Beinn na Caillich

About Beinn na Caillich

Rising steeply above Broadford, this iconic Red Hill is a mass of weathered granite defined by its immense summit cairn. As a prominent Graham, it offers an exceptionally clear vantage point over the Inner Sound toward Applecross and the jagged black peaks of the Cuillin ridge across Glen Sligachan.

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Did You Know?

• •The name Beinn na Caillich translates from Gaelic as 'Hill of the Old Woman.' Local tradition identifies the 'hag' as a Norwegian princess, often called 'Saucy Mary,' who lived in nearby Castle Moil and was allegedly the daughter of a King of Norway.
• •The summit is crowned by an enormous Bronze Age cairn, which folklore claims is the final resting place of the Norwegian princess. Legend says she requested burial here so that the winds blowing from the north would reach her from her homeland.
• •Unlike the jagged, dark gabbro of the Black Cuillin, this is a 'Red Hill' composed of granite. This geology results in the mountain's characteristic rounded, conical shape and the vast slopes of pale pinkish scree that dominate its flanks.
• •The summit provides a superb perspective of the nearby island of Pabay, which appears as a flat green leaf in the Broadford Bay below, and the distinctive flat-topped silhouettes of Macleod's Tables in the distance.
• •While the legendary princess likely arrived at the summit via a royal procession, modern walkers are more likely to arrive via the steep southern scree slopes, which offer a two-steps-up, one-step-back experience that feels less like a hike and more like a treadmill made of marbles.