Sàileag facts for kids
Quick facts for kids Sàileag |
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Sàileag with the Five Sisters of Kintail behind seen from Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg.
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| Highest point | |
| Elevation | 956 m (3,136 ft) |
| Prominence | c. 91 m |
| Listing | Munro |
| Naming | |
| English translation | The Little Heel |
| Language of name | Gaelic |
| Geography | |
| Location | Glen Shiel, Scotland |
| Parent range | Northwest Highlands |
| OS grid | NH017148 |
| Topo map | OS Landranger 33, OS Explorer 414 |
Sàileag is a mountain in Scotland. It is found on the northern side of Glen Shiel. This mountain is about 27 kilometres (17 miles) southeast of Kyle of Lochalsh.
Contents
About Sàileag Mountain
Sàileag is part of a group of mountains called the North Glen Shiel Ridge. This ridge also includes two other Munros. A Munro is a Scottish mountain that is over 3,000 feet (914.4 metres) high.
Location and Height
Sàileag sits just east of the famous Five Sisters of Kintail hills. It connects to them by a mountain pass called the Bealach an Lapain. This pass is 725 metres (2,379 feet) high.
Sàileag itself is 956 metres (3,136 feet) tall. It is the lowest of the six Munros on the northern side of Glen Shiel. This makes its name, "The Little Heel," very fitting! Some older maps show Sàileag as 959 metres high. However, newer Ordnance Survey maps list it as 956 metres.
Exploring Sàileag's Shape
Sàileag is mostly covered in grass. But its northwest side is steep and rocky. This side drops down to a stream called the Allt an Lapain.
Mountain Ridges
The mountain has three main ridges that meet at its top.
- The eastern ridge connects to a nearby Munro called Sgurr a’ Bhealaich Dheirg.
- The western ridge leads to Sgurr na Ciste Dhuibhe. This is the most eastern Munro of the Five Sisters of Kintail.
- The northern ridge is rocky and goes down towards Gleann Lichd. It then connects to the lower parts of Beinn Fhada.
Steep Southern Slopes
Sàileag's southern slopes drop down to the A87 road in Glen Shiel. These slopes are covered in trees from the Glenshiel Forest below 500 metres. These southern slopes are known for being very steep in Scotland. In 1803, a traveler described them as "an inclined wall, of such inaccessible height that no living creature would venture to scale it."
Climbing Sàileag
Many people start their climb of Sàileag from a car park. This car park is on the A87 road at grid reference NH008135. There is a clear gap in the trees here, which makes it easy to start climbing the mountain.
The Path to the Top
The path up to the Bealach an Lapain is steep. It's a steady climb on grassy slopes. From the Bealach, you need to climb another 230 metres (755 feet) east to reach the very top of Sàileag.
Amazing Views
From the summit, you get a fantastic view! You can see the Five Sisters of Kintail clearly. You also get a great view looking down into Gleann Lichd. Many climbers choose to climb Sàileag along with some or all of the other six Munros on the northern side of Glen Shiel.
