Glamaig and the northern Red Hills give a fine circuit with punishing scree but unparalleled views.
Summary
Very steep slopes of scree and stones have to be negotiated, particularly on Glamaig (which can be omitted). The lower ground is very boggy in places. There is a path for most of the route.
Terrain
NG487298
Grid ref
13km/8 miles
Distance
Grade
Safety warning: Hillwalking when there is snow or ice lying requires ice-axe, crampons and the ability to use them. Some featured routes can become technical ice climbs. Check out our Winter Skills information provided by the Mountaineering Council of Scotland.
Lay-by on east side of river at Sligachan
[Map of start point, satnav coords and directions]
Start
Maps
Users'
rating
Buses from Portree, Broadford and Kyleakin - get off at Sligachan Hotel.
Open Traveline Scotland
Public transport
1. Start at Sligachan on the opposite side of the river from the hotel, by the old bridge. There is an iron gate and a footpath sign for Loch Coruisk and Elgol. Go through the gate and follow the footpath for about 300 metres. At this point the main path heads away from the stream; instead follow the band of the stream coming down from the Red Hills on a small path. This passes above a picturesque gorge, the Allt Daraich. Above the gorge, cross very boggy moorland towards the path you should be able to see climbing the Druim na Ruaige ridge to the southeast.
2. Drier ground is thankfully reached as the Druim na Ruaige is ascended. After a steep section, a flatter shoulder is reached at about 430 metres, before a path ascends the final stony slopes to a cairn on Beinn Dearg Mheadhonach (Middle Red Mountain). The summit of the mountain is three hundred metres along the ridge to the southeast - a worthwhile detour for the superb views. Return to the first cairn and descend the easy slopes of the north ridge, down to the Bealach Mosgaraidh.
3. Beyond the bealach the path climbs steeply once again to reach the 731m summit of Beinn Dearg Mhor (Big Red Mountain). This has an even finer view, particularly northeast over the Inner Sound. Sgurr nan Gillean is prominent in the nearby Cuillin but looks less pyramidal from this angle than usual.
4. The north ridge descends easily for about half a kilometre, before an extremely steep slope of scree and larger stones plunges down to the Bealach na Sgairde. There is a path which eases the descent slightly, on the left side of the ridge. From the Bealach na Sgairde one can descend west, eventually reaching and crossing the Allt Daraich and following it back to Sligachan. If the great, steep dome of Glamaig directly above the bealach isn't too daunting though, it can be included in the round.
5. Keep to the left of the broken rocks and climb up the very steep slope of grass and scree. It isn't as difficult as it looks, but that's not saying a lot! Thankfully the slope eventually eases and the summit of Glamaig, a Corbett at 775 metres, is just to the left. Glamaig is easily identified in views from miles around, and it's location right on the edge of the sea makes it a matchless viewpoint - with a panorama split evenly between dramatic landscapes and blue seas.
Photo: Headless Spectre
6. It is possible to descent directly to Sligachan to the west, but this is an extremely punishing way down an appalling and seemingly endless scree slope. Amazingly this slope is the scene of the annual Glamaig hill race, when super fit runners both ascend and descend it, the fastest in around three quarters of an hour. The race commemorates the feat of a sherpa, Harkabir Thapa, who ran up and down from the hotel bar in 1899. He took seventy five minutes, only slightly slower than today's athlete's, but then none of them have run it in bare feet! Your knees would probably thank you if instead of following in Harkabir's footsteps, you retrace your steps to the Bealach na Sgairde and descend to the stream from there. Cross the Allt Daraich and follow the bank back to Sligachan.
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