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BM Coigach, Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir & Meall an Fheadain with Kids

BM Coigach, Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir & Meall an Fheadain with Kids


Postby WalkingWithKids » Mon Jun 05, 2023 8:39 pm

Route description: Ben Mór Coigach and Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir

Fionas included on this walk: Ben Mór Coigach, Sgùrr an Fhidhleir

Sub 2000' hills included on this walk: Meall an Fheadain

Date walked: 03/06/2023

Time taken: 9.4 hours

Distance: 13.3 km

Ascent: 1010m

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Ben More Coigach and Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir from Culnacraig
&
Meall an Fheadain from Polbain with Kids (10, 13 y/o)


Hill no. 157, 158, 159 - Graham no. 32, 33 and Sub2000 no. 89

Ben More Coigach and Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir
Stats:
Ascent - 850 m
Total distance - 11.3 km
Total time - 8h29m
Altitude gain - 637 m

Meall an Fheadain
Stats:
Ascent - 160 m
Total distance - 2.1 km
Total time - 0h56m
Altitude gain - 140 m
_________________________

It was a great and very busy day. We climbed 2 Grahams and 1 Sub2000 with the kids in one of the most beautiful areas of Scotland. I was expecting a bit better weather, but I can not complain. It was great. 8)


1. Ben More Coigach and Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir from Culnacraig

At the end we said to each other, what a great hike! :thumbup: Steep ascent, but not that steep. A bit of scrambling, but not tricky. Amazing narrow airy sandstone ridge with stunning views. Light breeze, only a few midges. In one word, wonderful.
We followed the WH route Ben Mór Coigach and Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir. It was a mix of paths and pathless walking. The ground was dry after a few sunny days, no bogs, just a few slightly wet areas. Ben More Coigach was covered in mist in the morning, which was good as we could not see the steep climb ahead, so everyone was so much calmer :) .

Map of our route:

20230603-1-Ben_More_Coigach_and_Sgurr_an_Fhìdhleir_from_Culnacraig---Track---mod.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts


Elevation profile of our route:
BMC.png


We parked in small car park near Culnacraig. There is space for 6-7 cars. After 10 o'clock the car park was full (sunny saturday) and a few other cars were parked along the road. But almost all hiker only climbed Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir:
rIMG_20230603_092716263_HDR.jpg


We walked down the road to Culnacraig and then followed a deer fence to the left of the first house...:
rIMG_20230603_093517105_HDR.jpg


...to its highest point (a fence corner). There is a sheep path alongside the fence, a bit boggy in places. From there we headed east (red arrow) pathless towards the point where the Allt nan Coisiche changes direction as it flows out of the ravine:
Fence1.JPG


The ravine and our route up. A faint path leads along the edge of the ravine to the right of the burn:
1IMG_4285.JPG


Crossing the Allt nan Coisiche:
1IMG_4289.JPG


A short distance before the end of the path along the edge of the ravine we left it and headed pathless east-southeast, towards a craggy hill:
1IMG_20230603_105140273_HDR.jpg

1IMG_20230603_105416056_HDR.jpg


We more or less followed the WH route up a steep craggy section, but I would say, that there are several routes up. It is very steep, therefore we proceeded with caution:
1IMG_4324.JPG


Looking towards An Teallach:
1IMG_4332.JPG


An Teallach towering above the clouds:
1IMG_4331.JPG


Above the clouds:
1IMG_20230603_120158305_HDR.jpg


She said, it is wild camping :D :
1IMG_4350.JPG


Looking back:
1IMG_20230603_121407893.jpg


Heading up:
1IMG_20230603_122606321_HDR.jpg


Finally on the ridge, looking back:
1IMG_20230603_124128705_HDR.jpg


We continued along the ridge towards Speicein nan Garbh-choireachan:
1IMG_20230603_123910538_HDR.jpg


No one wanted to climb over Speicein nan Garbh-choireachan, so we took a bypass path on the left side:
1IMG_20230603_124351803_HDR.jpg


Beyond Speicein nan Garbh-choireachan. Look at that!:
1IMG_4393.JPG


The rest of the ridge, Ben More Coigach on left:
1IMG_20230603_130413094_HDR.jpg


Looking back, towards Speicein nan Garbh-choireachan:
1IMG_20230603_131734872_HDR.jpg


Looking SSE, towards Ullapool, An Teallach on the right:
1IMG_4400.JPG


We reached the top of Ben More Coigach in 4 hours.
Conni on the top, looking NNE towards Suilven (in the distance in the mist):
1IMG_20230603_132934737_HDR.jpg


Looking NNE - Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir on the left, Beinn an Eoin in the middle in the front, Cùl Beag on the right. The red line is our route to Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir:
1IMG_4424.JPG


We spent about 45 minutes at the top having lunch and enjoying the views. From the top we continued mostly pathless towards Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir to the saddle and then up along the red line in the photo above.

The great eastern face of Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir:
1IMG_4452.JPG


Conni on the top of Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir, looking towards Ben More Coigach. An Teallach in the middle in the distance:
1IMG_4463.JPG


Rainbow below Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir:
1IMG_4461.JPG


We spent about 45 minutes at the top.
From Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir we walked down on its shoulder. First pathless, later on a good path.

Ben More Coigach:
1IMG_20230603_164436571.jpg


An Teallach:
1IMG_4497.jpg


Ben More Coigach:
1IMG_4508.JPG


Looking south, towards Culnacraig, An Teallach, ferry from Stornoway in the distance:
1IMG_4524.JPG

_________________________


2. Meall an Fheadain from Polbain

It was a very easy walk, although the kids were not really keen on the third hill after conquering the previous 2 Grahams and spending 8.5 hours on Ben More Coigach. I told them that because of such a small hill I had no intention of coming here again on that horrible road from Drumrunia, so they had no choice. I motivated them with Kinder surprise eggs :D . Fortunately, a path leads all the way up.

Map of our route:

20230603-2-Meall_an_Fheadain_from_Polbain---Track.gpx Open full screen  NB: Walkhighlands is not responsible for the accuracy of gpx files in users posts



Parking spot at Polbain and the start of the walk. The path is waymarked with wooden posts (red arrow):
rIMG_20230603_182729606_HDR.jpg


A good path leads to the top of Meall an Fheadain:
rIMG_20230603_182852050_HDR.jpg


Looking back:
rIMG_4537.jpg


Looking SE - Ben More Coigach, partly in haze:
rIMG_4573.jpg


Conni on the top, looking north:
rIMG_20230603_185714638_HDR.jpg


Conni on the top, looking east, towards the Assynt Hills (Cùl Mòr etc.):
rIMG_20230603_185645748_HDR.jpg


Conni on the top, looking SE, towards Ben More Coigach:
rIMG_20230603_185617055_HDR.jpg


It was too cloudy :( to take more photos, so we soon headed down to the car. But I think it could be a fine viewpoint in good weather.
WalkingWithKids
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 189
Munros:24   Corbetts:35
Fionas:47   
Sub 2000:105   
Joined: Sep 26, 2020
Location: Moray

Re: BM Coigach, Sgùrr an Fhìdhleir & Meall an Fheadain with

Postby WalkingWithKids » Tue Jun 06, 2023 10:28 am

I could not add more photos to the report, so I added them here.

Peaceful morning 8) :
1IMG_4284.JPG


1IMG_4425.JPG


We found an abandoned rucksack. Has anyone fallen down to the loch? :D
1IMG_4456.JPG


Mordor! :lol: Suilven rising above the clouds:
1IMG_4484.JPG


Ferry to Ullapool:
1IMG_4516.JPG
WalkingWithKids
Hill Bagger
 
Posts: 189
Munros:24   Corbetts:35
Fionas:47   
Sub 2000:105   
Joined: Sep 26, 2020
Location: Moray

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