If you are keen to enjoy a taste of the hills in Glen Shiel, a wee walk up Biod na Fhithich could be the hill for you! Meaning Point of the Ravens, you can enjoy the lofty views within a fairly short walk that could be included in a bigger day out exploring the area. Biod na Fhithich is the hill on the right in the image below.
Standing at 644m high, Biod na Fhithich may be dwarfed by his neighbours, but he also offers an accessible place to enjoy stunning views of them. With the Five Sisters of Kintail on one side, the tail end of the South Shiel Ridge, Forcan Ridge and The Saddle on the otherside, you really get a glimpse of what hill walking in the west of Scotland can be like. (Three of the Five Sisters are below.)
Parking next to the A87, the path briefly crosses the floor of the glen before beginning it’s ascent. The path up to the coll, at approx. 490m in height, is a well made stalkers path that cuts diagonally across the face of the hill. From the coll to the summit, there is a faint path to follow but if you lose it, just remember to stick to the ridge.
The views throughout this time are stunning and expansive, but once on the small top they open up even further with Loch Duich, Bealach na Ba, the Kylerhea hills and even a glimpse of Blaven are to be savoured before retracing your steps back down.
The photographs were taken on a sunny day in April, and it took about 3.5hrs to complete the whole walk. However, it is steep and because of that, along with the distracting views, it can take a little longer. The opportunity to catch your breath and enjoy the views can be hard to resist! Whilst I sat on the summit and enjoyed my lunch, a raven soared at eye level. Very fitting for the Point of the Ravens!
This image is looking away from Glen Shiel, towards the Forcan Ridge and The Saddle from Biod na Fhithich. For a more detailed description of the walk, please see Walk Highlands.
Another place that has an association with ravens is Eilean Donan Castle. Located on the banks of Loch Duich, it could be enjoyed on the same day as Biod na Fhithich with just a 15 min drive between them. Ravens feature in Celtic and Norse mythology, both of which will have had an influence on the area of Lochalsh. They can represent death and demise, especially on the battlefield. But ravens can also be portents of prophecy with the ability of second sight and can offer supernatural powers as in a legend associated with Eilean Donan Castle…
There once was an ancient myth, and since it was an ancient myth in the 12th / 13th Centuries it really was an ancient myth, whereby if you gave your first born child it’s first drops of milk out of the skull of a raven, your child will possess supernatural powers. The local chief of Kintail gave his first born child, a wee boy called Seumas, his first drops of milk from the raven’s skull. The power Seumas received was the ability to talk to the birds.
After prophecies were made and came true, adventures had and fortunes found, it was said that Seumas was the one asked to build Eilean Donan Castle to protect the people of Kintail from the Vikings who were still raiding and pillaging the area.
If you are looking for a great base to explore not only the Isle of Skye, but Glenelg, Torridon and Applecross with driving over the Bealach na Ba, Lochalsh is the perfect place to stay. All these locations are less than an hour’s drive away and make great days out. We have a few properties in Lochalsh which you can see here.
One of these is Lochside, new for 2025. Located on the shores of Loch Long, just a few minutes walk away from Eilean Donan Castle and a few hundred meters from the local hotel and pubs, Lochside is a great holiday home. Three bedrooms, open plan living / kitchen / diner and it’s own private lochside garden, it is ideal for families as well as friends travelling together.
