Ben Loyal
| Ben Loyal | |
| Sutherland | |
|---|---|
 Ben Loyal from the north | |
| Summit: | 2,507 feet NC578488 58°24’16"N, 4°26’7"W |
Ben Loyal is an isolated mountain of 2,507 feet in Sutherland, the northwestern tip of the Highlands. It is a 'Corbett' hill 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 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 2,336-foot Sgòr Chaonasaid, to the south is Bheinn Bheag (2,441 feet), which cannot be seen in the photograph opposite, and to the west is the ridge of Sgòr a Chèirich, 2,113 feet at its highest point. The fourth peak in the picture is the 1,864 feet Sgòr Fionnaich.
Name
The name of the mountain is Gaelic in part and apparently Old Norse. 'Ben' is the Gaelic Beinn meaning "mountain". 'Loyal' appears to be Norse.[1]
Ownership and access
Ben Loyal is a part of Ben Loyal Estate, owned by the Chamberlain Count Adam Knuth of Knuthenborg, Denmark. Access is by a farm track which approaches from the north, starting at a farm called Ribigill.
Outside links
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("Wikimedia Commons" has material about Ben Loyal) |