My First Corbett: Sgurr an Airgid

[MunroMad]

This was my first Corbett, done on a very sunny day in Kintail.

I started at around 1050 just off the road to Morvich, after the turn up to the farms at Ruarach. The path up Sgurr an Airgid starts a bit further up Strath Croe near Lienassie, however there are turnstiles along the side of the road opposite the Ruarach farm where a short walk up to the foot of the mountain is needed. By a stream, a tree signals the merge with the actual path. This short wander takes you through a Bull field so becareful!! It might also be a tad boggy.

The path up is steep, in some places no wider than 2-3 feet, clinging to the eastern flanks of Sgurr an Airgid. The steep path continues up above the first bit, where it levels at around 250/300m, where you cross a deer fence. The path continues, always zigzagging in the direction of Beinn Bhuidhe (703m). You eventually are taken up to the flat plateau at the top of the gill. Wham bam thank you mam! Mam na Dubharaiche is a sight for sore eyes, the cairn at the top marks easy travels along flat terrain, although one later finds out that it is an inhospitable area of peat bog. Lucky for me, the freeze the night before was significant to freeze the bog field allowing for easy passage. The paths up here are visible, but can, at times, be confusing. The path up to the summit can easily be seen as a scar of scree, with a well trodden path going up one of the flanks of the remaining bulk, up the side of a wee lee. From the top the summit is seen after traversing two rocky clumps of scree.

The views are amazing, and well worth the trip, views extend from Wester Ross and the mountains of Torridon, to the Cullins in Skye, Ben Nevis is visible above the five sisters of Kintail. It is well worth the walk.

The descent is the same as the ascent. An hour from the beginning gets you to the bealach, another 45 mins or so gets you to the top. An hour and 15 mins descent. All this can easily be accomplished in 3 hours should one desire.

[Graeme D]

One down......

Love the pics

[mountain coward]

The views from there are truly great aren't they! Keep meaning to do this one on a day off from Munroing...

[kinley]

Cracking choice for Corbett No 1

Keep up the good work

[blueyed]

pics are great!

[BlackPanther]

Fantastic photos! It's a nice hill to start with. I did it this year in early spring and yes, the views are to die for...

[malky_c]

Another great day out on one of the Kintail Corbetts
I also really enjoyed this one, although I had to do it fairly fast to get back down before dark.