Beinn Tianabhaig is a distinctively shaped, almost pyramidal, hill to the south-east of Portree. It is a prominent sight from many parts of north Skye, but it is only when viewed from the north or the south that you notice most of the east side of the hill has collapsed. The same landslip activity that created the pinnacles of the Storr and the Quiraing has been at work here too, resulting in an ascent route that follows the edge of a wonderful escarpment above the Sound of Raasay.
The climb to the summit is neither long nor arduous - it can be a gentle half day outing, or a quick up and down in less than two hours. The views up and down the Sound of Raasay are very good from the top, and it is also a great vantage point above Portree and Loch Portree.
Navigation is easy enough once you are on the hill. The biggest challenges can be near the start. I have read several different opinions on the route. My first advice is to ignore any suggestion of starting from Penifiler. That is a route for masochists only, with pathless and difficult ground for a lot of the way. For a pleasant walk, you should start, and finish, at the very pretty bay at Camastianabhaig – NG508389. There are several options of how to get onto the hill from here. This is the one I much prefer.
From the picnic tables by the beach, head north-east along the road. Just after the first house on your right, take an ungated track that has a small sign reading ‘Hill Path’. At the end of the track, a path continues through a narrow gap in the fence and onto the hill. Immediately, you are faced with a left/right choice. Go left, taking the narrow path that climbs at an angle away from the garden you have just passed.
The path continues up to a breach in the crags at NG51143927. This is a good place to be able to find again if you want to come back the same way. If you are not carrying a GPS, have a good look behind you as you go beyond it, so that you can recognise it on the way back.
The path is less clear from here, but you can choose your own sheep track to take you to the escarpment.
Going back, the simplest way is to retrace the outward route. An alternative way back is to continue north from the summit, following the edge of the escarpment until it is safe to descend to your right. NG51234123 is the top of correct slope. Go down and head back southwards through the boulder fields and pinnacles until you pick up a path, just above the shore, that leads you round the point and onto the beach in Tianabhaig Bay. The path is the most prominent of the sheep tracks, but if in doubt, set a GPS to find NG51523897. That will put you in the right place to get round the headland.
