Turned out nice on the eastern Fannaichs
Posted: Sun Jun 26, 2016 8:04 pmThere was a time I thought the eastern Fannaichs were going to be awkward, since neither the SMC nor Cameron McNeish suggest in their Munro guides a route for including all four in a day. It wasn't until I started perusing the Walkhighlands site that I learned of the route described here - a walk of surprisingly reasonable distance and ascent. It was just what I was looking for to complete the Fannaichs and round off my trip to Ullapool in May. So, thanks to Walkhighlands! 
In deference to Black Panther's fine report of the same walk from not so long ago, I'll keep this one brief. In any case it was a pretty uneventful hike - just a great day's hillwalking!
Set off from the small car park near Torrandhu Bridge at 5.35am. Weather was overcast with cloud covering the tops, but looked slightly more promising than it had the previous day when I did Am Faochagach. Followed track past the weather station and alongside the meandering burn, heading for Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich.
Keeping to the right bank of the burn you come to the confluence of two burns at which point follow the Allt an' Loch Sgeirich for a kilometre or so until you can cross it and strike up the easy but boggy eastern slopes of Creag Dubh Fannaich. Once on the ridge a faint path emerges leading up to the summit and on to the first Munro of the day, Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich.
The clag was down on BLMF so I didn't bother taking any photos until out of it down the other side. The steep and rough descent finds a good stalker's path at the edge of the corrie on the right and leads easily down to the Bealach at the foot of Sgurr Mor. There's a clear path to follow from there.
Reached summit of Sgurr Mor at 9.50am. Sat down for food break. Clag was down but the sun was almost coming through at times. A mountain hare sauntered past only a few yards away, quite slowly but still too quickly for me to get a photo of him. I waited quite a while, torn between the hope that the mist would clear and the need to get going. The mist persisted so the latter won.
The walk back from A' Coileachan did seem a long way, but was easy going for the most part. A footbridge over the Abhainn a' Ghiubhais Li came in handy.
Took the alternative track up through the plantations to vary the route and this actually gave some fine views. The sun was hot and it felt like summer had arrived.
I'd be heading home next day and was well pleased with my tally of 11 Munros over 4 days; but the real satisfaction had come from the quality of the walks themselves, which will live in my memory for a long time to come.
In deference to Black Panther's fine report of the same walk from not so long ago, I'll keep this one brief. In any case it was a pretty uneventful hike - just a great day's hillwalking!
Set off from the small car park near Torrandhu Bridge at 5.35am. Weather was overcast with cloud covering the tops, but looked slightly more promising than it had the previous day when I did Am Faochagach. Followed track past the weather station and alongside the meandering burn, heading for Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich.
- Path follows the Abhainn an Torrain Dubh to begin
Keeping to the right bank of the burn you come to the confluence of two burns at which point follow the Allt an' Loch Sgeirich for a kilometre or so until you can cross it and strike up the easy but boggy eastern slopes of Creag Dubh Fannaich. Once on the ridge a faint path emerges leading up to the summit and on to the first Munro of the day, Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich.
- Loch Broom with the Coigach hills behind
- Looking south from Creag Dubh Fannaich
The clag was down on BLMF so I didn't bother taking any photos until out of it down the other side. The steep and rough descent finds a good stalker's path at the edge of the corrie on the right and leads easily down to the Bealach at the foot of Sgurr Mor. There's a clear path to follow from there.
- Loch a' Mhadaidh from Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich
- On the way up Sgurr Mor, back in the clag
Reached summit of Sgurr Mor at 9.50am. Sat down for food break. Clag was down but the sun was almost coming through at times. A mountain hare sauntered past only a few yards away, quite slowly but still too quickly for me to get a photo of him. I waited quite a while, torn between the hope that the mist would clear and the need to get going. The mist persisted so the latter won.
- Summit of Sgurr Mor - looks like the mist might clear...?
- Meall Gorm from Meall nam Peithirian
- Sgurr Mor and Sgurr nan Clach Geala from Meall Gorm, clag finally clearing off
- Sgurr Mor
- Sgurr nan Clach Geala
- Summit of Meall Gorm
- An Coileachan from Creag Dubh a' Gorm Locha (Meall Gorm's lower eastern top)
- Summit of An Coileachan
- Sgurr nan Clach Geala and Sgurr Mor from An Coileachan
- Slioch
- The Torridons
- Sgurr nan Each
- Stac Pollaidh, Cul Beag and Cul Mor
- Beinn Dearg and Cona' Mheall
- Am Faochagach
- Loch Gorm and Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich
- Creag Dubh a' Gorm Locha
- Loch Gorm
The walk back from A' Coileachan did seem a long way, but was easy going for the most part. A footbridge over the Abhainn a' Ghiubhais Li came in handy.
- Footbridge near the forestry plantations, Beinn Dearg in background
Took the alternative track up through the plantations to vary the route and this actually gave some fine views. The sun was hot and it felt like summer had arrived.
I'd be heading home next day and was well pleased with my tally of 11 Munros over 4 days; but the real satisfaction had come from the quality of the walks themselves, which will live in my memory for a long time to come.
