- Caisteal Abhail
Infobox Mountain
Name = Caisteal Abhail
Photo = Caisteal_abhail.jpg
Caption = Caisteal Abhail seen from Glen Sannox
Elevation = 859 m (2817 ft)
Location =Isle of Arran ,Scotland
Range =
Prominence = 427 m
Parent peak =Goat Fell
Coordinates =
Topographic
OS "Landrangers" 62, 69
Type =
First ascent =
Easiest route =
Grid_ref_UK = NR969444
Listing = Corbett, Marilyn
Translation = Stronghold of theptarmigan
Language = Gaelic
Pronunciation = kæʃtjəl ævælCaisteal Abhail is a mountain on the
Isle of Arran inScotland .It is the northernmost Corbett on the island. The mountain is known as "The Sleeping Warrior" due to its distinctive outline (resembling the profile of a recumbent figure) as seen from the mainland. The most notable feature of the mountain is "Ceum na Caillich" (often rendered as the "Witch's Step", "cailleach", here in
genitive also means an old woman/hag), a deep gash in the eastern ridge. It is the northernmost peak in a chain of three Corbetts:Goat Fell (the highest peak on Arran) is in fact an eastern outlier to this chain.The summit lies at the junction of four ridges: those running east, north and northwest eventually descend, whilst the southern ridge continues on to the central summit of the range,
Cìr Mhòr . The summit is crowned with a series of rockytor s, and in poor visibility it may be difficult to ascertain which one marks the highest point.The mountain is most frequently climbed from North Glenn Sannox. There is a car park on the
A841 road about 3 km west ofSannox . From here, the summit can be via the northern, northwestern or eastern ridge. Ascent over the eastern ridge requires the walker to negotiate Ceum na Caillich, a tricky scramble that is not easily by-passed.Ceum na Caillich and the eastern ridge may also be reached from the village of Sannox on the east coast of the island by way of Glen Sannox. The northwestern ridge can be climbed via a longer route following the Gleann Easan Biorach from
Lochranza . An ascent of Caisteal Abhail is often combined with Cìr Mhòr, and indeed other Arran peaks.
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