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A'Ghlas-bheinn & Beinn Fhada (Ben Attow), Map 414N
15th March 2006 & 25th September 2008

Route: Ascent 2105m=6900'; 15¼ miles; 9½ hrs.


Left of Panorama of Coire an Sgairne Middle of Panorama of Coire an Sgairne Right of Panorama of Coire an Sgairne Faradh Nighean Fhearchair A'Ghlas-bheinn The Five Sisters of Kintail

Route: This route includes two Munros, but can easily be split into two walks by returning along Gleann Choinneachain from Bealach an Sgairne after A' Ghlas-bheinn; and by setting off up Gleann Choinneachain towards Bealach an Sgairne for Beinn Fhada. In the latter case, the path splits about 1km west of the Bealach an Sgairne. This split is very clear, but higher than is apparent from the 1:25000 map. (Don't despair thinking you've missed the turn – it's some way up from the burn crossing after several zig-zags!)
The route includes all the Munro tops of Beinn Fhada. This requires extra detours out along the SE and NW ridges of Beinn Fhada. The latter provides the start for a very interesting alternative to a return via Gleann Choinneachain and is the one given in the GPX file. Both return choices are described in the table below and are pretty similar in terms of effort – one shorter but with more ascent. The descent via Beinn Bhuidhe has some minor, straight-forward scrambling which takes time, and just one difficulty in wet/winter conditions ascending NW from Bealach an t-Sealgaire. The highest pinnacle on this ridge, Ceum na h-Aon-choise, is at NG9954920118 and has a height of 924.9m rather than the 891m marked on the map. Its south top at NG9968419777 has a height of 922.1m.

Conditions 15/3/06: 6°C at car; 100% overcast all day; bitter light/moderate E wind. Initially cloud at 800m, rising to 950m. Dry throughout. Snow above 600m, often sinking in up to 6 inches, crampons not really necessary. 25/9/08: Overcast, dry.

15/3/0625/9/08 Description Ht.Asc.Distance Grid Ref.Mob.
06350700 Park at P on loop of old A87 at Morvich
(NT Falls of Glomach car park by Mountain
Rescue building.)
Initially, follow signs to Falls of Glomach.
  10   00.0 milesNG96132107Orange
 0710 Track E to Bridge over R.Croe   15   50.5 milesNG96832108 
07100740 Path NE to footbridge over Abhainn Chonaig,
125m after taking left fork where valley divides.
  60  701.8 milesNG98172233 
 0750 Right onto track, then first sharp left
(after gate at forestry road – signed)
  80  902.1 milesNG98232260 
   Right after 200m (signed for the Falls) 1101202.2 milesNG98272279 
 0755 Bear right at shallow fork after 200m (signed) 1251352.33 milesNG98382296 
0735?0805 Cross river & ascend to FtBr at forest exit 1751902.9 milesNG98562382 
   Turn sharp right before bridge and follow path
ESE up ridge by edge of forest. (Don't take the
path towards Glomach Falls which crosses the
small bridge and goes up the side of the valley
opposite.)
      
0905
-0910
0935
-0945
ESE/E up easy ridge to M A'Ghlas-bheinn 9189404.45 milesNH00822308Orange
   Descend SSE to pt 806 8069405.0 milesNH01022230 
   S to col 725 5.15 milesNH01132206 
09501010 S to top by lochan 7589755.27 milesNH01262190 
1010
-1015
1030 S to large cairn at Bealach an Sgairne 510 5.6 milesNH01472145 
10301045 Descend path W down to path split. (It is
easiest to go this way as the path is very good.)
410 6.1 milesNH00652139 
 1110 Ascend path S to lip of upper corrie 57511406.75 milesNH00622050 
11201135 Ascend path SE to cairn on ridge 75013157.05 milesNH01092028 
1205 — Either: Path SW round corrie rim
to T Meall an Fhuarain Mhoir
95415208.15 milesNG99991963Orange
  — ESE to Plaide Mor 889 8.55 miles  
1250
-1300
 — ESE to M Beinn Fhada trig pt
(or by-pass to south)
103216659.35 milesNH018192Orange
 —1210
-1215
Or: S/SE/E to M Beinn Fhada trig pt 103216007.9 milesNH01851926Orange
   Then: Path S/SE to minor top on SE ridge 10001685/16209.75/8.3 milesNH01971867 
 1245 ESE to last (lowest) col 9141700/163510.45/9.03 milesNH03041850 
13451250
-1255
E to T Sgurr a'Dubh Doire 9621750/168510.75/9.3 miles NH03471855No Orange
 1300 Return W to col 914 11.0/9.57 milesNH03041850 
 1320 WSW then WNW to top 10001850/178511.7/10.3 milesNH01971867 
1430
-1435
 — Either: NW then N back to Beinn Fhada trig pt 1032190512.1 milesNH01851926 
1505 — Ridge W/NW down to cairn
at top of path into corrie.
750 13.0 milesNH01092028 
1550
-1600
 — Path W into corrie then N
to ford of Allt a'Choire Chaoil.
320 14.15 milesNH00362133 
1640 — Path W to junction with Glomach Falls path   75 15.7 milesNG981222 
 —1325 Or: Turn off ridge onto path by-passing summit   10.5 milesNH01791894 
 —1340 Path contouring WNW to lochan on Plaide
Mor (lochan unmarked on map)
889 11.25 milesNH00641943 
 —1350
-1400
W to T Meall an Fhuarain Mhoir 954185011.7 milesNG99991963Orange
 —  400m WNW to W top 922.1188011.95 milesNG99681978 
 —1420 350m NW to Ceum na h-Aon-choise
(the highest pinnacle)
924.9193012.15 milesNG99552012 
 —1430 NW to Bealach an t-Sealgaire. The only significant
scrambling is from here up to next top.
815194012.33 milesNG99312032 
 —1440 125m N to Sgurr a'Choire Ghairbh 864199012.43 milesNG99272048 
 —1500
-1505
500m of slow ridge NNE to N top
(at corner of ridge)
870207512.75 milesNG99462089 
 —  NNW down to knoll Faradh Nighean Fhearchair 757209013.0 milesNG99352132 
 —  WNW to Beinn Bhuidhe 502210513.55 milesNG98572166 
 —1555 W to corner of deer fence 195 14.1 milesNG97672144 
 —1600 Through gate in deer fence      
 —1610 Grass track W to Glomach Falls path
by cow shed
  15 14.6 milesNG96952127 
 1615 Then: Bridge over R. Croe   15 16.95/14.75 milesNG96832108 
17151625 Track SW back to NT Car Park   101905/2105 17.45/15.25 milesNG96132107Orange


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