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Route:
This is an excellent day's walking along a high level ridge. It helps to have
transport between Eas-nan-Arm Bridge and Shiel Bridge or Morvich to have
sensible end points. For walking between the end points it is 4.6 miles from
Eas-nan-Arm Bridge to the A87 bridge at Shiel Bridge,
and another 1.5 miles round to the south end of Morvich.
This makes Route 3 a little shorter (link above), quieter and safer as the A87 is a busy road.
There are several alternatives given in the GPS links above for the NW end of
this ridge at Morvich. The two with more ascent include the Corbett Sgurr na Moraich.
There are also two alternatives for descending to the A87, about a mile apart,
to different car parks at the SE end near the Eas-nan-Arm Bridge.
One is a very fast, pleasant, pathless descent to Eas-nan-Arm over good terrain; the other
ensures a complete traverse of the ridge over two days by going as far as the western end
of the other half, which is the Brothers of Kintail traverse.
Leaving a car at the SE end and cycling downhill to the NW end is a good option for the lone walker.
The silly start described in the table below for 1/5/04 was because I had to walk down the A87.
It is rather contrived to minimise the distance on the A87, but is not recommended
because of the exposure involved.
A road-free circular alternative is to park by the Mountain Rescue Post at Morvich (NG96052106)
and walk SE up Glen Croe, passed Glenlicht House, then south towards Bealach an Lapain
or other suitable point on the ridge. That is the gpx Route 3 above.
The walks can be done in either direction. With motor transport along the A87
start at the higher east end to save 170m of ascent.
The routes here and on the next page are optimal for dividing the ridge
from Shiel Bridge to Cluanie Inn into two roughly equal walks.
Weather: The weather was good on both occasions.
Times: The timings below are slow as a result of exertions the previous day.
| Rte 1 1/5/04 | Rte 2 23/9/08 |
Description | Ht. | Asc. | Distance | Grid Ref. | Mob. |
| — | 0705 | EITHER: Park at battlefield E of Eas-nan-Arm Bridge
(or, better, by forest 1.2 mi E of Eas-nan-Arm Bridge over R.Shiel) |
130 180 | 0.0 miles | NG993134 NH009136 | ||
| — | 0740 | Cycle W down A87 passed Shiel Bridge to Kintail Lodge Hotel | 5 | 6.4 miles | NG93771960 | ||
| — | 0830 | Depart Kintail Lodge hotel on foot | 5 | 0 | 0.0 miles | NG93771960 | |
| — | 0845 | NE on A87, take turn-off to Morvich, and go to first metalled road by post box after Ault a'Chruinn bridge |
5 | 15 | 0.8 miles | NG94682037 | |
| — | 0910 | Ascend road, then take track left behind last house. Follow path SE beside All a'Chruinn (to right of fence) up to stile |
160 | 180 | 1.2 miles | NG95002004 | |
| — | 0925 | Continue path to max altitude before it re-enters the gorge, (when ridge comes into view at end of path marked on map) |
370 | 390 | 1.5 miles | NG95331975 | |
| — | 0950 | Pathless ascent of slopes E to height of hill opposite | 575 | 595 | 1.8 miles | NG95831977 | |
| — | 1040 -1050 |
Ridge SE to C Sgurr na Moraich (or continue path SSE to its by-pass of Beinn Bhuidhe) |
876 | 885 | 2.4 miles | NG96561932 | Orange |
| — | 1110 | S to bealach | 735 | 3.0 miles | NG97131852 | ||
| — | 1125 | SSW to Beinn Bhuidhe | 869 | 1020 | 3.25 miles | NG96951819 | |
| — | 1130 | S to col | 832 | 3.33 miles | NG97021808 | ||
| — | 1150 -1215 |
SE to T Sgurr nan Saighead | 929 | 1117 | 3.7 miles | NG97451780 | Orange |
| 1020 | OR: Park at N end of Eas-nan-Arm Bridge over R.Shiel (in loop of old road) |
130 | 0 | 0.0 miles | NG99211322 | No Orange | |
| 1130 | — | Walk (or cycle) W down A87 to bridge at Achnangart (Much better to continue further west to Shiel Bridge if possible.) |
20 | 2.45 miles | NG96251496 | ||
| — | Cross R.Sheil, follow path N on E bank of river to Allt a' Bhuilg | 10 | 3.8 miles | NG95741697 | |||
| 1345 | — | Ascend Allt a' Bhuilg to Bealach Buidhe (A poor choice of ascent with danger of slipping into deep ravine) |
815 | 805 | 5.2 miles | NG97601740 | |
| 1400 | — | Head NNW to T Sgurr nan Saighead | 929 | 920 | 5.7 miles | NG97451780 | Orange |
| 1415 | 1225 | THEN: S to Bealach Buidhe | 815 | 3.95 miles | NG97601740 | ||
| 1450 | 1255 -1300 |
S to M Sgurr Fhuaran | 1067 | 1365 | 4.5 miles | NG97841670 | Orange |
| 1510 | 1315 | S to Bealach na Carnach | 865 | 4.7 miles | NG97771631 | ||
| 1525 | 1335 -1340 |
S to M Sgurr na Carnach | 1002 | 1503 | 4.95 miles | NG97701589 | Orange |
| 1540 | 1350 | S to Bealach na Craoibhe | 845 | 5.25 miles | NG97751548 | ||
| 1610 | 1420 -1440 |
SE/E to M Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe | 1027 | 1685 | 5.83 miles | NG98391496 | Orange |
| 1445 | E to Bealach nan Spainteach | 925 | 6.0 miles | NG98681491 | |||
| 1645 | 1505 -1510 |
E to T Sgurr nan Spainteach | 990 | 1750 | 6.3 miles | NG99171502 | No Orange |
| — | 1600 -1605 |
Either: E along ridge to Bealach Lapain | 725 | 7.5 miles | NH00991452 | No Orange | |
| — | 1645 | Poor wet peaty zigzag path S down to parking at A87 | 180 | 8.15 miles | NH00931352 | ||
| — | 1700 | If necessary, walk W on A87 to battlefield car park | 130 | 8.95 miles | NG99561329 | ||
| 1805 | — | Or: Descend directly to just N of Eas-nan-Arm Bridge, bearing due S towards NW corner of forest by burn – an excellent way down (or up), though steep: dry, no peat bog, steady gradient |
130 | 7.75 miles | NG99411334 | No Orange |
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