A couple of nights Kintail camping

[Gareth M]

Finally some settled weather and I had my eye on a big walk in Kintail area. The original plan included finishing on Sàileag and the Five Sisters. But, once I'd been walking for a while, it dawned on me that this was probably too much climbing. So, I decided to cut out the end bit and replace it with A' Ghlas-bheinn. That would neatly tick off all the hills in that little area, not that I'm bagging, I don't think.

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I started walking at just after 6am, parking at the burial grounds car park near Morvich which looked fine to leave the car out of the way for a couple of nights. I then walked past the countryside centre and up the delightful path, weaving through flowering heather and native trees, towards Beinn Fhada. This was a sharp contrast to the dense plantation on the other side of the Glen. The path steadily climbs as the towering slopes close in on you from each side. The promising dawn weather was now looking slightly more foreboding towards Bealach an Sgàirne, however I remained optimistic that the clouds, capping some of the tops, would lift or part.

First light looking up Gleann Lichd

Besides some stubborn cows, the first obstacle was the bouldery crossing of Allt a' Choire Chaoil. I'm not sure if it was higher on the way out than the way back, but I certainly made more of a meal of it. Once I'd picked my way across, with boots still dry, I climbed some zig zags and branched off for Beinn Fhada at a small cairn. The path was well made and at a gradient that made light work of the imposing looking surroundings. The views of the crags towering above are impressive, as is Coire an Sgàirne.

Looking up to Coire an Sgàirne

I was soon out of the coire and striking out for the summit. I was now entering a cap of cloud which persisted until the top. I hung around for a while crossing my fingers for something to happen, but nothing did. So, I headed down the east ridge picking up a small path that weaves through the crags. The east ridge seemed to have a bit more character than the top, and, eventually, the clouds to the south started to part revealing glimpses of the brothers and sisters.

Cloud beginning to lift from Sàileag on the left from just below the top of Beinn Fhada

Looking up Allt Cam-bàn with the slopes of Ciste Dhubh on the left

After admiring the views, through the successive clear windows, I continued down the east ridge. I was heading for the ridge that swept round to the north dropping to Gleann Gnìomhaidh. This broad ridge was pathless but there were no real obstacles, and I was soon relaxing by Allt Gleann Gnìomhaidh with a well-deserved rest. I was really stalling as the climb up Sgùrr Gaorsaic looked horrible. The kind of climb that's just steep grass mixed with bits of steeper grass. After the tough climb, and lots of stopping to admire the view, the gradient eased, and I was on the flattish top. The views were great despite being blocked to the east by my next, and ominously high looking, target. The view west to the Skye Cuillin being the pick of them.

Top of Sgùrr Gaorsaic looking to the other Corbett, Sgùrr an Airgid, with Skye beyond

Liathach far to the north from Sgùrr Gaorsaic

Beinn Bhàn from Sgùrr Gaorsaic

After a while it was time to drop down and then ascend the 1,500 ft to tonight's camp on Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan West Top. The climb wasn't too bad, pathless, but straightforward. There was even some springs three quarters of the way up to collect some water. After a fair bit of trudging, I was there.

Mountain Hare pretending it’s not there

The views from here were superb, only the slightly higher main summit, and Càrn Eighe to the east, interrupts them. I found a good pitch just off the summit and set up my tent. I saw someone wondering around on the main summit, who after a while disappeared. I decided to take a walk out there, just in case there were no views in the morning. Once there I saw a tiny tent set up on what looked like the only tiny bit of flat ground. I could hear some noises of someone blowing up an airbed so started talking to the tent, which talked back. Eventually a man stuck his head out, he was doing the three munros and hoping for a good sunrise, he would certainly get that.

An Socach near Loch Mullardoch not to be confused with An Socach that I’d be climbing the following morning

Sgùrr na Lapaich from Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan West Top

A top pitch near the top of Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan West Top

I went back to the west top across the surprisingly narrow and airy ridge, leaving my neighbour for the night. I hung around waiting for what looked like a good sunset. Unfortunately, I could also see clouds gathering in the east. Eventually these clouds broke through and enveloped me just 15 minutes before sunset. And that was it for day one. I set my alarm nice and early hoping for better luck in the morning.

Sgùrr an Lochain with Gleouraich beyond (I think)

Evening light reflecting on the Inner Sound

Clouds gathering to the east ready to spoil the sunset

After an uneventful, if slightly chilly, night, I emerged from the tent to spectacular scenes. I was now above the cloud and could see peaks emerging in all directions. Then the sun rose above the low cloud and cast its rays onto a layer of high cloud, highlighting its lumps and bumps pinky red. I could see the distant figure of my neighbour also admiring the spectacle, what a place to wake up.

First light looking towards the Cairngorms

Spectacular sunrise beyond Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan

Creag a’ Mhàim with Ben Nevis looming on the horizon

Sgùrr Fhuaran with the Forcan Ridge peeping out behind and Ladhar Bheinn far beyond

Mullach Fraoch-choire and A’ Chràileag

Peaks and clouds looking north

Peaks and clouds looking south

I packed up the tent and headed to the main summit. By now my neighbour had packed up and gone. I admired the view for a while and then headed north to the next summit, Mullach na Dheiragain. From Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan this looked like a fairly easy task. However, the lower I got the more substantial the ups and downs of the ridge seemed to be. I think it took me around an hour and a half from Bealach nan Daoine to Mullach na Dheiragain and back. But it was nice to be on paths and to be able to leave my incredibly heavy bag behind. I did underestimate the time it would take and was quite hungry and thirsty by the time I returned. I also underestimated the views, which, despite being surrounded on most sides by much higher mountains, were excellent. The best side of Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan can probably be seen from here. Another thing that made the summit special was the feeling of remoteness, knowing I was so far from roads or anything really.

Looking down Gleann Sithidh with the next target of Mullach na Dheiragain in shadow on the right

Mullach Fraoch-choire and A’ Chràileag

Banks of low cloud from the east trying to cascade over An Socach

Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan looking good in the morning sun from Mullach na Dheiragain

Looking down into the remote Gleann a’ Choilich

Mullach Fraoch-choire from Càrn na Con Dhu

Back at the bag, the next section was the short cut. From up here it looked a bit of a faff, lots of peat and water with little in the way of paths to be seen. I did briefly consider going back up Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan and down it's east ridge to have paths all the way. Quickly I told myself that was a stupid idea. So, across I went. The first half was reasonably easy, the second half, climbing back up onto the ridge, was trickier. After a bit of a pathless climb, I found a path, which made the going easier.

The next leg was the out and back to An Socach. Here I met two people, separately, both climbing Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan but then each doing one of the other Munros of the three. I was looking forward to ditching my bag again for the out and back, so much so that I completely forgot I could until I was part way up the first lump. At least I remembered eventually and could enjoy the rest of the short, steepish, climb without being weighed down. An Socach was a really good summit, but probably the worst of this group of three Munros in my opinion.

Sgùrr nan Ceathreamhnan from An Socach

Back at the bag it was a pleasant walk down to the youth hostel. Here there was a sign inviting people to pop in for fire, tea, coffee and conversation. I didn't take up the offer as it was now way too hot for fire, which was lit, and I'm one of those strange people who doesn't drink hot drinks. Unfortunately, I didn’t really have time for the conversation either if I was to make it up A' Ghlas-bheinn. After the youth hostel there was a good track alongside the River Affric, which, once it left the Affric Kintail Way, deteriorated into a squelchy 4x4 track. After a while I bumped into the path I should have taken which was much better to walk on and to look at. This wound its way up the seemingly never-ending Glen. It was a quiet and remote place to be, but the view changed very little all the way up making this bit seem quite a long way. The peace was briefly shattered by a low flying Typhoon which was something different to look at at least. Eventually I crossed the place I was over 24 hours previously and came to the shore of Loch a’ Bhealaich.

Shimmering confluence with Ciste Dhubh in the background

The silence briefly shattered by an extremely low Typhoon

A’ Ghlas-bheinn across Loch a’ Bhealaich

After the Loch I faced a steep climb to Bealach an Sgàirne. The plan was to get as far up A' Ghlas-bheinn as I could be bothered to, with the camping stuff, then continue to the top with a lighter load. I didn't get far before I found a great little spot. Looking at the steep climb above, it didn't take long to decide to set up the tent there. I was glad I left the tent as my legs were tired after a couple of hard days, and the steep, slightly scrambly, climb would have been very tough.

Camp above Bealach an Sgàirne. Low for me but as high as I could be bothered to get tonight

The walk description mentions false summits, and it's not wrong. The hill was teasing my weary legs all the way to the summit. Eventually I reached the actual top where there were great views out west to Skye once again. Then it was back down to the tent to try and catch whatever sunset I could see through the narrow gap to the west. On my return to the tent the gentle breeze, which was blowing earlier, had turned into a strong tent distorting wind. Luckily, once I'd watched the last of the fading light, the wind died right down for a good night's sleep.

Loch Duich with Beinn Sgritheall beyond on the left, Rùm on the horizon in the centre, and Canna just visible on the horizon on the right

Increasingly jagged peaks with the Black Cuillin filling the skyline

Skye Bridge with Glamaig behind

Looking across the Inner Sound to Macleod’s Tables

Spectacular views to Skye once again

Black Cuillin… again

Looking to Sgùrr an Airgid from the tent

In the morning I packed up before sunrise, not really much point hanging around for it as the eastern horizon was blocked by the bulky mountains I'd climbed on the previous days. It was a lovely walk out along the picturesque path that I'd walked in on 48 hours previously. Back down at the car I abandoned plans of getting changed out of my stinky clothes as I encountered the first midges of the trip.

It was definitely a really special area, and I was pleased with how the weather and the route turned out. I will definitely be back here in the future to not bag some more hills.

[rockhopper]

Superb and a cracking set of photos by which to remember this trip A bit different from the norm, I do like your route. Hard to beat conditions like this especially the early morning inversion - cheers

[Gareth M]

Superb and a cracking set of photos by which to remember this trip A bit different from the norm, I do like your route. Hard to beat conditions like this especially the early morning inversion - cheers

Thanks very much. I can't complain about the weather, I got very lucky!