Beinn na Caillich

About Beinn na Caillich

Dominating the skyline above Broadford on the Isle of Skye, this prominent member of the Red Hills is defined by its vast scree slopes and a massive summit cairn. As a significant Graham, it offers a punishing ascent, providing a grandstand view across the Inner Sound to the Applecross peninsula.

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Did You Know?

• •The name comes from the Gaelic 'Beinn na Caillich', meaning 'Hill of the Old Woman'. While 'Cailleach' often refers to the divine hag of Gaelic mythology, local tradition identifies her as a Norse princess who lived on Skye during the Viking era.
• •The summit is crowned by an enormous Bronze Age cairn, clearly visible from the valley floor. Legend dictates the princess was buried here so she could perpetually face her homeland, ensuring the north wind would always blow across her resting place.
• •The summit provides a unique vantage point of the Black Cuillin's eastern face, specifically the Great Stone Shoot on Blà Bheinn. To the east, the view stretches across the waters of the Inner Sound to the Crowlin Islands and the Applecross hills.
• •Unlike the dark, grippy gabbro of the nearby Black Cuillin, this peak is composed of red granite. This rock type creates the mountain’s smooth, conical shape but also results in the extensive, shifting scree banks that characterize the final 300 metres of the climb.
• •While the Norse princess reportedly chose this summit for its bracing Norwegian air, most modern walkers find the primary challenge isn't the wind, but keeping their dignity while sliding backward down the mountain’s bottomless granite grit.