The Eastern Fannichs: Sgurr Mor etc., map 20; 27th Mar 2004 & 12th Aug 2009

Route 1: 15.35 miles, 1380m = 4535' ascent, 8hrs 40mins.
Route 2: 15.2 miles, 1455m = 4775' ascent, 9hrs.

Route: The Fannichs are easily divided into two roughly even parts, each of which is a respectable, but not over taxing, day’s walk. The western Fannichs are treated on the next page. Here is a walk over the four Munros and two Tops which form the eastern Fannichs.
Most of the terrain is straight-forward. However, the moor over Meallan Buidhe to the Abhainn a'Ghiuthais Li is slow going, with deep heather and peat hags. There is a path from the col with An Coileachan to the bridge over the Abhainn which follows an almost straight line between the two, but it is easily lost.
A descent eastwards from Sgurr Mor may be tricky in poor conditions, such as in low cloud. If so, descend 150m at 160° (i.e. SSE) to an elevation of 1070m, then 80m at 90° (i.e. due E) down to 1050m, then 100m at 130° (approx SE) down to 1000m, at which point continue due E along the corrie edge down an easier decline to the col, hopefully meeting the path marked on the 1:25k map.
The only other difficulities are the boulderfields of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich. The path marked on the 1:25k map from Sgurr Mor to its highest point on Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich should be used as it is very easy and halves the amount of ascent over boulders between the bealach and the summit.
There are also boulderfields on the northern slopes of Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich. For route 1, an easier option might therefore be to go via Loch Sgeireach and the Allt a' Choire Ghuirm.
Note two good bridges over the Abhainn a'Ghiuthais Li at NH25237127 (380m) and NH26357216 (330m) on the walk out. There is also a good forestry track invisible from the road, starting at the second of these bridges and finishing at a gate in the deer fence 350yds S of the former weather station on the A835.

Route 1: There are two possible approaches to the first Munro, Beinn Liath Mhor Fannaich, represented by the two routes given here. I preferred this first one, although steeper in places (particularly the 200m of ascent above L. Sgeireach). Moreover, the stretch along the A835 might make it only sensible with an early start before the traffic builds up. However, on short days this approach offers easier walking with a head torch. The two routes are otherwise the same. The other route is given below.
Weather 27/03/04: Cloud & drizzle till 12.30, clear & sunny thereafter, thin easy snow over 3000'.

Route 2: This is the same as the route given at www.walkhighlands.co.uk from where a GPX route file can be downloaded. It is marginally less distance but more walking over rough ground and 80m more ascent than the first route above. In my opinion it has a poorer approach to the first Munro, starting with a long boggy stretch and finishing with 2kms of very stoney terrain. It is better to use the more scenic route 1 above which starts with walking along L. Droma, over the dam, along the track by the pipeline & ascending to L. Sgaireach.
Note the unexpected left fork after going through the forestry gate at the beginning of the walk, followed by an uphill stretch before descending on a right fork to a bridge over the Abhainn a'Ghiuthais Li.
Weather 12/08/09: Warmish, showers, some wind, sunny from 1330 or so. Cloud base 1000m; most tops clear.