Summary
Ben Loyal (from Scottish Gaelic Beinn Laghail)[1] is an isolated mountain of 764 m in Sutherland, the northwestern tip of the Scottish Highlands. It is a Corbett located south of the Kyle of Tongue and offers good views of the Kyle, Loch Loyal to the east, and Ben Hope to the west.
| Ben Loyal | |
|---|---|
| Beinn Laghail | |
 Ben Loyal from the north. An Caisteal is the jagged peak second from the left. | |
| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 764 m (2,507 ft) |
| Prominence | 609 m (1,998 ft) |
| Parent peak | Ben Hope |
| Listing | Corbett, Marilyn |
| Naming | |
| Pronunciation | /ˌbɛn ˈlɔɪ.əl/ |
| Geography | |
| Location | Sutherland, Scotland |
| OS grid | NC578488 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 10 |
Ben Loyal is composed chiefly of granite, specifically syenite,[2] and has a distinctive shape due to the four rocky peaks, the highest of which is called An Caisteal. To the north of An Caisteal is the 712 m Sgòr Chaonasaid, to the south is Bheinn Bheag (744 m), which cannot be seen in the photograph opposite, and to the west is the ridge of Sgòr a Chèirich, 644 m at its highest point. The fourth peak in the picture is the 568 m Sgòr Fionnaich.
Ben Loyal's name is thought to mean "law mountain", although the derivation via its modern Gaelic name is not certain.[1]
Access edit
Ben Loyal is a part of Ben Loyal Estate, formerly owned by Adam Knuth of Knuthenborg, Denmark. In 2012, The Daily Telegraph reported that fellow Dane Anders Holch Povlsen now owned the 24,000-acre (9,700-hectare) estate.[3]
Access is by a farm track which approaches from the north, starting at a farm called Ribigill (rented until the early 20th century by the family of British actor David Mitchell).[4]
See also edit
References edit
- ^ a b Roddy Maclean (2010). "Gaelic and Norse in the Landscape: Placenames in Caithness and Sutherland" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. p. 33. Archived from the original (PDF) on 22 October 2021. Retrieved 6 June 2019..
- ^ Gillen, Con (2013). Geology and landscapes of Scotland (2nd ed.). Dunedin. p. 188. ISBN 9781780460093.
- ^ Middleton, Christopher (13 May 2012). "The new viking invasion". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on 15 May 2012. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- ^ "Who Do You Think You Are? (Season 6) - David Mitchell".
58°24′16″N 4°26′07″W / 58.40439°N 4.43517°W