridge” by famed Scottish hill walker Hamish Brown after an incident with a flock of ptarmigans there.
Sgurr na Sgine is quite often climbed along with The Saddle to which it is joined by a col, the Bealach Coire Mhalagain, at 699 metres, some guidebooks say that the mountain can be climbed along with the seven Munros of the South Glen Shiel ridge although this is a very long and hard day in the hills, suitable only for the extremely fit hill walker. A direct ascent of Sgurr na Sgine is possible from Achnangart Farm (grid reference NG962149) in Glen Shiel which is almost at sea level giving a hard climb up the grassy slopes of the north east ridge to Faochag where the gradient eases considerably giving an easier walk to the summit although it is a rocky scramble up Concorde Ridge to reach the summit plateau. A very good circuit of Coire Toteil can be completed by continuing from the summit to take in the Corbett Sgurr a'Bhac Chaolais and then descending back to Glen Shiel.
The top of the mountain has two summits, the North West Top has a height of 942 metres and is regarded as a "top" in the Munro Tables. The highest point is a further 300 metres south easterly with a height of 946 metres. The view from the top gives an excellent prospect of the Forcan Ridge on The Saddle to the north. The Kintail Forest Munros are seen to the north east and the remote area of Knoydart is seen to the south west.
[edit] References
- The Munros (SMC Guide) Donald Bennett et al, ISBN 0-907521-13-4
- Hamish’s Mountain Walk, Hamish Brown, ISBN 1-898573-08-5
- The High Mountains of Britain and Ireland, Irvine Butterfield, ISBN 0-906371-30-9
