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An Teallach, Map 19; 5th Sept 2004 & 10th Aug 2009

Route: 1925m=6315' ascent; 13 miles; 8.5-10.25 hrs.


Corrag Bhuidhe from Sail Liath with Sgurr Greag an Eich behind Sandstone rocks on the Corrag Bhuidhe ridge A gully on the Corrag Bhuidhe ridge Sgurr Fiona and Corrag Bhuidhe from Sgurr Greag an Eich Corrag Bhuidhe and Sgurr Fiona from Bidein a' Ghlas Thuill Corrag Bhuidhe and Loch Toll an Lochain from Glas Mheall Liath

Evaluation: 4-5 stars.
Route: The ridge from Sgurr Fiona to the col SE of Corrag Bhuidhe is narrow and exposed with pinnacles that require only minor scrambling (<½ mile long) if the correct route is taken. These pinnacles are easily ascended by taking lower horizontal paths on the west side of the ridge, and then taking short paths northeastwards up steep grassy slopes to each when level with them. Any difficulty indicates the wrong route, in which case take a lower path and/or leave ascending till further along the ridge. Otherwise, and apart from the steepness of the initial descent off Glas Mheall Mor, this traverse of An Teallach is straightforward.
The Corrag Bhuidhe Buttress, with its deleted Munro Top, is the set of cliffs seen half way up the face of the end of the SE ridge of Sgurr Fiona when seen from Stob Cadha Gobhlach. The path up the buttress goes NW slightly diagonally leftwards from the col at NH06708291 up to another col at NH06538312, just behind the left end of the buttress cliffs. To visit the deleted top, simply go about 100m E from the col along the ridge to the top.
The ascent of the ridge continues from the col by going up just to the right of the crest for a few metres only. When the path crosses back to the crest, which is at the bottom of a row of cliffs, stop ascending and take the horizontal path on the left, thereby avoiding any scrambling. (You should see another horizontal path below, which is to be ignored.) Follow the horizontal path NNW passed the first grassy gully and round a buttress (below the southernmost of the three tops of Corrag Bhuidhe) to the next much broader grassy slope which stretches up between the cliffs as far as the ridge crest. Ascend a fairly steep, faint path up the slope to a slight dip in the ridge. To visit the above-mentioned top, turn right and go south along the ridge for a few yards of very easy scrambling.
The rest of Corrag Bhuidhe can be completed by some easy scrambling northwards along the crest. However, it is much easier to turn left from the dip in the ridge at the top of the grassy slope and take another, higher, horizontal path NNW round the buttress below the midddle top of Corrag Bhuidhe as far as the point where the path has to descend. There is one rather exposed but easy move in this section, which is when rounding the buttress. The end of the horizontal path is immediately west of the northernmost Munro top of Corrag Bhuidhe, its highest point, which is now just a few metres above and easily attained.
The ridge is completed easily by a descent NNW from the north top of Corrag Bhuidhe to a col, an easy scramble NNW up the ridge to Lord Berkeley's Seat, down to the next col, and then up to the cairn on Sgurr Fiona. The actual summit block of Lord Berkeley's Seat can be avoided, but it is easily reached with a short, trivial scramble up its SE side.
The route from Sgurr Creag an Eich over to Bidein a' Ghlas Thuill makes use of a shortcut which traverses the north face of Sgurr Fiona between the two cols. This avoids re-visiting the summit of Sgurr Fiona. There are a number of bits of paths here, and some rocks to go above or below, but it is entirely straight-forward.
The standard route to the two Munros is a path from Dundonnell beside the Allt a' Mhuilinn and via the col to the north of Bidein a' Ghlas Thuill. This would be one way of descending, but entails a 2½ mile walk back along the A832 to Corrie Hallie unless the corner is cut off – it is 1.6 miles back from the bridge over the Allt a' Mhuilinn. Alternatively, and much shorter, one can descend very steeply SE from this col into Glas Tholl where there are spectacular views of the cliffs, and then cross gentler slopes ENE to pick up the path at the scenic waterfall. A third, similar alternative is to descend the steep grass and heather slopes on the east face of Glas Mheall Mor and again head for the waterfall. Walking poles are particularly useful for both of these latter two choices. The Allt Coir' a' Ghiubhsachain is tricky to ford and retain dry feet but, having done so, it is fastest to go over the low ridge and head directly for the A832 at the point where the house, Corrie Hallie, is. At this point of the road there is a gate in the fence and the trees and ditch are avoided.
Preferably choose good weather for visibility, view, clarity of paths & to avoid slippery exposed slopes.
The times below reflect time wasted in finding a route to the first pinnacle of Corrag Bhuidhe.
Access: Park in layby on A832 near Corrie Hallie house, 2½ miles S of Dundonnell. There is space for a dozen cars on E side of road between the house and the track gate.
Weather 5/9/04: Dry & dull with sunny intervals.
Weather 10/8/09: 5°C at car initially; in cloud from start to 1600; some showers.

5/9/04 10/8/09 Description Alt.Asc.Dist. Mob.
08350715 Parking in layby at Corrie Hallie on A832   52   00.0 milesNH11458505Orange
09000745 Take excellent track SSW to ftbridge 2552051.5 milesNH10678302  
09150805 SW to path split from track (cairn) 3853352.1 milesNH10028227 
09350830 Leave path at max altitude 4103603.05 milesNH08698165 
10250945 Ascend ridge NW to T Sail Liath 9549054.15 milesNH07158248Orange
   WNW to col 890 4.3 milesNH06968256 
10401005 W to T Stob Cadha Gobhlach 9609704.35 milesNH06868258Orange
 1020 N/NW to col 845 4.6 milesNH06708291 
 1030 NW to col beyond Corrag Bhuidhe Buttress 93210704.75 milesNH06568310 
11051035 (optional) Ridge SE to Corrag Bhuidhe Buttress 94510804.8 milesNH06658310 
 1040 Return NW on ridge to col 932 4.87 milesNH06568310 
 1125
-1140
Horizontal path NW then grass gully SE to ridge,
then another horizontal path, and ascend to
T Corrag Bhuidhe     (The northernmost
of its 3 pinnacles, which has a cairn.)
104712005.1 milesNH06508330Orange
11351145 NNW along ridge with short detour E to
T Lord Berkeley's Seat
103012175.25 milesNH06458350Orange
11501155 NNW up ridge to M Sgurr Fiona 106012775.4 milesNH06398370Orange
   WNW to col 920 5.55 milesNH06148379 
12201235 W to T Sgurr Creag an Eich 101713756.0 milesNH05518383Orange
 1250 Return E to col 920 6.37 milesNH06148379 
   Path ENE to ridge, by-passing
Sgurr Fiona on its N face
96014156.6 milesNH064838 
 1305 NE down to bealach 915 6.7 milesNH06538402 
13001325-30 NNE/NE to M Bidein a'Ghlas Thuill (trig pt) 106215607.0 milesNH06898437Orange
   ESE to col 930 7.35 milesNH07358415 
13251405 E to T Glas Mheall Liath 96016157.6 milesNH07758410Orange
 1415 Return W back to col 930 7.87 milesNH07358415 
1400
-1410
1435 WNW to M Bidein a'Ghlas Thuill trig pt (again) 106217758.2 milesNH06898437Orange
14251455 N to col 875 8.5 milesNH06958486 
14301500 N to top 91518158.6 milesNH06958504 
14351505 NE to col 890 8.77 milesNH07128516 
14451515-20 NE to T Glas Mheall Mor 97919009.1 milesNH07618538Orange
14551530 Return SW to col.    (Descend SE from either
side of lump here, but easier from S side.)
(or use an alternative mentioned above.)
890 9.43 milesNH07128516 
15251600 Descend due SE down gully into Glas Tholl.
Then path SE down to valley floor
600 9.75 milesNH07368475 
16251700-30 Follow path ENE by river to waterfall 180 11.63 milesNH10288527 
17001800 Take path E down to road and return to parking
at Corrie Hallie or cross river & head direct to
Corrie Hallie house where access to road is easy.
  52192512.9 milesNH11458505Orange


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