Fisherfield 3 - the best way?

[Fife Flyer]

We had a long weekend booked in Torridon Youth Hostel with a few other keen walkers, our plan was to head north on Thursday and return home on Sunday. The forecast was great for Thu & Fri so our plan was to tackle Fisherfield first & then Maoile Lunndaidh on Friday, with strong winds 40mph + forecast for Sat & Sun they would be none hill days.
George volunteered to drive which was fine as we were taking our bikes, George has a bike rack that can take 3 bikes. So we arranged to depart Fife at 4am, which is EARLY and it was still dark!
The good thing is the roads are quiet, especially the A9. We stopped for breakfast at McDonald's in Inverness which also gave us chance to stretch our legs. Just before 8am we were on our bikes, a very long and tough day has now begun.
I had plotted a route using the GPS, George and Parminder had uploaded other walkers routes - who will get a mention later. I had broken the route down into sections, the first one being the cycle which was about 6km to the bothy, that took us about 30km. The photo's will give you an idea about how easy or difficult you think it is.

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Parminder modelling new headgear - he has patented it so don't be copying otherwise he will be on your case


Looking back along the track as we head towards Loch a' Bhraoin


The track is mainly flat, not the best surface but we managed it and we are not proper cyclists


Loch a' Bhraoin very picturesque


Looking back


Waiting for George and Parminder


The way ahead, we heading for those tiny hills in the distance


Another photo heading west


Loch looking stunning


Looking back as we near the end of the loch


The end of the loch


The track from the loch to the bothy is still OK for bikes


The fence in the foreground surrounds the house and the bothy


Time to abandon our transport, having said that it would be possible to cycle further, especially if you are a regular cyclist


For sheep?


As you can see there is a path that takes you almost to the foot of Sgurr Ban and the slabs


Sgurr Ban appearing


The ruins of Feinasheen


Parminder thought this was his gate


Ruins again


Sgurr Ban getting nearer


Loch an Nid appearing


There were plenty of these pretty wee things


The first of the slabs


Off the path now and the going gets tough, Parminder is multi tasking drinking and walking - not easy


Looking back, ground is a tad undulating


Getting closer to the slabs, we opted for the one on the left, Sgurr Ban in the background


Loch an Nid with An Teallach in the background


The other slabs


George raring to get off the grass and wondering what it is like to walk on sloping slabs


Arty shot, reflection of the one cloud in the sky


A slabby shot


This was a unique experience, never walked on or even seen sloping slabs - almost like concrete, not sure what they would be like to walk on when wet


Closer inspection


Parminder not convinced this is safe


Posing - it puts into perspective how big the slabs are


Marching uphill in unison


What happened to Parminder?


Looking back


Short video of me tapping a hollow bit of the slab, wonder what is underneath?


We kind of followed the burn uphill


The way up, just about boulder hopping all the way, there are a few more slabby bits to make it slightly easier


As if by magic - a slabby bit


Parminder surveying what is left of the ascent


Looking back


More slabs, so much easier than boulders


Angle of ascent, just a plod


Boulders, lots of them


George wanting to conquer Sgurr Ban first. It had taken us almost 5 hours to reach Sgurr Ban


Looking across to the pointy bits of An Teallach from the summit


An Teallach photo bombed


Our next target Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair, which in future will be reduced to MCFC, the highest point in the Fisherfields


Looking across to what would be our final hill Beinn Tarsuinn


We are now down at the bealach between the 2 summits, MCFC is steep but a zig zag path makes the ascent fairly quick


Looking back to Sgurr Ban, the path is obvious - from here at least


Looking west, kind of shows how steep the ascent is


Tarsuinn and beyond


George smiling as we only have one left


The way ahead, before the next descent


Looking NW and beyond


Sgurr Ban with An Teallach behind


Looking back at the summit of MCFC


The way down and ahead, you don't have to go over the lump below there is a bypass path that traverses round the side


Large rocks to descend down and over


All stand for King George


The lump that has a bypass route - if you look carefully


Beinn Tarsuinn


The bypass path round Meall Garbh (851m)


Looking back up MCFC


Tarsuinn from the bottom


Looking down the eastern Fisherfields including the Corbett


Looking south towards Lochan Fada and beyond


Eastern F/F's again with An Teallach in the far distance


The famous (to hillwalkers anyway) tennis court


The very long walk back to the bothy and the bikes

Our plan was to skirt or traverse round the southern slopes of Meall Garbh and then ESE where we would traverse round the southern slopes of Sgur Dubh which would take us to a marked path just to the SE of Uamhag Bealach na Croise. This was the part of the walk that I was kind of worried about as we had no idea what the terrain would be like. It wasn't that bad, however after a spell of rain it wouldn't be much fun.


Here is the aforementioned path that would lead us 'almost' back to our inward path

That is the last of my phone photo's here are a few camera shots and a couple borrowed off George.


The slabs again


Zoomed photo of the track that eventually gets you to Corrie Hallie


Loch an Nid


An Teallach from Sgurr Ban


Beinn Tarsuinn looking very impressive


Looking north right down the middle of the hills


The house (near the bothy)


Me and Parminder assessing the way up


In awe of the surroundings


Sgurr Ban


Again, the casual pose

This turned out to be one of the better days on the hills, anyone venturing into the Fisherfields should not under estimate how remote the area is - just getting to the base of any of the hills is a challenge. Our original plan was to tackle these 3 from Kinlochewe, however after much research we opted for this route.
My last visit in 2016 I tackled the whole round in a oner from Corrie Hallie, that was by far and away my biggest ever day, over 14hrs of walking and then the drive back to the Kingdom arriving home at 2.30am.
Naturally we still have the western two hills to visit, they will have to wait until next year and the usual research will be done but the favourite route at the moment is starting from Poolewe.
I have to mention a couple of fellow walkers who influenced our decision, Scottish Kenny G and Steve B - thanks guys without your video & report we may not have tried this route.

[Grisu]

Great day and views! Looks like a good alternative if one wants to split the round, thanks for the information and the pictures!

[dibs]

Good report Martin it certainly was a tough day but could have been much worse. The last time I did these we camped the night before below the Corbett, then next morning did the round with a camp again before returning to Corriehallie. 13hrs round with couple of hours in and out again with camping gear. I did like this route and the views from it.

[kevin mcintosh]

Great report Martin, love the 'slabby pics' as well ! Possibly worth noting that the good weather you got seems to have been important to the success of this route.

[Backpacker]

Great route, those slabs make it a breeze to go up

You’ll certainly enjoy going in from Poolewe

[prog99]

Have done all of them from this approach the last two times. Infinitely preferable to the other approaches.
However... you missed out the Sgurr Dubh scramble which is very enjoyable.

[Steve B]

FF, Pleased the report I did was of some use.
As has been commented above, I think the weather having been fairly dry was a benefit on the route, would hate to think what the return part especially would be like in normal conditions.
I went up the slab to the right of where you went up. Interesting features and was one of the drivers for me taking this way in.
Will go in again this way to explore the ridge onto the tops at some point.
God report, thanks for sharing

[Christopher Pulman]

Nice to see this report and photographs. We met on the descent of the Mullach and again at the end of the day heading back along the lake (I was walking). It was brilliant weather for the walk.

Now I need to get going with my own report of the variant route taking in the Corbett.

[Fife Flyer]

Great day and views! Looks like a good alternative if one wants to split the round, thanks for the information and the pictures!

That is what walk rep orts are for.

Good report Martin it certainly was a tough day but could have been much worse.

Thanks George.

Great report Martin, love the 'slabby pics' as well

Thanks Kev.

Great route, those slabs make it a breeze to go up You’ll certainly enjoy going in from Poolewe

Thanks for the info Gary

Have done all of them from this approach the last two times. Infinitely preferable to the other approaches.
However... you missed out the Sgurr Dubh scramble which is very enjoyable.

Sgurr Dubh will have to wait, we want to get Parminder compleated first.

FF, Pleased the report I did was of some use. Good report, thanks for sharing

Thanks again Steve your route was very useful.

Nice to see this report and photographs. Now I need to get going with my own report of the variant route taking in the Corbett.

Nice meeting you and you certainly walk at some pace, you probably noticed that I do take plenty of photo's. Good luck with the report, I will keep an eye out for it. I did the Corbett on my last visit and have no plans to visit it again.

[GillC]

What a day you had. Fab report and amazing pics (wee purple flower is "Devils Bit" I believe, Fab weekend all round