Get Lost Mountaineering

Quinag from A894

Start/Finish

Large car park on A894. This is about 4 miles south of Kylesku Bridge and about 3 miles N of Skiag Bridge which is where the A894 leaves the A837 Ullapool to Lochinver road. If coming from the south, the car park is just after a bend and may be seen too late to turn into!

Distance/Time

15 km.    About 7 – 8 hours.

Peaks

Spidean Coinich, Quinag, 764 m, NC 206 277.

Sail Gorm, Quinag, 776 m, NC 198 304.

Sail Gharbh, Quinag, 808 m, NC 202 292. OS map 15: Loch Assynt.

Introduction

Quinag is one of the finest mountains in the north west of Scotland and is the only one to have three separate Corbett peaks. This means deep gaps between the three major summits making for slow progress. Views are superb and stretch from Foinaven to Ben Mor Assynt to Suilven. This walk should be saved for a good day.

Route

(1) Cross the road and start to follow the good path past an information board then across a small footbridge. Continue until, after about 400 m, the path splits at a small cairn. Take the left fork which head towards the SE ridge of Spidean Coinich. The path crosses many very easy angled slabs and may not be obvious in places but the general route up the ridge is very obvious in clear conditions. A minor top is crossed before the summit appears to be above a rock wall ahead which is easily avoided on the left. The true summit is a little further and a medium cairn marks the summit of Spidean Coinich, Quinag, 764 m. This is probably the finest of the three peaks.

(2) A fairly obvious path descends steeply to a gap then continues along the crest before ascending Pt 713, another minor top, before descending to another gap then ascending up Pt 745. This looks very steep and rocky but a good path avoids all difficulties on the right. A medium cairn marks the top of Pt 745. Descend on the other side continuing along the crest crossing two gaps. A short rocky corner has to be descended but this is just short steps and hardly rates as even a scramble. The path continues out on the crest and after a few false tops reaches the large cairn which is the summit of Sail Gorm, Quinag, 776 m.

(3) Retrace to the foot of Pt 745 then start to reascend it. Look for a path going left which traverses higher up so it is not necessary to revisit the summit. Gain the crest leading to Sail Gharbh and follow it easily heading roughly E. Note two cairns on the right of the crest at its foot which mark the start of the descent path. Follow the crest up. Much of the way, there is a choice of paths. Higher up, the going is more rocky but there are no difficulties and soon the trig point, in a shelter cairn, is reached which is the summit of Sail Gharbh, Quinag, 808 m.

(4) Retrace down the crest to the two cairns and pick up the path which slants down the steep slopes before cutting back to pass to the left of the obvious large lochan. There are some boggy sections on the path but it is easy to follow. Lower down, the new path takes over and leads back to the start.

Notes

(a) This walk took place on 28^th June, 2017 and about 20 and 30 years earlier.