Cioch na h'Oighe to Goatfell

Summary

The most dramatic route to Goatfell is via it's northern ridge, a classic and challenging scramble up Cioch na h-Oighe. The route crosses Mullach Buidhe to North Goatfell, before continuing to Goatfell itself. The route is linear and the descent described is to Corrie.

Grade

Bog Factor

4.5/5

Rating

Terrain

There is scrambling and some exposure on Cioch na h'Oighe; optional scrambling on North Goatfell.

Getting there

Start

Car park either side of the Sannox Burn bridge.

Public Transport

Bus to Sannox for start; bus from Corrie at end.

Start Grid Ref

NS015454

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Walk Statistics

Distance: 10km / 6.25 miles
Time: 7 - 9 hours
Ascent: 1091m (Profile)

Summits Climbed

Corbett: Goatfell

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Walk Description

User reports (1)

Stage 1

The route starts from the car park at Sannox; there is also a bus stop here. The slopes of the first objective - Cioch na-Oighe - look intimidatingly steep. Begin by crossing to take a lane opposite signed for 'Glen Sannox'. The track soon becomes a path and swings right. As the path reaches the start of a line of beech trees, ignore the path off down to a footbridge on the right, instead continuing into the glen past ruined mine workings. The Allt a' Chapuill burn is soon reached; don't cross, instead take a faint path running up the left bank.

Stage 2

The path is narrow and overgrown, but reasonably easy to follow. As the path soon leads above a deep gorge. Further on the path and burn meet once more at a suitable crossing. Cross here, and on the far side the path forks almost immediately take the left fork to rejoin the Allt a' Chapuill, following it uphill. The path is obvious but boggy at times. At around 240m (2.2km from the start of the walk) near the foot of the corrie, branch right away onto a path - faint and indistinct at first, but becoming clearer - that makes a rising traverse across onto the lower part of the Cioch na h-Oighe ridge.

Stage 3

The path cuts across the ridge; when directly north of the summit, an awkward initial scramble up slabs begins the ascent proper - an arrow scratched onto the rocks at this point may help. The path appears to continue traversing into Glen Sannox at this point (but leads nowhere). Once above the initial slabs, the path winds to and fro to find the easiest passage, up to the summit of Cioch na h-Oighe - the Maiden's Breast. From here descend briefly on the Sannox side to avoid an overhang before continuing along the initially narrow, airy and exposed ridge, though the scrambling is not as hard as that first slab.

Stage 4

The ridge then broadens out and leads onto Mullach Buidhe. Descend to the bealach beyond. It is possible to follow a path that completely bypasses North Goatfell on the east side, but our route heads up steeply to take in the peak. Just north of the summit look down the dramatic ridge to the Saddle and the majestic peak of Cir Mhòr beyond - an eroded path heads down to the saddle from here. There is some easy scrambling up to the top of North Goatfell from here, but trickier scrambling on the descent beyond - the latter can be avoided by following a good bypass path round the west side of the summit at a high level, starting from near the top of the ridge coming up from the Saddle. The path rejoins the ridge just beyond North Goatfell, and then descends steeply to the bealach to the south.

Stage 5

From here the ridge rises dramatically with a series of granite pinnacles. Keen scramblers may attempt to go over these, whereas hillwalkers can take a path which bypasses them on the left (east) side. Beyond there is a steady pull up towards the summit, with a boulderfield to cross along the way.

Stage 6

The summit is a wonderful viewpoint. The great granite ridges of the other Arran peaks look very dramatic but perhaps not quite as dramatic as from North Goatfell; the rest of the view, however, is more extensive, extending across the Clyde estuary and even to Ireland on a clear day.

Stage 7

Begin the descent down the east ridge, bouldery at first and then on a good path. On the shoulder of Meall Breac the main 'tourist' descent path branches right off towards Brodick Bay; to descend to Corrie, keep ahead along the shoulder on a rougher path. Further down the path descends to the left to eventually reach the Corrie Burn. Cross this on stones (tricky in spate) to join a path on the far side. Turn right here to continue down the path towards Corrie. When this joins a track turn left. There's parking opposite a waterworks; if you don't have a lift, you can continue down the lane to Corrie (which has a bus stop).

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