Ben Loyal

Ben Loyal rises in the far northwest of the Scottish Highlands, an isolated granite mountain south of the Kyle of Tongue. Its four rocky peaks stand above Loch Loyal to the east and Ben Hope to the west. The highest summit is called An Caisteal, a Corbett reaching 764 metres. Three other tops form the ridge: Sgòr Chaonasaid to the north, Bheinn Bheag to the south, and Sgòr a Chèirich to the west. The mountain’s Gaelic name may mean ‘law mountain’, though its exact origin is uncertain. The mountain belongs to the Ben Loyal Estate, once owned by a Danish family and now held by another Danish landowner. A farm track from Ribigill farm provides the usual approach, starting where David Mitchell’s ancestors once rented land. Walkers follow the track across open moorland before the slopes steepen toward the peaks. The estate’s ownership has changed hands in recent years, yet public access remains open. Views along the way take in the Kyle of Tongue and the loch below. On the summit ridge the walker finds narrow granite slabs and patches of heather. An Caisteal’s flat top offers a broad outlook over Sutherland’s hills. To the east Loch Loyal stretches beneath the mountain, while Ben Hope dominates the western skyline. The rocky tops of Sgòr Chaonasaid and Sgòr a Chèirich appear close at hand. From Ribigill the track climbs gently before the final ascent, revealing ever wider vistas of the surrounding landscape.