The Cuillin
Geological Conservation Review site | GCR #1347 | Quaternary Geology | Quaternary of Scotland
Scotland's geosites are chosen because of their local, national or international importance. Take only photos, leave only footprints: avoid causing any damage to this site. You can walk almost anywhere in Scotland without the need to ask permission or keep to paths, but you have a responsibility to care for your own safety, to respect people's privacy and peace of mind and to cause no damage.
This site is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI). It is an offence to intentionally or recklessly damage the protected natural features of a SSSI, and this includes unauthorised sample collection.
The right of access does not extend to quarries, building sites or any land where public access is prohibited, or to the collection of geological samples.
Summary
The Cuillin's Glacial Features Are Unsurpassed Elsewhere In Great Britain, Include Important Evidence Of The Loch Lomond Readvance, And Are Historically Important To The Understanding Of Glacial Morphology.
A geomorphological locality of the highest importance for an assemblage of glacial and periglacial landforms. The Cuillin Hills is the classic area in Britain for erosional landforms associated with mountain glaciers. It includes unquestionably the finest assemblage of arètes, corries, rock steps, ice-moulded topography and roches moutonnées, together with the textbook glacial trough and basin occupied by Loch Coruisk. Periglacial rock weathering forms and screes and a range of ice-depositional features include classic end and lateral moraines; boulder moraines and hummocky moraines complete the key interest of one of the most outstanding mountain areas in Britain for glacial geomorphology.
Site information
Access notes
The Cuillin is a circa 70 square Kilometre GCR Site which, by and large, can only be accessed on foot, with the following car parks providing potential entry points:
Just south of Glen Brittle at NG 40905 20655
West of Coire na Creich at NG 42307 25776
From Sligachan at NG 48780 29904
From Camasunary via the track commencing NG 54522 17174
Safety notes
There are no safety notes yet.
Site highlights
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Further information
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Related geosites
Overlaps with
#1: the GCR Site commences around the summit of Sgurr na Stri (middle distance) and extends past Sgurr Dubh Mor (beyond, in the distance).
Bothy and beach at Camasunary (foreground) accessed from Kilmarie on the Torrin to Elgol road.
Andy Leggatt
Aug. 21, 2025
NG 5216 1829
(bearing 290)