Torr Ceum na Caillich

About Torr Ceum na Caillich

Rising from the jagged granite interior of northern Arran, this peak overlooks the formidable gap of the Witch’s Step. It is a place of wild, shattered rock and steep slopes, offering a classic island vantage point with views stretching across the Firth of Clyde toward Kintyre and the nearby spires of Caisteal Abhail.

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Did You Know?

• •The name is Gaelic for 'The Hill of the Witch's Step.' According to local folklore, the massive V-shaped notch in the ridge was created when a giantess or witch leaped across the mountains, though geologists attribute the gap to the erosion of a softer basalt dyke cutting through the hard granite.
• •The summit is frequently visited as part of a high-level circuit from Glen Sannox, usually paired with its parent peak, Caisteal Abhail, which lies less than a kilometre to the west.
• •The view from the top offers a striking perspective on the northern face of Goatfell and the sharp pyramid of Cir Mhor, often considered the most alpine-looking profile in the Southern Hebrides.
• •While the Witch's Step looks impressive from a distance, the bypass path around the notch is notoriously steep and greasy, often requiring as much concentration as the rock scrambling itself.
• •Despite its daunting appearance, the summit provides an excellent vantage point for watching golden eagles, which are known to hunt over the remote corries of the North Arran hills.