Ben Loyal
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 | |
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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, 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
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.[2]
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).[3]
References
- Roddy Maclean (2010). "Gaelic and Norse in the Landscape: Placenames in Caithness and Sutherland" (PDF). Scottish Natural Heritage. p. 33. Retrieved 6 June 2019..
- Middleton, Christopher (13 May 2012). "The new viking invasion". The Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 12 January 2015.
- "Who Do You Think You Are? (Season 6) - David Mitchell".