📌 Red Cuillin, Isle of Skye
★★★★
Who says Skye is full up with tourists? Head to the hills and it’s still easy to escape the crowds – we had this wonderful horseshoe all to ourselves on a sunny August bank holiday weekend! Beinn na Caillich (Hill of the Old Woman), Beinn Dearg Mhòr (Big Red Hill) and Beinn Dearg Bheag (Little Red Hill) are the trio of scree-topped domes immediately west of Broadford – and the easternmost group within the underrated Red Cuillin. Climbed as a horseshoe route around Coire Gorm they make up a route with all the typical characteristics of this hill range: short in distance but bursting with character, airy ridges, boulders, scree and a particularly punishing initial ascent. Saucy Mary – a Norwegian Princess who once inhabited Caisteal Maol at Kyleakin – is reputedly buried at the top of the highest summit, allowing her eternal views towards her land of birth.
📷 Chronological photo guide
Early views of Beinn na Caillich’s pathless slopes 
Ascent of Beinn na Caillich 
Broadford Bay from Beinn na Caillich’s lower slopes 
Coire Fearchair 
Beinn na Caillich summit, Scalpay beyond 
Red Hills 
Beinn Dearg Mhòr, Black Cuillin beyond 
Beinn Dearg Mhòr (right) & Beinn Dearg Bheag (left) 
Beinn Dearg Mhòr 
View back to Beinn na Caillich 
Red Hills from Beinn Dearg Mhòr 
Black Cuillin from Beinn Dearg Mhòr 
Start of the scree run off Beinn Dearg Mhòr towards Beinn Dearg Bheag 
Coire Sgreamhach from the bealach between the Beinn Deargs 
Beinn na Caillich & Broadford 
Looking back at the scree descent off Beinn Dearg Mhòr 
Beinn Dearg Bheag summit cairn; Isle of Eigg beyond the bay 
Beinn Dearg Bheag east ridge 
Coire Gorm 
Beinn na Caillich from the descent 
Looking southeast towards Beinn Shuardail (centre) 
Most of the horseshoe can be seen from the descent 
Allt Beinn Deirge 
Last section to the car park
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at Old Corry minor road end, 1 mi west of Broadford, Skye
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NG 619228
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.233529,-5.946790
❌ No public transport within 1 mi
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 8 km / 5 mi | ▲ 980 m | ⌛ 4.5-5.5 hr
Features: △ Beinn na Caillich (732 m, “Torbett”); △ Beinn Dearg Mhòr (709 m, “Torbett”); △ Beinn Dearg Bheag (582 m)
⬤ Tough | Very faint path just at first, then tiring rocks and heather followed by steep boulderfield to ascend Beinn an Caillich. Generally good going on short grass or faint paths for ridges between hills; descent from Beinn Dearg Mhòr is on a very steep scree path. Awkward, pathless return across moorland from the Allt Beinn Deirge. Hands generally not required anywhere on the circuit.
Download file for GPS➡️ Anticlockwise circuit: start – Beinn na Caillich – Beinn Dearg Mhòr – Beinn Dearg Bheag – cross Allt Beinn Deirge at foot of east ridge – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Rabbits at the car park, cows on lower slopes of Beinn na Caillich. Sheep on Beinn Dearg Mhòr; hairy caterpillars.
Weather: Warm (20°C at finish) and mostly sunny, shower clouds building but staying dry. Light winds except for a curious invisible “tornado” of very strong wind on Beinn Dearg Bheag, uprooting plant debris – fascinating to watch.
August 2019
