Ancient rock and lonely quartzite peaks rising from a moor full of lochans, out on Scotland's wild north-west
This corner of Sutherland sits on Lewisian gneiss, among the oldest rock anywhere in Britain, worn down over hundreds of millions of years into a low, knobbly moor pitted with countless small lochs. Out of that base rise a handful of separate mountains, pale-capped with quartzite. Arkle and Foinaven stand among them, along with the blunt cone of Ben Stack. The quartzite screes catch the light and can look almost snow-covered from a distance.
The National Scenic Area runs to 235 square kilometres. This is remote, serious hill country. It runs pathless in places, lies a long way from help, and is best saved for settled weather and a confident day with map and compass. Foinaven in particular is a big, committing outing.
Off the coast, Handa Island has great sandstone cliffs packed with seabirds through the summer, reached by a small boat when the weather allows. If the tops are in cloud, the coast and the island make a fine lower day instead.
