Marilyn · North-West Highlands
Farrmheall
Farrmheall — possibly far hill from the old Norse — stands 521m at NC 308 587 on the Cape Wrath peninsula east of Durness. It is one of the remotest of all the Sutherland Marilyns, sitting in the deserted ground between the Kyle of Durness and Loch Eriboll.
Quick facts
- Height
- 521m/ 1709ft
- Prominence
- 362 m
- Grid ref
- NC 30827 58777
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
Height and prominence cross-checked against the Database of British and Irish Hills (CC BY).
No GPX track yet
Walked this route? Share your track to help other walkers.
Standard route
blanket bog 55% · heather moorland 30% · grassy summit 15%
The standard approach is from the A838 at Rhiconich, walking 8km north on the old peat road to the hill. There is no public vehicular access to the Cape Wrath ranges; check MOD firing notices before going. Allow 7-8 hours.
Terrain
Lewisian gneiss and Cambrian quartzite outcrops with sweeping flow country between. The summit is a low rocky pavement; the approach crosses some of the wettest blanket bog in mainland Britain.
In winter
Maritime climate brings rain rather than snow at this altitude, but the bog freezes hard in cold spells which speeds the crossing. Daylight is extremely short in midwinter at 58.5° N; plan for headtorch finishes.
This hill is in the Torridon SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow7h 0m
- Edinburgh8h 55m
OS maps: OS Landranger 9, OS Explorer 446
Mobile signal: Poor. Remote Sutherland plateau; EE, Vodafone, Three and O2 all fail.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 05:05
- Sunset
- 21:47
- Civil dawn
- 04:09
- Civil dusk
- 22:43
NOAA Solar Calculator · 30 July 2026
Around Farrmheall on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Farrmheall — common questions
- What difficulty is Farrmheall?
- On the OutdoorSCOT scale, Farrmheall comes in at 2/5 — moderate. Underfoot: Lewisian gneiss and Cambrian quartzite outcrops with sweeping flow country between.
- What is Farrmheall's prominence?
- 362m of prominence. That's the vertical drop from the summit to the col that links Farrmheall to the next higher ground. That drop is what qualifies it as a Marilyn — a hill with at least 150m of descent on every side.
- When is the best time to climb Farrmheall?
- March, April, May, June, July, August, September, October give the most reliable conditions on Farrmheall. Beyond that window the high ground turns wintry: carry full mountain kit, be confident navigating, and check the SAIS avalanche forecast for the area.
- Is Farrmheall dog-friendly?
- Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
- Is there mobile signal on Farrmheall?
- Poor. Remote Sutherland plateau; EE, Vodafone, Three and O2 all fail.
- Is Farrmheall safe in winter?
- Maritime climate brings rain rather than snow at this altitude, but the bog freezes hard in cold spells which speeds the crossing. Daylight is extremely short in midwinter at 58.5° N; plan for headtorch finishes.
Get the OutdoorSCOT weekly
One email a week — new route, hill and bothy guides, seasonal conditions and the odd hard-won lesson. No spam, unsubscribe in one click.