Mountain feature
Sgurr
Also called: Sgùrr
Definition
Sgurr is a Gaelic term for a sharp pointed mountain summit — usually narrower, more rugged and more dramatic than the rounded summits described as 'meall' or 'cnoc'. Pronounced approximately 'SKOOR' (one syllable). The accented form 'Sgùrr' indicates a long vowel sound but the meaning is identical.
Etymology & origin
From the Gaelic sgurr or sgùrr, meaning peak or sharp rock. The word is geographically concentrated in the west of Scotland — Sgurr names dominate the Cuillin, the Knoydart peninsula, Glen Shiel and Wester Ross. East-coast hill names use fewer Sgurr terms in favour of meall (rounded hill), càrn (cairn-marked summit) or beinn (general 'mountain').
Context & usage
The Sgurr designation in a hill name is a useful indicator of summit character. Sgurr nan Conbhairean is sharper-summited than Beinn Fhionnlaidh; Sgurr nan Saighead has a more dramatic crest than Carn an Tuirc. Walkers reading an unfamiliar hill name on a map can infer something about summit character from the prefix word.
The most famous Sgurrs are on Skye's Black Cuillin: Sgurr Alasdair (the highest), Sgurr Dearg (carrying the Inaccessible Pinnacle), Sgurr nan Gillean, Sgurr Mhic Choinnich. The Cuillin Sgurrs are technical scrambling and climbing ground — the Sgurr designation accurately predicts the summit character. Off Skye, Sgurr na Ciche in Knoydart and Sgurr Mor in the Fannichs are similarly pointed summits.
Not every dramatic Scottish peak is a Sgurr. The Buachaille's Stob Dearg is a 'stob' (point or stake), Bla Bheinn is 'beinn' (mountain) despite its Cuillin-grade drama, and An Teallach's summits include 'sgurr' (Sgurr Fiona) and 'bidean' (Bidein a' Ghlas Thuill) on the same ridge. The naming reflects historic regional conventions and individual hill character rather than a strict typology.
Related terms
Stob
Stob is a Gaelic term for a pointed summit or peak — similar in meaning to sgurr but more typical of central-Highland names than west-coast ones. Pronounced approximately 'STOPP' (rhymes with 'stop'). Common in Glen Coe and Mamores hill names.
Meall
Meall is a Gaelic term for a rounded, broad-shouldered hill — typically grassy, less dramatic than Sgurr or Stob summits. Pronounced approximately 'MYAOWL' (one syllable, the 'eall' is a diphthong). Common in central and eastern Highland names.
Coire
A coire (anglicised as 'corrie') is an armchair-shaped hollow scooped into a mountainside by glacial action. Steep walls on three sides, an open downhill side, often holding a lochan. The same feature is called a cwm in Welsh and a cirque in French.
Where to next
Reviewed 2026-05-28