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Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich, Sgurr Mor, Meall Gorm & An Coileachan from NW end of Loch Glascarnoch

Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich, Sgurr Mor, Meall Gorm & An Coileachan from NW end of Loch Glascarnoch

Start/Finish

Rough small car park on the W side of the A835 Inverness to Ullapool road at the NW end of Loch Glascarnoch. The car park is just N of an obvious bridge after a small wood on the right (loch side).

Distance/Time

26 km.    About 9 – 10 hours.

Peaks

Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich, 954 m, NH 219 724.

Sgurr Mor, 1110 m, NH 203 718.

Meall nam Peithirean, 974 m, NH 207 708.

Meall Gorm, 949 m, NH 221 696.

South East Top, 922 m, NH 232 692.

An Coileachan, 923 m, NH 241 680.    OS sheet 20: Beinn Dearg

Introduction

This is a strenuous but very enjoyable walk over four Munros and two tops which all lie on the same ridge which gives very good walking. It is strenuous to reach the ridge and much wet ground has to be covered at the end but this is a highly recommended walk. Views can be excellent and include the other Fannaichs, the Beinn Dearg range and further afield. The only bad part is a 2 km walk up the busy road which could be avoided by parties with two cars.

Route

(1) Walk up the road to the Loch Drum dam and follow its track across the low dam then follow the track to its end at an intake. To the left of this a path leads up Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich. It forst gains the crest above then climbs more steeply, where it can be hard to follow in places, before reaching a more level section where there is a tall cairn. Continue up the gently inclined shoulder to reach two cirns not far apart. Turn left here and ascend up a short but steeper slope to reach a small and tiny cairn about 30 m apart which mark the summit of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich, 954 m.

(2) Descend SE with very steep ground on your right to reach a well defined grassy col. Ascend up the other side for about 250 m, passing a stone “hut”. Ignore a path forking off left at a small cairn. Higher up, the ridge turns N and soon reaches a large and tall cairn which is the summit of Sgurr Mor, 1110 m.

(3) Retrace a short way but continue down the SSE ridge which is mainly grassy. Reach a broad grassy col then a short ascent leads to a small cairn which is the summit of Meall nam Peithirean, 974 m.

(4) Continue,descending to a broad grassy bealach then ascend up a long slope to reach the medium cairn which is the summit of Meall Gorm, 949 m.

(5) Continue, with hardly any descent, to another rmedium cairn which is the summit of Meall Gorm South East Top, 922 m. On the way, a stone shelter with many little “alcoves” will be passed.

(6) Descend SE then E down rocky slopes to reach an obvious grassy col. Ascend up the other side to reach a tall cairn by an edge which is the summit of An Coileachan, 923 m.

(7) Retrace to the col then descend down, roughly N, to reach an obvious path which traverse the left side of Meallan Buidhe. The ground gets rough and wet and the path soon becomes hard to follow. Eventually, after much rough ground, the track is reached near a bridge. Follow the track, with a short ascent, back to the road a short distance S of the start. There is another bridge well before this one which could be crossed and a rough path then track followed to the other bridge.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 1st August, 2016, and about ten and twenty years previously.

(b) If you don't mind the driving, Dingwall Camping and Caravanning Club site is well placed for access to Glen Arric, Loch Mullardoch, Glen Strathfarrar, Strathconon, Ben Wyvis, Achnasheen, Kinlochewe. Fannaichs, Loch Glascarnoch, Beinn Dearg range and lower hills on the coast. The site is virtually midge free. It pays to be a member otherwise there are surcharges. There is an over 50's discount outside of the High Season. Electrical hook ups are possible for campers. Dingwall has a large Tesco.

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