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Beinn Liath Mhor, Sgorr Ruadh & Maol Chean-dearg
(from Glen Carron)   Map 25; 24th July 2005

Route: Ascent 1825m = 6000'; 13.5 miles on foot, 3.9 miles on bike; 10hrs 20mins.

Glen Lair: Beinn Liath Mhor on right, Sgorr Ruadh on left. Col with lochan for ascent is straight ahead. The start of the path east up Beinn Liath Mhor. The path east up from the bealach in Glen Lair to Beinn Liath Mhor. The summit ridge of Beinn Liath Mhor. Sgorr Ruadh from Glen Lair Sgorr Ruadh from lochan at bealach. The NW ridge of Sgorr Ruadh used for ascent/descent. Maol Chean-dearg from Sgorr Ruadh. Maol Chean-dearg from Sgorr Ruadh. Maol Chean-dearg from Sgorr Ruadh. Maol Chean-dearg, Bealach a'Choire Gharbh and An Ruadh-stac.

Evaluation: 5 star walk.
Weather: Warm, dull morning, hot sunny afternoon, dry, very light breeze on tops. Cloud base 1100m
Terrain: Paths on map are all well-engineered, good paths, good terrain.
Route: There are a few variations, and those with boundless energy should make a detour to climb the really magnificent Corbett An Ruadh Stac (380m more ascent). The direct ascent of Maol Chean-dearg via its north eastern corrie provides the only difficulties. These can be easily by-passed to the south, as per the GPS route, but that decision needs to be taken before entering the corrie. It only adds ¼ mile (400m) to the distance.
A shorter walk omitting Maol Chean-dearg is given on the next page. Unlike this walk, it starts and finishes at the same point with no need for transport along the road. Maol Chean-dearg can be climbed separately with the Corbett An Ruadh Stac as here.

0825 Park on A890 at Coulags in lay-by 15m SW of bridge   27   00.0 milesNG95664506
0855 Bike NE on A890 to track for Achnashellach Station.
Park Bike. (Ample parking opposite telephone box.) 		  40  133.9 miles
0.0 miles		NH00534839
0900 Take track to far side of level crossing.
Bear right & after 100 yds take sharp left.		   70  430.3 milesNH00334851
0910 After about ½ mile, left at signpost for Torridon path.
Take path down to, and then along, R. Lair. 		  90  750.6 milesNG99834860
0955 Follow path N to cairns at path splits 3753601.9 milesNG99015026
— Either head north on path to base of ridge
then WNW over bumps to Beinn Liath Mhor		 926  NG96455198
1105 Or continue on path WNW in glen to below col 5505553.75 milesNG96335123
1120 Cut corner and go N to lochan 7107104.1 milesNG95925158
1150 Path N up cliffs above lochan (steep but
straightforward) then NE/E to M Beinn Liath Mhor 		9269304.55 milesNG96455198
1215
-1220		 Return W/SW/S to lochan 705 5.05 milesNG95925158
1240 Contour on faint path SW round pt 769, then down to
valley path at NW end of loch (where this path starts). 		650 5.45 milesNG95505120
  Ascend corrie S to NW ridge of Sgorr Ruadh 75510355.6 milesNG95335105
1330 SE to M Sgorr Ruadh 96212456.1 milesNG95935049
  Return NW to col 800 6.66 milesNG95335105
1430 Either: Descend WNW to path for Bealach na Lice.
(Or: Down ridge N to NG94865165 then NW to path
Or: Descend NE back to valley path
and follow path round to Bealach Ban.)		 395 7.4 milesNG94095121
1450 Path SW to Bealach na Lice where path splits. 370 7.8 milesNG93625084
1515
-1525		 At path split, ascend ridge SW to corrie cliff base 55014208.4 milesNG92965021
1620
-1630		 Ascend corrie SW to M Maol Chean-dearg.
(Climb scree to its top left corner, then diagonally left
up to ridge. This is steep & slippery – OK with poles,
but not for walkers. Alternatively, contour round to
Coire Garbh & ascend via SE side of E ridge.)		 93318058.8 milesNG92454988
1715 Ridge SE to Bealach a'Choire Gharbh 58718259.65 milesNG93144878
1740 Descend path E to path split in valley. 200 10.8 milesNG94864899
1800 Path S to bothy 180 11.45 milesNG95014800
1810 Path S to bridge over Fionn-abhainn 155 11.95 milesNG95094717
1845 Path S to car in lay-by at Coulags.
(The path starts at track 5m E of bridge.)
Drive north to collect bike.		   27182513.5 milesNG95664506

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