Scotland

Caisteal Abhail

CorbettMarilynHuMPSimm

3 classifications here — Marilyn, HuMP and Simm — belong to lists OpenFell holds only part of, so they have no list page. See how far the coverage goes.

Caisteal Abhail, 859 m, North Ayrshire
Caisteal Abhail, 859 m, North Ayrshire. Photo by Grinner at English Wikipedia, CC BY-SA 3.0 · Wikimedia Commons
Height
859 m · 2,818 ft
Grid reference
NR 96914 44317
Coordinates
55.64986, -5.22929
County / area
North Ayrshire
OS Landranger
62 69
OS Explorer
361N
Summit feature
rock
Key col
NR979429 (432 m)

About Caisteal Abhail

Caisteal Abhail is the northernmost Corbett on Arran and the northern end of a chain of three; Goat Fell, the island's highest, is actually an eastern outlier of that chain. Seen from the mainland the mountain provides the bulk of the profile known as The Sleeping Warrior, its outline suggesting a recumbent figure.

Four ridges meet at the summit. Those heading east, north and north-west eventually drop away, while the southern one carries on to Cìr Mhòr, the central peak of the range. Ceum na Caillich, a deep gash cut into the eastern ridge, is the mountain's most striking feature. The top itself is crowned by a group of rocky tors, and in poor visibility working out which is highest can be awkward.

Background written from facts in the Wikipedia article on Caisteal Abhail (CC BY-SA 4.0). Heights, prominence and grid references come from the Database of British & Irish Hills, not from Wikipedia.

Access rights here

Yes Right to roam: Statutory right of responsible access to most land and inland water.

Yes Wild camping: Wild camping is broadly lawful under the 2003 Act.

General position for Scotland — local byelaws, seasonal restrictions and closures can override it. Full details: access rights in Scotland · check another location.

Daylight at this summit today

Sunrise
Sunset
Daylight
Civil twilight ends

Computed astronomically for 55.650, -5.229. Plan your finish with the daylight safety planner.

Summit weather live

Loading forecast for the summit (859 m)…

Forecast adjusted to summit altitude. Weather data from MET Norway (CC BY 4.0).

Finding the summit

Surveyor's note

rock 12m E at NR 96925 44321 is lower.

The recorded summit point is rock. That distinction matters on broad or flat tops, where the obvious cairn is not always the true high point.

Survey method
Abney level/Leica RX1250
Record revised
15-Jan-03
Drop measured from
NR979429 · 432 m

Classification history: summit surveyed at 859.0m.

Survey notes are field observations recorded in the Database of British & Irish Hills (v18.3, CC BY 4.0) by the hill-surveying community.

Nearest listed peaks

PeakHeightDistance
Cir Mhor 798.1 m 1.3 km
Beinn Tarsuinn 826 m 3.3 km
Goatfell 875 m 3.6 km
Beinn Bharrain - Mullach Buidhe 721.4 m 6.9 km