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I had been admiring Beinn Sgritheall from afar for quite a while so I was really pleased to be making the scenic journey from Shiel Bridge to Corran via Glenelg and Arnisdale on a wonderfully sunny day. Leaving the car at the Heritage Centre in Corran I walked a little way back towards Arnisdale before turning off down a track towards the hills. The way goes alongside the River Arnisdale until, on reaching a bridge, you turn left and head across a grassy expanse (no obvious path) towards the building at Achadh a' Ghlinne. Just above the building there is a bridge over the Allt Utha. Dense bracken obscures the path a bit here but if you continue uphill you reach a good track which contours round above the burn. Where the track goes off uphill I took a narrow path which continued on towards the foot of Beinn nan Caorach. I crossed below the waterfall and then climbed steeply up the broad south rdige of the hill. You can stay on the track which zigzags up the flanks of Beinn Clachach until it crosses above the waterfall if you want. At the summit of Beinn nan Caorach the way forward is pretty clear. A line of fence posts can be followed round on to Druim nan Bo via a broad grassy bealach. Then there is another steep climb, still following the fence posts, to the summit of Beinn na h-Eaglaise.
Ahead looms the exceedingly steep scree-covered (deep joy!) southeast ridge of Beinn Sgritheall. But first there is a steep rocky descent to the bealach. In the event there is a reasonable path which avoids a lot of the scree and boulders. As I was toiling upwards I heard a bark. No dog in sight though. And then she appeared, apparently all on her own. After investigating me closely she presented me with a lump of moss. I tossed it in the air and she caught it. This carried on for a while until I decided that I needed to get on with my walk. Eventually I reached the summit cairn and was eating my lunch when the dog appeared again and gave me another mossy present. The game continued for a time until we were joined by two walkers and another dog. By this time I had noticed that the moss-obsessed dog sported a search and rescue tag. Her name was Milly: you might have read about her in the Scottish Mountaineer. If ever I have an accident in the hills I hope she comes and finds me: she is a lovely dog (and I don't usually like dogs very much!).
The views of Skye, Rum and Eigg (not to mention Knoydart) across the bright blue sea were absolutely stunning. I really wished I hadn't lost my camera the previous day. It was difficult to tear myself away but,lunch over, I descended to the lochan just above the woods, climbed over the stile and then battled through the undergrowth to reach the road.
The walk back to Corran was enlivened by the reappearance of Milly who presented me with a stick this time. She hid in the ditch at the side of the road until I picked it up and threw it. Then she leapt out of the ditch and caught the stick and the process started all over again. Finally she wandered off to look for her companions and I completed the long hot walk to Corran. The day was rounded off with a visit to Sheena's Tea Hut (the very furthest house in Corran!) for a mug of tea and a scone.
