Beinn Liath Mhor, Achnashellach

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Summary

Beinn Liath Mhòr takes the form of a long ridge sprinkled with white quartzite screes. It gives a fine, steep hillwalk of much character.

Grade (key)

Bog Factor (key)

Rating

Terrain

Excellent stalkers' paths on the approach walk; higher up the mountain has steep boulders and heather, whilst the ridge is on quartzite scree. There is much rough ground and crags to avoid on the descent.

Public Transport

Train or bus to Achnashellach.

Start

Achnashellach Station. Open in Google Maps.

Hillwalking in Winter

Please note that hillwalking when there is snow lying requires an ice-axe, crampons and the knowledge, experience and skill to use them correctly. All route descriptions and difficulties given here are for summer conditions. See our Winter Skills page for basic information on the essential skills, techniques and knowledge needed for winter hillwalking.

Walk Statistics

Distance: 15.25km / 9.5 miles
Time (summer conditions): 7 - 8 hours
Ascent: 1054m (Profile)
Start Grid Ref: NH004483

Summits Climbed

Munro: Beinn Liath Mhor

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Accommodation

Walk Description

User reports (45)

Stage 1

Strong walkers can combine Beinn Liath Mhòr with Sgòrr Ruadh to give a grand circuit; the route for this is described at the end. If arriving by car, park at the layby on the A890 opposite the telephone box and the private road to Achnashellach station. From here walk up the road to the station, turning right after the outbuildings. Cross the railway line with care and proceed up the track a short way until you reach a crossroads. Here turn left slightly back on yourself and continue on a forestry track, passing through a gate and into thinning trees. Ahead there is a good view of the prow of Fuar Tholl, a fine Corbett which just misses out on Munro status.

Stage 2

After a short distance take a path to the left marked with a post. If you miss the path and continue on the track into thicker trees turn back as the way ahead is blocked by a fence higher up. The path heads towards the River Làir, passing through a gate, and then through a mixture of gorse, broom, birch and single pine trees. The path begins to climb revealing fine views and passing the Achnashellach Estate deer stalking information sign.

Stage 3

Follow the stony path as it winds uphill, ignoring a smaller path to the left. The ground becomes much barer as the path climbs above the last of the pines. After the gradient eases off, a path junction marked with a cairn is reached. There is a good view Sgòrr Ruadh and its majestic sandstone cliffs on the left side of the valley ahead, and further left the even mightier cliffs of Fuar Tholl are seen in full stature, whilst the long scree-flanked ridge of Beinn Liath Mhòr guards the right side of the valley.

Stage 4

Take the right fork. Further on a second, larger, cairn is reached on the right - keep right again. The path on the left leads into Coire Làir and can be used on the descent. Continue the climb towards the head of the pass, the Drochaid Coire Làir, but before reaching it the path forks once again. Take the left fork this time, which crosses rough rising ground before beginning a very steep and somewhat eroded climb up to gain the ridge. Eventually the slope eases for a final rise over stones to reach the easternmost summit of the ridge, marked by a large cairn at 876 metres. There's a superb view northwards towards Beinn Eighe, with the quartzite glittering white on sunny days.

Stage 5

Begin the walk along the ridge, soon dropping to a narrow bealach with a couple of rocky blocks. The ridge then rises again before a climb up to reach the 887m summit at the centre of the ridge. The going is almost universally stony - and the quartz sections can be slippery when wet.

Stage 6

Continue west again to a second col; there is some slight scrambling on the descent at one point. There's another area of quartz to cross after the next bealach before the ascent becomes grassier on the climb towards the final section of the ridge.

Stage 7

This narrows to a fine arête of quartzite stones, with the true summit of Beinn Liath Mhor, at 926m, reached at the far end. The massive summit cairn has great views across Coire Làir, and of Liathach and Beinn Eighe to the north.

Stage 8

From the summit, continue down the ridge to reach a flattish shoulder. The path becomes unclear on this section, the route crossing some sandstone slabs before arriving atop a steep crag that looks down into a narrow bealach holding a lochan. You need to find the path to descend this, initially with slight scrambling down a rocky gully before the slope eases and the path descends left. Beyond here a faint path crosses the left side of the rocky knoll, marked with cairns in some places, before a final descent to the main bealach which has another small lochan; this whole descent route is very rough and it can be hard to find the best route, especially in mist.

Stage 9

This bealach is crossed by the stalkers path up from Coire Làir. It is possible to extend the outing onto Sgòrr Ruadh. Otherwise, to return to the start, turn left down this path which keeps on the northern side of the valley, descending until it rejoins the outward route at a cairn. From the cairn, turn right and then left at a second cairn to return to the outward path down to the woods above Achnashellach. To reach Sgòrr Ruadh from the lochan on the bealach, climb up the slope opposite to reach a very small lochan on the ridge of Sgòrr Ruadh. Turn left here, climbing the scree-covered ridge up to reach the summit. From there, follow the route described on our Sgòrr Ruadh walk to return to Achnashellach.

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