An Caisteal Route Information

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An Caisteal

Quick Facts

This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.

Total Ascent

962 m

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time

5.5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

18.19 km

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required

10	Strathnaver, Bettyhill & Tongue

Only £6.29 (£13.49 Laminated) from

A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

A medium length easy route on a splendid rocky hill.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

Travel Information

Head to: Tongue

From Tongue head S on minor road past Deanside to junction with private road to Ribigill.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 962 metres. Allow 5.5 hours to complete this 18.19 km route.

In winter months please check the local snow conditions at sais.gov.uk.

The hillphones service can inform you of stalking activities in the area.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

Route Information

Waypoint Detail

	Start from private road to Ribigill
		NC58425476	Distance	Altitude 24 m

1	Head S on private road to junction, go left and continue S to second junction
		NC58265389	Distance 0.94 km	Altitude 25 m

2	Continue S on road/track then path to Cunside
		NC58385151	Distance 2.67 km	Altitude 65 m

3	Ascend S onto the eastern slope of Sgor Chaonasaid
		NC58335016	Distance 1.28 km	Altitude 360 m

4	Ascend SW to join main ridge at Sgor Chaonasaid (712m)
		NC57954981	Distance 0.54 km	Altitude 712 m

5	Bear S then SW to Sgor a Bhatain. Continue SSE to An Caisteal
		NC57804886	Distance 1.17 km	Altitude 764 m

6	Descend to col and ascend Beinn Bheag
		NC57654825	Distance 0.64 km	Altitude 765 m

7	Descend to col and ascend Carn an Tionail
		NC57594767	Distance 0.64 km	Altitude 744 m

8	Descend W towards Allt Fhionnaich
		NC56564767	Distance 1.14 km	Altitude 371 m

9	Continue descending WSW to reach flatter ground
		NC56044750	Distance 0.59 km	Altitude 260 m

10	Once West of the southern crags of Sgor Fhionnaich bear N
		NC55944811	Distance 0.61 km	Altitude 324 m

11	Head NNE to where small stream flows through trees
		NC56244907	Distance 1.00 km	Altitude 186 m

12	Descend N through trees
		NC56184930	Distance 0.24 km	Altitude 90 m

13	Follow contours NE to rejoin approach route at Cunside and return
		NC58425476	Distance 6.72 km	Altitude 24 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

North West Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)

East Highlands
by Met Office

Ben Hope
by Metcheck

Images of An Caisteal

View south from Ben Loyal summit 14 August 2008

Image by Lorna Macgregor

From Ben Loyal summit looking north over Sgurr Chaonasaid and and Sgurr a Bhatain - January 2006.

Image by Ron Crawford

Ben Loyal from the Ribigill approach - January 2006.

Image by Ron Crawford

Ben Loyal from the summit of Ben Hope. December 2007.

Image by David McSporran

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.

Where to Stay

We currently have no
sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

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Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.

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