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Fisherfield 6, from Shenavall, rather
a Fisherfield 2 from Loch a'BhraoinMy Munro sub-tops quest is gathering a bit of momentum now, but rather than just tick off the tops, I am trying to incorporate them into interesting and/or challenging hill walks. This week I took more inspiration from the SMC Scrambles North book and returned to Fisherfield to include the two sub-tops of Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair with a round over Sgùrr Bàn from the east. The bike can be used on the track by Loch a’Bhraoin to shorten the day.
I overnighted in a Travelodge in Inverness on Monday night, just to allow a daybreak start without having to leave home at stupid o’clock. The start point is only an hour from Inverness, and I wanted to get on the move as early as possible given the lack of daylight. It’s a moderately long walk including some scrambling which can add significant time to any route. I got up there just as it was getting light, had some breakfast and was on the bike by about 7:20am. Weather was overcast with some cloud clinging to the higher peaks, but it was relatively mild with little wind.
The track down to and along the northern side of Loch a’Bhraoin is excellent for a mountain bike. The surface is not too rough, there are a few undulations, but no sustained climbs so you can just pick a comfortable cog and stick with it.
- The not so long and winding road to Lochivraon
I reached the restored cottage at Lochivraon, 6.1km along the track, in about 30 minutes. The grounds are surrounded by a deer fence, but there is an unlocked gate on either side of the enclosure. The cottage looks in very good condition but was all locked up. Behind it is a barn that I believe is open for use as a bothy although I didn’t check it out.
- The cottage at Lochivraon
- The bothy at Lochivraon
I had planned to leave the bike there, but beyond the cottage a reasonable looking landrover track continued, so I cycled on. This only lasted another 700m or so when the vehicle track disappeared over the Abhainn Loch a’Bhraoin into boggy ground and a narrow, rough footpath continued on the northern side of the river. Time to leave the bike by the path, 40 minutes or so after setting off. I’m not sure if the extra 700m was worth it. I was able to pedal all of it, but there were several deep puddles and fords that left me soaked from the knee down, although my feet remained dry.
The continuation of the path by the river was slightly rough and boggy but fine for walking. After a kilometer or so it improves after crossing to the south side and climbing towards the ruined settlement of Feinasheen.
- Feinasheen - people must have lived here once
Here, the east ridge of Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair looms straight ahead. 500m further on, the path gradually turns north and drops towards the head of Loch an Nid. The way ahead to the base of the east ridge cliffs looked like it would be fairly hard going over rough terrain, so I continued on the path until just before meeting an old broken wall which cuts across the glen between cliffs on each side.
- East ridge,line of the wall can be seen across the glen. Meallan an Laoigh in centre of photo, slabs behind
I followed the line of the wall west, crossing the Allt Cùl Doireachan. I had been slightly concerned that the river crossing might involve wading, but it turned out to be an easy stepping stone operation. The going in general was a lot easier than it looked from afar by just staying on or close to the wall. The scrambling started 50m or so left (south) of where the wall meets the cliffs below Tom an Fhiodha. It’s a bit of a mixed bag of a scramble – you can choose rock or steep heather and grass with most of the difficulties probably avoidable with careful route selection. In general, easier ground lies on the left at the bottom and on the right nearer the top. I went up more or less as per the SMC route. The rock (amphibolite I think) was grippy and reasonably secure where clean and dry, but it was often quite wet and vegetated. Near the bottom in particular there were a couple of delicate moves required. It wasn’t all that exposed, but a slip might have consequences. Good fun nonetheless, and before long the going levelled off and I was up on Tom an Fhiodha.
- Upper part of the scramble, black slimy rock not ideal
- Loch an Nid from crags below Tom an Fhiodha, the Corbett Creag Rainich behind
The ridge from here is broad and lumpy, but easy enough terrain.
- Ridge up to Sgùrr Dubh and on to East Top from Tom an Fhiodha
After the 792m point, there are quite serious cliffs on the right side. I continued the gentle climb up to the first sub-top, Sgùrr Dubh. There was a bit of mist coming and going by this time. Sgùrr Dubh has three pinnacles, the centre one being the summit.
- Approaching Sgùrr Dubh, getting craggy
After wandering out onto the first pinnacle, I realised that this was actually on the airy side of airy – a short 1.5m wide grassy platform jutting out from the ridge with fairly vertical drops on three sides.
- An airy perch
I took a couple of photos, taking care not to drop my phone or take that extra backward step and moved on to the summit and then the last pinnacle both perched on a narrow and exposed arête. The drop on the north side was close to vertical, with the drop on the south side just being very steep.
- Summit of Sgùrr Dubh
Then it was time for the traverse of the shattered gneiss section of the ridge after Sgùrr Dubh. This involves a bit of clambering down, over, or traversing left of, a few pinnacles and towers.
- View along the ridge
- The ridge with East Top behind - a bit misty
- Another ridgy photo
It’s quite exposed in places, but the rock is for the most part good, with plenty of hand holds. The scrambling can’t be avoided, but there is nothing too difficult and it makes for an entertaining if short section. Once past this shattered rock, the ridge continues, quite narrow but not exposed, up on to the East Top of Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair.
- On East Top looking ahead to Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair and Sgùrr Bàn
- Sgùrr Bàn from East Top, An Teallach behind
- Looking back at Sgùrr Dubh ridge
From there, just a short descent and then a clamber up an easy incline through quartzite stones onto the summit of Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair. By this time the mist had cleared, and visibility was much better.
- Beinn Dearg Mor from Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair
While having tea and a snack by the summit cairn, I saw (but didn’t hear as the thing was silent) a large military transport plane heading north at low level over Loch an Nid and into Strath na Sealga. It got really low by the time it reappeared over Loch na Sealga.
- Low flying fun
No walkers to be seen on this part of the Fisherfield round though. I continued north down the bouldery slopes of Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair. It seemed steeper than I remembered it from climbing up this way in the summer of 2021 with the big pack on, but a zig-zagging path and sticky quartzite sand underfoot made the descent easy. There is 200m or so of height to lose before an easier climb up onto Sgùrr Bàn. The top of Sgùrr Bàn is a wide flat area of quartzite boulders, with a good-sized cairn marking the highest spot.
- Summit of Sgùrr Bàn
It was now time for the descent. I had been looking forward to the Sgùrr Bàn slabs and was not disappointed. The initial descent is over boulders, not steep, but care was needed as the size of the boulders meant some are unstable.
- The way down
- Sgùrr Dubh ridge from east slopes of Sgùrr Bàn
There are a few sandstone boulders dotted amongst the quartzite to add variety. As I lost height, areas of shattered quartzite slabs became visible below the boulders, and from 750m or so, the walking was on clean white continuous quartzite.
- Start of the smooth bare quartzite - Slabtastic!
It’s less than 30°, so easy to walk on with plenty of grip especially in dry conditions. It would be terrifying if covered in verglas mind you. The whole eastern face of Sgùrr Bàn is really quite surreal given the extent of this stuff. It must have been like this just after the last ice age and here, at least, geology and climate are holding out against biology.
Another interesting feature of the east face is the little peak of Meallan an Laoigh which is perched above Loch an Nid. I decided it warranted a little detour, so I interrupted my slab-fest to make the short but steep scramble up to the top of this promontory at 654m.
- From Meallan an Laoigh
- Another from Meallan an Laoigh
It would be possible to continue the descent down the southeast ridge, but I was not done with the slabs so retraced my steps and headed north back out onto the slabs to continue my way down the white expanse. Lower down the average angle of slope increases, although the quartzite bedding planes remain lower angle, resulting in a series of steps. This is easy enough to negotiate by just stepping down or, for the larger steps, traversing back and fore to find a route. A couple of times I had to face rock and down climb with poles in one hand, but it was easy and secure. A longitudinal crack in the slab formed the course of a stream, so I followed this in between fingers of vegetation almost all the way down to Loch an Nid.
- Crack created a stream - less grassy than in photo
- Near the bottom - fortunately this was the only occurence of slimy green stuff which might spoil your day on the slabs
That was surely my favourite ever Munro descent.
I was also pleasantly surprised to find that the short walk around Loch an Nid to regain the path was very easy. There was a faint track on the west side of the loch (possibly a cattle track), and a beach with sand and shingle at the head of the loch leading into a nice grassy area, quite dry underfoot.
- Loch an Nid
There was recent evidence of cattle grazing here. It certainly would be an ideal spot for them in summer. It was then just a quick walk along the path back to my bike. I met one chap on the way, the only other walker I had seen all day, just as he was reaching his bike that he had taken beyond Feinasheen. He had been up Sgùrr Dubh, I think accessing it via the southeast face which is less steep than my direct approach from the east.
The cycle back was another 35 minutes or so. I got soaked in the water splashes again of course but had a change of clothes in the car. I was back at the car by 3:30pm, a little over 8 hours after setting off. The use of the bike saved at least an hour on the day, and I was able to start the drive home in daylight.
So that was a most entertaining route, and not too strenuous an approach with the cycling part. The only downside was the lack of sunshine. After praising the accuracy of the Metoffice forecast, I felt a little bit let down as it had remained overcast and occasionally misty all day rather than the cloudless skies predicted, but I can’t complain too much, it is November. The Sgùrr Dubh ridge scramble although short was well worthwhile – it could be done during a Fisherfield Big 5 + 1 if you have the energy of course. I would certainly recommend a visit to the Sgùrr Bàn slabs, and I may well return myself on a sunny day when the white smooth expanse will likely look even more remarkable.
