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Cir Mhor to Goatfell via The Saddle

Cir Mhor to Goatfell via The Saddle


Postby BillyW51 » Tue Apr 13, 2021 10:57 pm

I am just planning a route on the Isle of Arran and wondered if anyone had walked it before and how long it took them. I plan to start walking at the path that goes beside the North Sannox burn to Caisteal Abhail and on to Cir Mhor before crossing The Saddle and on to Goatfell. After that I will take the tourist route down and catch a bus at the bottom so I can get the ferry.

I have around 5hrs to walk this and make the ferry back but no sure if that is a bit too ambitious or not. The last ferry back is 16.40 according to the site however if a later ferry is put on at the weekend it would provide a bit more breathing space.

Any replies would be appreciated 👍🏻
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Re: Cir Mhor to Goatfell via The Saddle

Postby AyrshireAlps » Wed Apr 14, 2021 4:51 pm

We walk on Arran regularly, and unless I get the 7am ferry, I try to avoid the mad dash for the 16.40, and get the 19.20 instead. I reckon you'll really be cutting it fine.

Caisteal Abhail and Cir Mhor are absolutely stunning, and deserve a bit of time to be enjoyed in my opinion. It's fairly easy walking up from North Glen Sannox onto sail an im and the castles, then a nice ridge around to cir mhor.

It's then pretty steep down to the saddle, you could bail down Glen Rosa, but tbh it's not a huge amount quicker. The climb up onto North goatfell is fairly steep but straightforward, then a lovely section along stacach ridge to goatfell.

It's a great day, enjoy.
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Re: Cir Mhor to Goatfell via The Saddle

Postby jmarkb » Wed Apr 14, 2021 5:34 pm

It's about 15km and 1500m of ascent/descent, with some steep rocky terrain - I would have though 5 hours is much too tight unless you are really fit and/or running the downhill sections.
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Re: Cir Mhor to Goatfell via The Saddle

Postby gaffr » Thu Apr 15, 2021 9:56 am

A bike would be useful to get from the Brodick ferry to Glen Rosa. In the early days we went to the Arran Hills a lot and hired bikes from a lady in the village...tent up, quick breakfast then up into the hills. A interesting scramble up onto onto your second summit although much more scrambling on the bit between Nuis and Chir Mhor.
A tight schedule perhaps.
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Re: Cir Mhor to Goatfell via The Saddle

Postby BillyW51 » Thu Apr 15, 2021 1:50 pm

Thanks for the replies everyone. I think I will leave it until such times as the later ferries are on or overnight stays are permitted. I dont want to really rush the day and not take any of it in, whats the point in that?

I will opt for Goatfell via Corrie. I have done that before so know I can do it in the time I have.

Thanks again
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Re: Cir Mhor to Goatfell via The Saddle

Postby AyrshireAlps » Thu Apr 15, 2021 2:40 pm

An achievable and better (IMO!) route is to get the bus along to Corrie, head up the Goatfell path, but keep on that path into Coire Lan, instead of branching over the burn to join the Goatfell path. This is a really good path that only ramps up a tad towards the top. Pop onto North Goatfell and then along Stacach ridge to Goatfell, and back tot eh ferry.

Cracking walk that may even be quicker than your plan to be honest, there certainly won't be much in it.
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Re: Cir Mhor to Goatfell via The Saddle

Postby Craig 7483 » Sun Jun 13, 2021 8:51 am

The route you ask about was the route I done yesterday. I had an app on collecting my data and kept a mental note to screenshot the info when I got to wineport as I read your post on way over on ferry.
Hope this helps.
I then took the fisherman’s walk back and all in just under 7hrs. I will be writing a detailed report including photos later on today for walkhighlands when I get time.
895E115D-FF7F-4D47-A6F4-20C2636EF574.png
North sannox bus stop to wineport data
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