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Munros: An Coileachan, Meall Gorm, Sgùrr Mòr, Beinn Liath Mhòr Fannaich
Date: 30/03/2025.
Distance: 26.5 km.
Ascent: 1450m.
Time: 10 hours, 15 minutes.
Weather: Blustery and grey turning to calm sunshine.
I'm not too sure how I ended up suggesting this route in the end - if people are looking for advice on how best to get to the eastern summits in the Fannaichs, I always recommend going in from Loch Fannaich to avoid the endless bogs of the northern approach. And yet here we were...and it had been my idea! We were originally going to do the trio of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich, Sgurr Mor and Meall a' Chrasgaidh from the other end of Loch Droma when I decided that for a little extra effort we could tag on the two eastern-most Munros.
We were at the foot of the hill shortly after 8:30am, having decided that leaving any earlier would put us in some pretty poor weather. Saturday had been horrible and the last of the gale was still blowing itself out. After sitting about for a bit we decided to get on with it, in the hope that with the long walk-in, we wouldn't actually be on the hill until it had cleared up a bit.
Not the most promising start to the day Finally on the way, we took advantage of the track through the woodland to make the going easier. Despite climbing up too high and then dropping about 70m at the far edge of the wood, it is a nicer prospect than the squelchy banks of Abhainn an Torran Dubh. Except today we had to make an extra effort to find a crossing place on the Alltan Odhar Mor as it was flowing very high. Shortly afterwards we passed a guy who had been camping out on the hills the previous night - he looked pretty wet.
At the edge of the woods we discovered that a bridge had been built over Abhainn an Torran Dubh in the intervening 20 something years since I was last going this way - handy in today's weather as the river didn't look crossable without it. Other than the guy we had passed, we didn't see anyone else all day - the parking area by the A835 had also been empty, which is rarely the case.
Glad we don't have to cross any major rivers Even if you are heading for the eastern summits, the usual route is to cross this bridge and walk up the western bank before crossing back again higher up. We didn't want to take the risk of being stuck on the wrong side so we tramped through the peat hags on the east side, following the odd animal track. Jackie was less than pleased with me when we discovered another bridge higher up that we could have used to cross back again...well, this is what happens if you don't bother reading any route descriptions (she should know by now that I rarely bother to check what guidebooks say, preferring to do what looks sensible on the map).
Finally we were pulling away from the burn and towards the hills on a rather squelchy path. Jackie was feeling tired and had long since downgraded the plan to just the two eastern-most summits, or even just a swim in Loch Gorm. Even as we closed in on the hills, they still weren't clearing as much as we had expected them to.
Loch Gorm As ever with Jackie, a dip in some freezing water and her mindset changes completely. After a rather breezy paddle in Loch Gorm we regained the path and decided to carry on to An Coileachan at least. The weather was improving but many of the higher hills were still mostly in the clag.
Jackie in Loch Gorm 
Lochan Dhubh a Bhealaich Bhain We reached the summit with a partial clearing, and contrary to what we expected it was fairly calm. Good time to stop for lunch then.
East from An Coileachan Well, why not carry on to Meall Gorm since it was 'just there'? We did and the weather improved again, although the slippery rocks underfoot slowed us a little coming off An Coileachan.
An Coileachan from Meall Gorm 
Loch Fannaich 
Jackie on Meall Gorm With things looking up, we decided to press on. Sgurr Mor was still holding cloud some of the time but it was also blowing clear on occasion, so it seemed like we would get some views. We had carried out full winter walking gear up here as some of the slopes off Sgurr Mor are quite steep and looked as if they had caught one of the more recent dustings of snow.
Loch an Fhuar Thuill Mhoir 
Back to Meall Gorm 
Loch Fanniach and Meall nam Peithirean As we climbed up the final slopes to Sgurr Mor we discovered that the going was indeed slippery in places, but this stuff had probably fallen the previous night and axe/crampons were of no assistance in it at all - could have saved ourselves some weight, but always sensible to take stuff and not need it in the winter.
Approaching Sgurr Mor 
Crags on Sgurr Mor Things were largely clear at the summit, with impressive views across to Sgurr nan Clach Geala and straight down the corrie to the east. Well worth another stop.
Summit photo 
Sgurr nan Clach Geala from Sgurr Mor Somehow we had been out for ages, despite not feeling like we had gone all that far. Still, we had ended up doing the walk we had set out to do and the weather was really clearing up now. We were glad we had stayed out and not been back at the car by the time it became nice. A short steep descent from the top of Sgurr Mor led us to the stalkers path that traverses the summit then goes along this ridge - easy walking! We followed this around to the west of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich then left it to scramble over boulders to the top.
Sgurr Mor from Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich 
Looking back east 
Loch a Mhadaidh and Meall al Chrasgaidh 
Back to Sgurr Mor 
Assynt hills and Loch Broom Now it was really lovely and there was even a risk of sunburn! The way ahead to the car looked easy but long. Initially it turned out to be slower than hoped for as there were more boulders to cross - at least they were dry now!
Jackie on Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich 
Towards An Teallach 
Sgurr Mor We dropped down and the going was on grass instead of boulders, then bog. But there was a bit of a path to follow at first, then a quad track to the bridge (although this became very wet low down in the glen).
Heading towards Loch Glascarnoch 
Beinn Dearg and slightly less water than earlier onThe water levels had dropped but they were still quite high - we were glad we didn't need to try and cross the Abhainn an Torran Dubh without a bridge. Now the only obstacle was the 70m climb back up through the woods - even the burn in here had dropped enough to make the crossing much easier than it had been on the way out.
The hills and high ridges on this route are great but the approach less so. Still, I had reminded myself of the slop and we had still had a good day out.
