, photo = Quinag.jpg , photo_caption = Quinag in the distance from the western end of Loch Assynt , elevation = Sàil Gharbh: 808 m (2,651 ft)
Sàil Ghorm: 776 m (2,546 ft)
Spidean Coinich: 764 m (2,506 ft) , prominence = ''c.'' 553 m, 158 m, 192 m , listing =

Corbett Corbett may refer to: * List of Corbetts (mountains), 222 mountains in Scotland between , with prominence over * Corbett, Oregon, a community in the United States * Corbett Award, US award for athletics administrators * Corbett (surname), people w ...

, Marilyn (both x3) , translation = Little milk pail , language =

Gaelic Gaelic is an adjective that means "pertaining to the Gaels". As a noun it refers to the group of languages spoken by the Gaels, or to any one of the languages individually. Gaelic languages are spoken in Ireland, Scotland, the Isle of Man, and Ca ...

, pronunciation =
, location =

Assynt Assynt ( gd, Asainn or ) is a sparsely populated area in the south-west of Sutherland, lying north of Ullapool on the west coast of Scotland. Assynt is known for its landscape and its remarkable mountains, which have led to the area, along with ...

Scotland Scotland (, ) is a Countries of the United Kingdom, country that is part of the United Kingdom. Covering the northern third of the island of Great Britain, mainland Scotland has a Anglo-Scottish border, border with England to the southeast ...

, range = , coordinates = , range_coordinates = , grid_ref_UK = NC209292 , topo = OS ''Landranger'' 15 , type = , first_ascent = , easiest_route = Quinag ( gd, A’ Chuineag) is an 808 m high mountain range in Sutherland in the

Scottish Highlands The Highlands ( sco, the Hielands; gd, a’ Ghàidhealtachd , 'the place of the Gaels') is a historical region of Scotland. Culturally, the Highlands and the Lowlands diverged from the Late Middle Ages into the modern period, when Lowland S ...

, with an undulating series of peaks along its Y-shaped crest. The name Quinag is an anglicisation of the

name ''Cuinneag'', a milk pail, reflecting its distinctive shape. Geologically, Quinag is made of

Torridonian sandstone In geology, the term Torridonian is the informal name for the Torridonian Group, a series of Mesoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic arenaceous and argillaceous sedimentary rocks, which occur extensively in the Northwest Highlands of Scotland. The ...

, resting on a substrate of

Lewisian gneiss The Lewisian complex or Lewisian gneiss is a suite of Precambrian metamorphic rocks that outcrop in the northwestern part of Scotland, forming part of the Hebridean Terrane and the North Atlantic Craton. These rocks are of Archaean and Paleopr ...

. The highest peaks are capped by a thin skin of Cambrian

quartzite Quartzite is a hard, non- foliated metamorphic rock which was originally pure quartz sandstone.Essentials of Geology, 3rd Edition, Stephen Marshak, p 182 Sandstone is converted into quartzite through heating and pressure usually related to tec ...

s with the gentle eastern slope of Spidean Coinich being a

dip slope A dip slope is a topographic (geomorphic) surface which slopes in the same direction, and often by the same amount, as the true dip or apparent dip of the underlying strata.Jackson, JA, J Mehl and K Neuendorf (2005) ''Glossary of Geology.'' Amer ...

formed along the quartzite beds. The massif is an excellent place to appreciate the relationship between these three major rock units of the NW Highland.

Ascent

Quinag boasts three separate

summits – Sàil Ghorm (Blue Heel 776 m/2,546 ft; ), Sàil Gharbh (Rough Heel 808 m/2,651 ft; ) and Spidean Coinich (Mossy Peak 764 m/2,506 ft; ). From the north and from the road crossing the

Kylesku Kylesku ( gd, An Caolas Cumhang) is a small, remote fishing hamlet in Sutherland in the Scottish Highlands. Until 1984, it was the site of a free ferry. Village Kylesku is located where Loch Glencoul and Loch Gleann Dubh join to form a sea pa ...

Bridge, Quinag presents a formidable sight with its two huge buttresses of Sàil Gharbh and Sàil Ghorm dominating the skyline. It provides a backdrop to

Loch Assynt Loch Assynt ( gd, Loch Asaint) is a freshwater loch in Sutherland, Scotland, east-north east of Lochinver. Situated in a spectacular setting between the heights of Canisp, Quinag and Beinn Uidhe, it receives the outflow from Lochs Awe, Ma ...

, and seen from the road coming from the village of

Lochinver Lochinver (''Loch an Inbhir'' in Gaelic) is a village that is located at the head of the sea loch Loch Inver, on the coast in the Assynt district of Sutherland, Highland, Scotland. A few miles northeast is Loch Assynt which is the source of ...

, Quinag stretches as far as the eye can see. Spidean Coinich projects a broad south-east ridge which provides the usual ascent route for walkers. The Quinag estate was purchased by the

John Muir Trust The John Muir Trust (JMT) is a Scottish charity, established in 1983 to conserve wild land and wild places for the benefit of all. The Trust runs an environmental award scheme, manages several estates, mainly in the Highlands and Islands of Scot ...

in 2005. Quinag and Glencanisp estates share ownership of Loch Assynt. Remnants of

ancient woodland In the United Kingdom, an ancient woodland is a woodland that has existed continuously since 1600 or before in England, Wales and Northern Ireland (or 1750 in Scotland). Planting of woodland was uncommon before those dates, so a wood present in 16 ...

comprising

birch A birch is a thin-leaved deciduous hardwood tree of the genus ''Betula'' (), in the family Betulaceae, which also includes alders, hazels, and hornbeams. It is closely related to the beech- oak family Fagaceae. The genus ''Betula'' contains ...

, rowan, hazel,

wych elm ''Ulmus glabra'' Hudson, the wych elm or Scots elm, has the widest range of the European elm species, from Ireland eastwards to the Urals, and from the Arctic Circle south to the mountains of the Peloponnese and Sicily, where the species reaches i ...

aspen Aspen is a common name for certain tree species; some, but not all, are classified by botanists in the section ''Populus'', of the '' Populus'' genus. Species These species are called aspens: *'' Populus adenopoda'' – Chinese aspen (Chin ...

and

oak An oak is a tree or shrub in the genus ''Quercus'' (; Latin "oak tree") of the beech family, Fagaceae. There are approximately 500 extant species of oaks. The common name "oak" also appears in the names of species in related genera, notably ''L ...

are scattered throughout the northern side of the mountain particularly in the deep gulleys and sheltered situations near the seashore. Quinag is mentioned in

Iain Banks Iain Banks (16 February 1954 – 9 June 2013) was a Scottish author, writing mainstream fiction as Iain Banks and science fiction as Iain M. Banks, adding the initial of his adopted middle name Menzies (). After the success of ''The Wasp Factor ...

's 2007 novel '' The Steep Approach to Garbadale'' as lying just west of the estate of that name.

References

{{Reflist

External links

John Muir Trust
Corbetts Mountains and hills of the Northwest Highlands Marilyns of Scotland Landforms of Sutherland Protected areas of Highland (council area) Mountains and hills of Highland (council area)

Ascent

See also

References

External links