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Five sisters

Five sisters


Postby katanna » Sun Aug 02, 2020 9:44 pm

Hi all,
Does anyone have any experience on doing five sisters from Ault a'chruinn ? Is it possible? Or is it too hard compared to the normal route? I have done over 100 munros, not afraid of challenge, but maybe not worth it... Thanks for help
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Re: Five sisters

Postby prog99 » Sun Aug 02, 2020 10:07 pm

I’ve descended that way a few times. Search the threads though for other alternatives as it’s cropped up recently.
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Re: Five sisters

Postby katanna » Sun Aug 02, 2020 10:47 pm

prog99 wrote:I’ve descended that way a few times. Search the threads though for other alternatives as it’s cropped up recently.

Thank you for your reply. Unfortunately, can not see any threads on this route starting at Ault a'chruinn... Will try tomorrow with rested eyes and dig through the forum. If you have seen any posts on it, would be grateful for a link :)
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Re: Five sisters

Postby Cairngorm creeper » Sun Aug 02, 2020 11:41 pm

We started at Morvich and descended at Allt a Chruinn. Great way to go.
https://www.walkhighlands.co.uk/Forum/viewtopic.php?f=9&t=63771
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Re: Five sisters

Postby katanna » Mon Aug 03, 2020 7:04 am

Hi, not sure if anyone is reading my post correctly. I want to START in the village of Ault a'chruinn and descend to the car park. It is the opposite way walkhighlands describes, so I was wandering if anyone has done it.
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Re: Five sisters

Postby ScotFinn65 » Mon Aug 03, 2020 1:49 pm

katanna wrote:Hi, not sure if anyone is reading my post correctly. I want to START in the village of Ault a'chruinn and descend to the car park. It is the opposite way walkhighlands describes, so I was wandering if anyone has done it.


I started at Allt a Chruinn. I then done the sisters and brothers and dropped down to the Cluanie Inn. I therefore think the sisters are do-able. To give some idea, l am 55yo and only doing Munros for 2 years. I would say l have average fitness for my age.

I would say that the start is quite tough but no harder than doing the other way around.

I don't think the ascents and descents, individually are any worse in one direction or the other. However, the total ascent must be about 200m more heading west to east.

The last water on route is before the first col, so make sure you have enough to last.

A really nice walk and definitely achievable for reasonably fit hill walkers
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Re: Five sisters

Postby katanna » Mon Aug 03, 2020 4:18 pm

ScotFinn65 wrote:
katanna wrote:Hi, not sure if anyone is reading my post correctly. I want to START in the village of Ault a'chruinn and descend to the car park. It is the opposite way walkhighlands describes, so I was wandering if anyone has done it.


I started at Allt a Chruinn. I then done the sisters and brothers and dropped down to the Cluanie Inn. I therefore think the sisters are do-able. To give some idea, l am 55yo and only doing Munros for 2 years. I would say l have average fitness for my age.

I would say that the start is quite tough but no harder than doing the other way around.

I don't think the ascents and descents, individually are any worse in one direction or the other. However, the total ascent must be about 200m more heading west to east.

The last water on route is before the first col, so make sure you have enough to last.

A really nice walk and definitely achievable for reasonably fit hill walkers


Thank you so much for sharing this with me! I was worried noone is doing it from that end as it is too hard going. I am staying in that village over night and could start very early and my partner will pick me up at the end. I am a solo walker and the sisters are just so hard for me due to transport. Thanks for help again!
katanna
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Re: Five sisters

Postby ScotFinn65 » Mon Aug 03, 2020 5:40 pm

katanna wrote:
ScotFinn65 wrote:
katanna wrote:Hi, not sure if anyone is reading my post correctly. I want to START in the village of Ault a'chruinn and descend to the car park. It is the opposite way walkhighlands describes, so I was wandering if anyone has done it.


I started at Allt a Chruinn. I then done the sisters and brothers and dropped down to the Cluanie Inn. I therefore think the sisters are do-able. To give some idea, l am 55yo and only doing Munros for 2 years. I would say l have average fitness for my age.

I would say that the start is quite tough but no harder than doing the other way around.

I don't think the ascents and descents, individually are any worse in one direction or the other. However, the total ascent must be about 200m more heading west to east.

The last water on route is before the first col, so make sure you have enough to last.

A really nice walk and definitely achievable for reasonably fit hill walkers


Thank you so much for sharing this with me! I was worried noone is doing it from that end as it is too hard going. I am staying in that village over night and could start very early and my partner will pick me up at the end. I am a solo walker and the sisters are just so hard for me due to transport. Thanks for help again!
katanna wrote:
ScotFinn65 wrote:
katanna wrote:Hi, not sure if anyone is reading my post correctly. I want to START in the village of Ault a'chruinn and descend to the car park. It is the opposite way walkhighlands describes, so I was wandering if anyone has done it.


I started at Allt a Chruinn. I then done the sisters and brothers and dropped down to the Cluanie Inn. I therefore think the sisters are do-able. To give some idea, l am 55yo and only doing Munros for 2 years. I would say l have average fitness for my age.

I would say that the start is quite tough but no harder than doing the other way around.

I don't think the ascents and descents, individually are any worse in one direction or the other. However, the total ascent must be about 200m more heading west to east.

The last water on route is before the first col, so make sure you have enough to last.

A really nice walk and definitely achievable for reasonably fit hill walkers


Thank you so much for sharing this with me! I was worried noone is doing it from that end as it is too hard going. I am staying in that village over night and could start very early and my partner will pick me up at the end. I am a solo walker and the sisters are just so hard for me due to transport. Thanks for help again!


No problems.

I was a solo walker too. It was not easy but certainly achievable. Navigation is straight forward after the first 400m at the village :roll:

Then you have a climb for a while to the first col, then just ascents of the summits.

Try to get a clear day and enjoy it. The scenery on glen Shiel side is great and Affric side is amazing.
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Re: Five sisters

Postby AJ01 » Fri Aug 21, 2020 6:37 pm

Hello,
I realise this might be a bit late to take into account, but I'll post anyway.

When I did the Five Sisters as a solo walker, I decided to get back to my start point (and the car) by bike. This determined my direction of traverse, as I decided that it would be much easier to cycle down the A87 from east to west than to cycle up from west to east at the end of the day. (I also don't remember there being a car park at the eastern end back then, though my memory might be faulty). This meant that I had to do the walk from west to east, starting at Morvich, after hiding the bike in the undergrowth somewhere around the gap between the two areas of woodland below Bealach an Lapain.

I don't have my log of the walk available right now, so I can't be absolutely sure of my route of ascent, but as I very much tend to keep to the top of ridges, I most probably headed straight up to Sgurr na Moraich from the car park at Morvich. This would have been an easier ascent (870m. asc. in 1.75km, i.e. 500m asc. per km) than the climb up to the Bealach an Lapain at the east end (560m. asc. in 0.9km, i.e. 620m asc. per km).

I was fairly fit in those days, and I found it was a wonderful day's expedition. Again, without my logbook I can't remember how long it took, but as I did it in early June there was plenty of daylight. The bike ride down the glen at the end of the day was exhilarating and nearly effortless.

Angus J
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Re: Five sisters

Postby AJ01 » Fri Aug 21, 2020 9:26 pm

[Dummy reply in order to tick the box to be notified of replies.]
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