© Lonely Planet Publications 384 lonelyplanet.com THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS 385

The Western Highlands 0 40 km The Western Highlands 0 20 miles

The Western Highlands – Maps A T L A N T I C O C E A N The Western Highlands 1 The Five Sisters of p389 2 p392 3 p395 Cape Wrath Dounreay Butt of Durness Lewis Melvich The Western Highlands is the earthly equivalent of a walker’s heaven. It is a remote and To Thurso Port of Ness Bettyhill Kinlochbervie starkly beautiful area, sparsely populated, with beautiful glens and lochs and some of the Loch Tongue Eriboll finest in Britain. In summer the clear air provides rich colours, and (sometimes) Handa Island A897 great views from the ridges and summits. The sheer number of peaks and their infinite Scourie variety attracts walkers from all over the country, year after year. In small and crowded M I N C H Point of Loch Britain, this is as close as it gets to real wilderness. All this is contained in the area between Stoer Glencoul A838 Kylesku Glen Moriston and in the south and Ullapool in the north, and bounded in the A836 To Wick & John o'Groats east by a line running through Garve. Lochinver N O R T H

To Stornoway Loch Helmsdale The wildness integral to this area’s charms can make logistics difficult for walkers on a Shin Knockan A9 short visit from abroad, especially if you are relying on public transport. If you have the Lairg Brora Golspie time, the effort will be well rewarded. At any time of year the walking can be difficult, so Little Loch this is no place to begin learning techniques. But if you are fit, competent, well- Broom Ullapool Bonar Bridge equipped and, ideally, have plenty of time, the Western Highlands should be extremely Croick Dornoch Ardgay A832 Dundonnell Dornoch Firth rewarding, even addictive. H I G H L A N D A835 Tain The routes we describe in this section are nontechnical (ie no ropes), are easily reached Poolewe THE GREAT Gairloch WILDERNESS Loch Nigg by car or public transport and there is a range of accommodation nearby. They are but a Maree 3 Invergordon T o r Loch Moray r i d Beinn Slioch Fannich Cromarty Firth taste of the fine opportunities available, with several other classic walks in each of the Glen o n Firth Cromarty Eighe Black 2 Garve Beinn Isle Shiel, and Great Wilderness areas. Fortrose Fort Rona Alligin Loch Inveralligin Achnasheen George A96 Luichart A9 Nairn Torridon Muir Annat of Ord THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS Beauly Applecross Inverness Lochcarron Strathcarron Isle of A831 Skye Crowlin Loch Is Affric Cannich Grantown- Scalpay on-Spey Kyle of Drumnadrochit 1 G l e n A f f r i c Loch Ness Broadford Morvich iat h ad hl on s Shiel Bridge The M nt ai n Five Sisters o u G l e n S h i e l M Carn an Aviemore M o r i s t o n Fhreceadain A87 m G l e n (878m) or Fort g ns Armadale Knoydart rn ai Augustus i nt Invergarry Kingussie a u C o THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS Inverie Newtonmore M Loch Garry Loch Quoich Cairngorms Drumgask National Loch Creag Park Lochy Meagaidh A9 Loch Morar Loch Arkaig Eigg A82 Loch Spean Laggan HIGHLIGHTS Glenfinnan Bridge A830 A86 S A I N Muck Loch N T Ericht U Traversing the Five Sisters’ ( p386 ) slender, scenic ridge above dramatic Glen Shiel M O Fort William Loch Treig Loch N Being knocked sideways by the views of ’s west coast from atop the Horns of Alligin Shiel I A ( p392 ) (1344m) P Tummel Inchree M Forest Park Kinlochleven A Pitlochry Scaling the heights of Slioch ( p393 ), the dramatic peak above , on the threshold R G Loch Tobermory Glencoe Loch Rannoch Tummel of the Great Wilderness Isle of A82 Mull Loch Linnhe Aberfeldy Tay THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS point fortheWestern Highlands and to London (First ScotRail andGNER). and toLondon(First ScotRail trainlinkstotherest ofScotRail Scotland, good dailyScottish CitylinkbusandFirst the maingateways tothearea. Bothhave Inverness andFortWilliam( p362 as ) serve GATEWAYS GlenShiel. Skye busalsoservices Torridon andSlioch. TheFortWilliam– Glen Shiel; andWesterbus andScotbusfor fromInverness:buses ScottishCitylinkfor All three areas inthischapter by are served AROUND GETTING @visitscotland.com) Gairloch Information Sources area. provide agoodintroductiontothe Bennet, The Highlands Club(SMC),taineering Two publicationsbytheScottishMoun- Books land coverseries thearea: No2 Two mapsintheOSTravel –Road1:250,000 Maps dramatically. before thechances of snowfallsincrease after anylate-spring snow hasgoneand mid-Maydone between andearlyOctober, The three walksinthischapter are best When toWalk INFORMATION 386 www.visithighlands.com. website for thewholeof is theHighlands forecasts forthearea. Theencompassing and guidebooksproviding weather maps selling formative andwellstaffed, the passnow calledBealach nanSpainteach anddowninto GleannLichd. routed theJacobites andthe lasttofleewere theSpanish, whodashedupthemountainsideto walk (there isaNationalTrust forScotlandinterpretive signatthesite). The government troops pointforthistroops camefromInverness andthetwosidesmet about1milewestofthestarting including aSpanishregiment, landedatEileanDonan Castle besideLochDuich.Government Culloden in1745,alesser-known battletookplaceinGlenShiel.InJune 1719 Jacobite troops, In thelongstrugglebetweengovernment andJacobite forces,whichended attheBattleof THE SPANISH CONNECTION GLENSHIEL••TheFive SistersofKintail andNo3

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( % 0845 2255121; The Northwest Northern Scot-Northern . . Itisin-

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1027m). Theothertwo,atthenorth end Ciste Duibhe (Peak of theBlackChest, nach (Rocky Peak, 1002m)and Sgurr na (Peak of Springs,1067m), Sgurr naCàr- (peaks over 3000ft/914m)– Sgurr Fhuaran Duich. Three of thesisters are Munros totheshoressteeply of beautifulLoch the northwestridge dropsalittleless peaceful GleannLichd ontheother. To one sideandtothemore remote and falls awayvertiginously toGlenShiel on byslitsofseparated (orbealachs), passes This chain of elegant,precipitous summits, Kintail. of theglenisknownasFive Sisters of the south.Thelongspikyridge tothenorth andruggedly to and risingalmostassteeply soaringskywardstothenorth, mountains, snakes rock-encrusted steep-sided, between penetrable Glen Shiel. Thewindingroad whatappearspass through tobetheim- Travelling westtotheIsleof Skyeyou GLEN SHIEL and Dublin. from Glasgow,Edinburgh, London,Belfast bydailyflights Inverness isalsoserved THE FIVESISTERSOFKINTAIL ridges alongmostlyclear,well-usedpaths. over roughground,traversing somenarrow land –anarduousbutimmenselyscenicwalk Summary Transport Finish Start Difficulty Distance Duration GlenShielcarpark Ault a’chruinn( opposite ) 7.5miles(12km) 6¾–8 hours demanding private One ofthefinestridgewalksinScot- lonelyplanet.com Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com and much, much more. therugged southwesternbetween peaks– andRumsailing the islandsof Eigg Canna, spreadeagled acrossthewestern skylineand horizon tothenorthwest,Isleof Skye punctuatingthethe Torridonmountains behind thisunusualname. theboxedsee text, opposite , forthehistory Spainteach (Peak of theSpaniards,990m); sister youhave toclimbover Sgurr nan before reach youeven thesouthernmost Peak,(Mighty 876m).Andthatisn’tall: rows Peak, 929m)and Sgurr naMoraich of theridge, are (Ar-Sgurr nanSaighead lonelyplanet.com and June, and September to early October.and June, andSeptember and others’ safety. Thebest timesare May so considerablecare foryourown isneeded descents into,and climbsoutof, bealachs, rockalongthe ridge, especiallyonthe loose there’s because is alsoimportant alotof dayforthisclassic ridgethe right walk.This strong windorrain,soit’sworthwaiting for be extremely hazardousinpoorvisibility, The Five Sisters are very andcan exposed When toWalk forward climbordescent. from SgurrFhuaranoffers afairlystraight- and thelongridge thrustingeastwards anLàpain Bealach There is aclearpathuptotheridge at haveindeed, much torecommend them. Lichd, onthe otherside,are feasible and, steep. Routes toandfromGleann seriously the spurfromSgurrFhuaran,butthisis few. People dogodowntoGlen Shiel via Once you’re ontheridge, escaperoutes are Alternatives peaks togo. the climbingisn’tover –there are stilltwo pointonthewalk(SgurrFhuaran) highest when you’vemind thateven reached the Keep Nevis. more in thanarompupBen long buttheascentof 1530misnearly100m isn’tunusually about 1mile. Thedistance orShiel Bridge, add atMorvich staying andknee-jarringless steep descent. Ifyou’re than where youfinish,andwithaslightly point atahigher towards theviews,starting is fromsoutheasttonorthwest–walking Far andawaythebestdirection forthiswalk PLANNING The ridge commandsfineviews,with

from Glenlicht House, from Glenlicht House, GLEN SHIEL••TheFive SistersofKintail fare incheerful surroundings. breakfast £4-7, Bridge; www.caravanclub.co.uk; offering dorm-styleaccommodation. BunkHouse, twins andsingles,theWee accommodation, theTrekkers’ Lodge, with specials are offered. features plentyof localproduce anddaily chruinn; breakfast £7, lunch &dinnermainsto£10) dm/s/d£13/50/58;breakfast £10, .kintaillodgehotel.co.uk; sitesfor2£5) 511211; ShielBridge; . popular refreshment stoponthewayto a hamletscattered along theA87,andisa toMorvich. the minorroad Shiel Bridge is aroundthejunctionofhouses theA87and lage –it’smore ascattered collectionof You can’treally call Ault a’chruinn avil- a’chruinn& ShielBridge Ault TOWNS NEAREST A87, the At about1.5milesfromthe Morvich, Information Sources , GlenShiel &Loch Hourn. 1:50,000mapisNo33 vey (OS)Landranger Therelevant OrdnanceSur-local contacts. and hassomebackgroundinformation Kintail: GlenShiel The Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000map Maps soaccessisopenatalltimes. Estate, Kintail The wholeridge iswithintheNTS’ maps. has avery goodrange of suppliesandlocal during summer. side rangers here based runguidedwalks weather forecast isdisplayeddaily.Country- the Estate; ist officefeaturing theKintail tour- asmall,usuallyunstaffed maintains are clean andwell-maintained. with great viewsof theFive Sisters; facilities 20) flat andgrassy. shelteredPitches atthissecluded, site are about 1milenorthof Aulta’chruinn. hasasuperboutlook.Thesmallish menu The off-licence The off-licence Five Sisters Restaurant Sisters Five Morvich Caravan ClubSite Caravan Morvich Jac-O-Bite Restaurant Jac-O-Bite Kintail LodgeHotel Kintail Shielbridge Caravan & Camping Site &Camping Caravan Shielbridge NTS

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THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS WESTERN THE THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS Cluanie. along theA887tojoinA87nearLoch verness theA82atInvermoriston turnoff Fort WilliamroadatInvergarry. FromIn- which branches fromtheA82Inverness– hours, three daily). (1½ hours, three daily)andPortree (1½ Inverness between daily), asdoitsbuses of SkyeviaFortWilliam(1½hours, three gow (4¾hours, three daily)andtheIsle Bite restaurant. parkingareaclosest isatthenearbyJac-O- of Aulta’chruinn, besideLoch Duich. The 1.5 milesfromShiel Bridge) inthehamlet (which branches fromtheA87, Morvich Cluanie Inn. Shiel through Bridge (see above ) stopat OS 1:50,000map.Scottish Citylinkbuses about 100mwestof theonemarked onthe (not signposted atthetimeof writing)is 5 mileswestof CluanieInn.Thiscarpark atacarparkbesidetheA87, The walkstarts TO/FROMTHEWALK GETTING Scottish Citylink THERE&AWAYGETTING 388 .co.uk) Shiel Bridge isontheA87trunkroad, The walkfinishesontheminorroadto happen on Sunday. remembering thataccess alongrightsofwayisalwaysopen, andthatshootingdoesn’tworth throughouttheyear.but generallymaintain accessforwalkers ontheirlandsof Birds,Forestry stalking CommissionandScottishNaturalHeritagemayconduct tourist offices. The NationalTrustforScotland,JohnMuirTrust,RoyalSociety theProtection to eat without wrecking thevegetation.to eatwithoutwrecking A balancemustbemaintainedbetweendeernumbersandtheirhabitat,so theyhave enough fallow. Reddeerare the biggestandmostnumeroushave thegreatest onthe land. impact business. The andimportant 750,000-strong populationcomprisesfourspecies–red, roe,sika Managing Scotland’swilddeerpopulationisanorganised andecologically andeconomically STALKING DEER may alsobeavailablethroughthe ment groupsprovide detailedon-site information,usuallyspecifyingpreferred routes. walking This heeding adviceonalternative routes. Avoid place. Manage- istaking crossing landwhere stalking placeandbyminimise disturbancebydoingyourbest tofindoutwhere istaking theactivity integrated intothecull. forestates and localcommunities,is agoodincome-earner rifles. ofdeerstalking, The sport older andunhealthyanimalsare shotbyexperiencedprofessional usinghigh-velocity stalkers ofthecountry.Regularcensusesgovern herds–inmostparts theannualcull,whendistinct lishment ofdeermanagementgroups–voluntarylandowners covering areas with GLENSHIEL••TheFive SistersofKintail buses stopatShiel Bridge buses fromGlas- Some estates don’tbelongtodeermanagement groupsandsomearen’t cooperative. It’s The During the stalking season,mostlybetween mid-August youcanhelpto andmid-October, During thestalking Deer CommissionforScotland ( % 0870 5505050;www.citylink Hillphones

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(www.hillphones.info) follow thewell-wornpathuptoabreezy ontheroadbelow. traffic and, forthemoment,outof earshot of the glens anddeep surrounded bymountains Suddenly you’re inadifferent world– Odhar. anLàpain,nearBeinn of Bealach slope tothemainridge, reaching itwest grassy clearly definedpath,climbthesteep, stream. Fromthere, of intheabsence a few minutes thenbearleftandcrossasmall old stonewall.Climbbesideoronitfora makes arisingtraverse totheremains of an northwest, upbelowacrag,zigzagsthen the footof asmallwaterfall. Thepathleads the path,soonbearinglefttocrossaburnat leading ontoopenmoorland.Continueon fence, toagateing fairlysteeply, inahigh ayoungconifer climb- through plantation, route upbesidetheburn, ally zigzagging left alongaclearpath.Itfollowsgener- besideaburn,bear Just 12mtoyourright, and followaclearpathuptoforest track. a smallgate, of immediately right aburn, Just uphillfromthecarpark,gothrough 2½–3 hours,2miles(3km) Duibhe ParktoSgurrnaCiste Glen ShielCar THE WALK Turn westalongtheridge crest and service, orperhapsfrom local service, hasfostered theestab- lonelyplanet.com . skylineofserrated theIsleof Skyebeyond in theopposite direction, contemplate the the gapattopof GleannLichd and, through towardsGlen Affric can lookeast Duibhe to theneatsummitcairnon Make theboulders yourwayupthrough nanSpainteach. amazingly narrowBealach takesble downthefaceof youtothe abluff rocky climbto Odhar. Thencomesashallow dipanda arête andon over thetwinbumpsof Beinn lonelyplanet.com straight towards the SkyeBridge,straight the path Having led northwestfrom thesummit, 1–1¼ hours,1.5miles (2.5km) a’chruinn Sgurr naMoraich toAult number five. grass andfinallyupto change,outcrops and,forapleasant across follows amore amongrocky course even up andsoonthepath below. Climbstraight row gap,withfineviewsof GleannLichd pathdrops downtoanar-Hill). Arough Bhuidhe (Yellowand thenuptoBeinn rocky knobstonegotiate onthewaydown now changes character withmore small, nan Saighead leadingupto ofdramatic sheets cliffs Bhuidhe. Thepaththentraverses above the descenttoBealach some andspectacular head northwestthennorthonthisawe- thesummitcairn,take careLeaving to 1¾–2 hours,2.5miles(4km) toSgurrnaMoraichSgurr Fhuaran fromhersiblings. absorbing asthose the thirdSister. Fromhere theviewisjustas Fhuaran twisting pathtakes care of theclimb to naCàrnach. Asteep, rocky,to Bealach to regain thelineof theridge andgodown a narrowclefttotheleft,thenitbears right the east.Thefirst bitof thedescentisdown to rama includeLochs andBenevean Affric Sister. Fromhere newfeatures inthepano- turns northto ground.Thelineofhighest ascentthen Craoibhe (Pass of theTree), keeping tothe na west asyoucontinuedowntoBealach The ridge changes direction, leadingnorth- 1½–1¾ hours,1.5miles(2.5km) DuibhetoSgurrFhuaran Sgurr naCiste , thefirst of theFive Sisters. Here you , the highest pointontheridge, thehighest and , Sister number four. Theridge Sgurr nanSpainteach Sgurr naCàrnach Sgurr naMoraich , the second , thesecond Sgurr na Ciste Sgurr naCiste . Ascram- , Sister Sgurr Sgurr and buttresses, cragsandboulder fields,its of festooned a mountain, with pinnacles bythelocals) isamassive‘lee-agach’ wall major mountains. (pronounced corriesandrugged peaks. tacular area of lochans, moors, glens,spec- deep The dominate awild Torridon mountains TORRIDON tion withtheA87. Ault a’chruinn, about200mfromitsjunc- roadin theMorvich road,meeting a sealed alongavehicleright track,which becomes continue toawater treatment works.Turn the stream. Followitdowntoastileand aboveroute downto anarrowpathhigh side of Allta’chruinn asaguidetothebest Keep youreyeonthecrags onthewestern bristlingonthecrestsmall cliffs of thespur. grass awayfromthe andheather,steering magnetic), asyoudescendvery over steeply generally northwest(orabout300degrees fades. Keep wellto theleftof thebroadspur, The Five Sisters ofKintail Lochalsh (16mi) To Kyleof

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To THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS WESTERN THE THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS the high andwild Scottishpeaks without the high thatallows youtogetmountain a feel for Either way,it’sdefinitely agemtain’. –a or‘Jewelled ofis ‘Mountain Moun- Beauty’ intwo.split themountain andappearing to summit ridge tothebase back wallof thecorrie,runningfrom Dhubh(theBlackCleft)inthe gash of Eag Fox Hole).Even more dramaticis the great the huge corrieTolla’MhadaidhMor (the Alligin, are round linked byaridge curving subsidiarypeaks,theHornsofspectacular Tom naGruagaich, bothMunros,andthe the unfitorinexperienced.SgurrMhórand for walkandnotsuitable mountain serious thisisstilla technical although difficulties, both bereached withoutencountering any the peak Tom naGruagaich (922m)can Alligin’s summit, Sgurr Mhór(986m)and the scopeof Beinn thisbook.However, very locations,andare exposed beyond in involvingdifficult takings, Some Torridonroutes are under- serious aged byScottishNaturalHeritage (SNH). ownedandman- National Nature Reserve, Eighe of peaks.ItadjoinstheBeinn these in1967,embracesmost chased bytheNTS introduction tothiswonderfularea. gin, thesubjectof andtheideal thissection of Alli- ruggedness. Andthenthere’s Beinn paratively lowly,butlackslittleintheway of Liathach acrossawideglen,maybecom- peaknorth magnificent horseshoe-shaped ‘on theground’. Dearg (914m), a Beinn outliers make itsseveral though itbigger asLiathachmassif (972m),notquite ashigh (1055m). Totheeastis Eighe Beinn main summitbeingSpideana’Choire Léith 390 BEINN ALLIGIN scrambling. several steep andsome andexposedsections ridge, crossingtwomajorsummits. Itinvolves Summary Transport Nearest Towns Start/Finish Difficulty Distance Duration The accepted meaning of Beinn Alligin The accepted meaningof Beinn (2.5sqmiles),pur-The TorridonEstate TORRIDON••BeinnAlligin 6.5miles(10.5km) 6–8 hours moderate–demanding private An excitingcircuitofahorseshoe TorridonHouseBridge ordn (above ) Torridon [email protected]; Oct-Apr) trance daily. weather forecasts are posted besidetheen- andLochmountains Torridon. Mountain the sceneryandwildlife of theTorridon relating tothelocalarea. Displaysfeature range of walkingandenvironmentbooks village. Itstocksmapsandavery good the A896,atentrancetoTorridon others intheTorridonarea). comprehensive guidetothiswalk(andthe isthemost Anderson andDonaldBennet much more useful. Superwalker 1:25,000map plecross Gairloch &Ullapool 1:50,000mapsNo19 The OSLandranger &Books Maps difficulties. todead-endlookoutsorpotentialcan lead most of theway,beware of sidepaths that likely. there’s Although awell-definedpath tial ifthemistcomesdown,which isalways Map-reading andcompassskillsare essen- inasuddenstorm. you happentobecaught toblowyouoverthe windsstrongenough if shaded corners, themistcanbethickand involves around1300mof ascent. the peakswhileyou’re stillfresh. Thewalk sothatyoutackle lar walkisanticlockwise, The recommended direction forthiscircu- PLANNING is openatalltimes. soaccess isownedbytheNTS, mountain approach routes. Anotherplusisthatthe ortocoverhaving tobeamountaineer long The Information Sources for details. ( CountrysideCentre theNTS tact below ) walks are available byappointment.Con- guidedmountain August, andhigh-level landscape of Juneand Torridonbetween at introducingthenaturalandcultural Countryside rangers leadshortwalksaimed Guided Walks exhibition £3; The nearest The SMC’s guide Even insummerpatches of snowlurkin NTS CountrysideCentre NTS isinGairloch, 31 milesaway. overlap Alligin.Harvey’s onBeinn h 10am-5pm Easter-Sep) tourist office tourist

and24 h The Munros daily Easter-Sep, Mon-Sat daily Easter-Sep,

( ( lonelyplanet.com % % Raasay & Ap- Torridon 0845 2255121; 01445-791221; isjustoff by Rab byRab is Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com & dinner) .lochtorridonhotel.com; views andafirst-rate dryingroom. average rooms,twolounges withpanoramic miles fromTorridonvillage. on thesouthsideof theloch, acoupleof ity inthearea. Theonlycatch isitslocation, kies onoffer, isthecentre of activ- evening someofyou cansample the60maltwhis- that such placescanhave. Thebar,where dation, butwithoutthesterile atmosphere convertedbeen tomotel-style accommo- lonelyplanet.com Torridon Campsite Torridon SLEEPING &EATING on UKbankcards. forsmallamounts vide acash-back service theshopmaybeable topro- away, although The nearest ATM isinGairloch, 31miles inthearea.Liathach, isthemainsettlement the footof thetoweringwestern reaches of along ’snorthernshore, at The smallvillage of Torridon, spread out Torridon TOWN NEAREST tion, along theInveralligin–Diabaig road. beers. It’s800m northwestfrom thejunc- books, mapsand agreat array of Scottish is well-stocked and carries campinggas, of thenearbypublictoilets. grass;use Countryside Centre. It’sbasic–justapatch .syha.org.uk; dm Ben DamphInn Torridon Stores Torridon Torridon SYHAHostel Torridon into pinnaclesandshattered intoscree, notablyon ( p393 the endoflastIceAge, itlook thisrockwasthefirsttoemerge), whichmakes fromthe icemantle. Itwasriven ments laiddownbytropicalseas,whichfloodedthesandstonesome600millionyearsago. At thearea sandstonemakes anideal scramblers’playground. tion affordedbythefine-grained Teallach ( p397 ) andtheHornsofBeinnAlligin are fric- superbexamples. These days,theglue-like pinnaclesandcragsonhighridges.and rain,whichhave sculptedThe pinnacleson wonderful An well,withabroadgrey basetopped byan800m-highmoundofredparticularly sandstone. purple thanred). Slioch( p393 ), withitsdistinctive silhouette, double-tiered exhibitsthisrock to formarocksolocalisedithasbeennamedred Torridoniansandstone(thoughitlooksmore 800 millionyearsagowhenthearea wasinequatorialregions. The sedimentarymaterial hardened state, sandsupto4milesthickaround itwassmothered Inamuch-eroded bydesert bedrock. processes thatcreated theregion. AncientLewisian gneiss,upto2500millionyearsold,isthe The exposedrockyflanksandsummitsofmanythepeaksinthisarea displaythegeological TORRIDONIAN ROCKS snow-covered, even inmidsummer. The thirdmaingeological componentofthearea, wasformedbysedi- Cambrian quartzite, Much ofthisrelatively softsandstonehasbeeneroded,mainlybysuccessive iceages,wind occupies a former stable thathas occupiesaformerstable

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391 THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS WESTERN THE THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS drop down intothecorrie onyourleft.To the left(northwest) and keeping thesteep and thengoup again, swingingroundto skirts thepeakson theirsouthernside. pinnacle. Alternatively, followthepaththat caretaking descentof onthesteep thefirst ble over this andthenexttworockypeaks, two hours Youcanscram- fromthestart. reach of thebase thefirst horn about1½to and aimforthethree ance whilenegotiatingsomerocky steps, very ridge, steep usingyourhandsforbal- ridge.horseshoe north, towardstheeastern endof the Alligin afootbridge andaimsroughly path crosses fence. Almost1kmbeyondhere, theclear agatefurther along,gothrough inadeer Alligin.Aboutleft (west)isBeinn 200m is thewestern endof Liathach andtothe Dearg. (east)wall of Totheright Beinn aheadisthebluntwesternland. Straight Scots pinewoodlandandoutintomoor- path, signposted toCoire Dubh,upthrough on Abhainn Coire MhicNòbuil)followa BeinnAlligin 392 (2.7mi) Inveralligin To Beinn Alligin Gruagaich After thethirdhorn,drop to asmallcol Continue upthecrest of thebroadand Tom na (922m)

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h o . You m a l Torridon h (1mi) To Gruagaich shouldtake abouttwo hours. site thecarpark.The descentfromTom na spur. paths Followrough totheroadoppo- fencea longdeer ontheeastern fallof the on thebroadridge andtofindastileover retrace yoursteps totheroadandcarpark. out. Crossthebridge toreach the pathand above ontheway thefootbridge youcrossed south of easttoreach Allta’Bhealaich, just Nòbuil isn’tinspate, steeracourseslightly rocky plateau. Here, ifAbhainn Coire Mhic walls of thecorriefunnel you downtoa streams gurgling alongbeside. Thesteep small steeply onanerodedpathwithseveral tending from TomnaGruagaich, dropping the mainwestern ridge andtheridge ex- between Walk southintoCoire nanLaogh, before headingdown. against asyouhave alastlookattheview Sgurr Mhór. There’s atrigpointtolean gaich over large boulders, toreach try todescendthisway. Scottish walking’smanyclassicvistas. frame theviewof theglenfarbelow,oneof oneithersideof thegully is clear,thecliffs unwary walkers theday inmist.If,however, below, ishereabouts, justwaitingtotrap giant gashthatdominates theviewfrom asthetopofon thissection left. Inpoorvisibilitytake particularcare grassy slope,keeping thecorrieedge to the From thesummit,headnorthwestdowna 3-4 hours,3miles(5km) HouseBridge Sgurr MhórtoTorridon them appeareternally snowcapped. thequartzscree Eighe, makingof Beinn peaks onSkyeand,totheeast,summits tothesouthwestarenotable theCuillin ful peaksspread outinalldirections. Most 360 degrees: range uponrange of wonder- theviewisalmostwith theextraheight Damph. Beinn Loch around Torridontothemountains ting better –downthecorrieandacross too,theviewkeeps onget- beyond. Behind, Loch Maree andthecoasttownof Gairloch of lochans, moors andsmallerpeaks,with to openout–abeautifullyjumbledmosaic (northeast)theviewreallyyour right begins Otherwise, headsoutheasttoavoid crags Otherwise, The descentissteepbutstraightforward. up again, Dhubhgosteeply Eag Beyond You soonreach (922m),aboutoneto1½hours from Sgurr Mhór lonelyplanet.com Eag Dhubh (986m),and Tom naGrua- Don’t , the

lonelyplanet.com wildness andbeauty. the area, anda superb initiation intoits Slioch, onthesouthwestern threshold of Here, wedescribeadaywalk to however, two, andpreferably three orfour,days. ofthe course anextended walkof atleast ness are ratherremote andbestclimbedin names delineate estates. separate est’ here meanshuntinggroundandthese Dundonnell Forest onthemap,but‘for- FisherfieldForest, Letterewesee Forest and but very few strange trees. to Itmayseem and waterfalls, peatbogsandgrassyglens, there are lochs of allshapesandsizes,rivers themountains fine, austere peaks.Between undoubtedly meritsthetitle. nopubsorshops withinitsbounds tainly handful of buildingsof anysort,andcer- any towns,thatthere are noroads,onlya islands, thefactthatit’srelatively farfrom small Onthese British,standards. indeed tuous. Butitmustbejudged byScottish, presump-grand scale,thistitlemayseem particular, where wildernessareas are on a For visitors fromNewWorldcountriesin of Poolewe,anarea of about180sqmiles. intheeasttowestcoastvillagetains in thesouth,andfromFannich moun- Loch Broom inthenorthtoLoch Maree The Great Wilderness stretches fromLittle THE GREAT WILDERNESS Most of thepeaksinGreat Wilder- withmany The landscapeismountainous National Nature Reserve Visitor Centre of informationaboutlocalwildlife andgeology.This shouldbeavailablefromthe Abookletproduced byScottishNaturalHeritagehasamapoftheroute, andplentyand drink. theusualprecautionsshould allowatleast2½hours,andtake withfootwear,waterproofs, food (onthemainroadtoGairloch)andabout18milesfromTorridon.You ofKinlochewe northwest Maree toSlioch. of themountains. There viewsoftheBeinnEighemassifandacrossLoch are alsowonderful where thepathweaves pastsecludedlochansandoffers areal impression ofbeingintheheart pine. There steep ofrockygroundtonegotiate section toreach isashort, thehighersection, terrain intheBeinnEigheNationalNature includingbeautifulstandsofnative Scots Reserve, 2.5 mileslong(thoughitinvolves inthebestlow-tomid-level around550mascent)andtakes Eighe MountainTrailprovides tothearea. anexcellentintroduction This route waymarked isonly If thecloudsare downover thehighpeaks,orperhapsyouhave halfadaytospare, theBeinn BEINN EIGHEMOUNTAIN TRAIL and sellsmapsnaturalhistoryguides. alongtheA832.Ithousesdisplaysaboutreserve’s habitats ofKinlochewe 0.75 milesnorth The walk starts andfinishesattheGlasLeitir areaThe walkstarts besideLochMaree, parking afew miles

( % 01445-760254; www.nnr-scotland.org.uk; up theSlioch massif. Fromthesummit moorland tothecluster of peaks thatmake to Loch Maree, wild thenclimbsthrough follows thepicturesque Kinlochewe River up thepathto top.Theroute toSlioch piling outof thecarandheadingstraight surely, farpreferable totheusualroutineof imbued withthespiritof theplace. Thisis, ascent, providing plenty of timetobecome a comparatively of longwalkto thestart the most partsof with Scotland,thisonestarts ‘spear’. well-named, themostlikely meaning being is isspellbinding.Themountain the effect reflectthe mountain sunlight, theevening grey gneiss.Whenthebuttressed flanksof soars skywardsoutof abedof rounded, 800m of purple-red Torridoniansandstone western shores of Loch Maree. Around majestically(980m) rises fromthenorth- The dramatic,double-tiered peakof Slioch SLIOCH mountain horseshoewithexcellentviews. wooded shores ofLoch Maree leadstoaneat Summary Transport Nearest Town Start/Finish Difficulty Distance Duration Unusually among mountain walksinUnusually amongmountain THE GREAT WILDERNESS••Slioch 11.8miles(19km) 7½ hours moderate–demanding bus A beautifulapproachalongthe Incheril car park ilcee (p394 ) Kinlochewe h Beinn Eighe Easter-Oct),

393 THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS WESTERN THE THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS is fantastic. Facilitiesoff. are minimal butthesetting as there isn’tasignindicating theturn- eastern sideof theA832. Checkthedistance about 1.5milesnorth of thevillage onthe Mon-Sat Oct-Easter) 225 5121;[email protected]; Beinn EigheCampsite SLEEPING &EATING Thenearest Reserve. NationalNature Eighe the peaksof Beinn Loch Maree, withviewstowardsSlioch and matic GlenDocherty andneartheheadof nificent location,atthefootof steep, dra- Kinlochewe isadotonthemapinmag- Kinlochewe TOWN NEAREST ground information. forback- Anderson andDonaldBennet sult theSMC’s guide Gairloch &Ullapool 1:50,000mapNo19 The OSLandranger &Books Maps Estate the through The route passes When toWalk/Stalking PLANNING ground. somerough and crosses The walkinvolves ascentof atotal 1160m the Great WildernesstotheWestern Isles. ridge, viewsrange fromtheremote heartof 394 from mid-September tomid-November.from mid-September season, for adviceduringitsmainstalking nace’ nearLetterewe. to nothing,aswelladecimated oakwoodandtheseeminglyincongruousplacename‘Fur- hadceasedbyabout1670,leavingtheworkstocrumblealmosthome andabroad.Allactivity charcoal. Itisn’tclearjustwhathedidwiththeironproduced,butthere were ready at markets shipped ironore fromFife andfelled mostoftheoakwoodlandsonlochshore toproduce first charcoal-fired blastfurnaceinScotland,nearLetterewe, about3mileswestofSlioch.Hay that theworkshelpedtoencourageentrepreneur George Haytodevelop whatwasprobablythe drained ground),theworksprobablyoperated aroundtheendof16thcentury.It is likely andfurnaces).Usinglocalbogironore (whichoccursnaturallyinpoorly(buildings, hearths of LochMaree, largely hiddenbythickheather,are the remains ofafairlyprimitive ironworks ago. welcome, ofcourse,butrest assured, itallhappenedduringabriefinterlude atleast400years Anything remotely resembling industrialdevelopment aroundLochMaree wouldbemostun- HEAVY INDUSTRY BESIDELOCHMAREE THEGREAT WILDERNESS••Slioch On thewaytoSliochyoucrossAbhainnanFhasaigh; here, betweenthepathandshore

( % 01445-760311) isinGairloch covers thisroute. Con-

( % . Contact theestate. Contact The Munros tourist office tourist 01445-760254; free) h . daily Easter-Sep, daily Easter-Sep, Letterewe Letterewe

by Rab byRab ( % 0845 is .scotbus.co.uk) mains £9-11; way northalongthemainroad. alittle snack; it’snexttothepetrolstation, the road. 800m to thelarge carpark at theendof signposted roadtoIncheril. Continue for for about800m, thenturnleftalongthe Follow theA832 eastfromKinlochewe TO/FROM THEWALK GETTING Westerbus THERE&AWAYGETTING 5; and Friday). lochewe (1½hours, Tuesday,Thursday Invernessbetween andGairloch viaKin- for magnificentbreakfasts. Laird CoffeeShop cashfromthepostoffice. obtain maps,amongotherthings.Youcan sells demand. and thebeanstew often appearbypopular freshly prepared; thesteak andreal alepie, The menuchanges is daily,soeverything one of orHeatherale’s Harviestoun’s brews. Isle of Skyebeers are oryoucantry ontap, can have allmealsinthehotel. Inthebar, hasakitchen, oryou come. Thebunkhouse daily). .info; s/d 760253; h Hill Haven B&B Haven Hill Kinlochewe Hotel &Bunkhouse Hotel Kinlochewe There’s anothertinyshopandthe The 10am-4pm Wed-Sun)

www.kinlochewehotel.co.uk; dm/s/d £10/33/70, www.kinlochewehotel.co.uk; £33/56) village shop

h ( % runs the same route (1½hours,runs thesame Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com lunch &dinner) isafriendlyplace,renowned 01445-712255)

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% 01445-760204; www.kinlochewe ( h isgoodforaquick

01445-760227; ( Mon-Sat, Sun10am-1pm) % offers awarmwel- operates a service operates aservice 01463-224410; www lonelyplanet.com

( % mains £3- 01445- Tipsy Tipsy

first of lovely several woodlands.Soon and inlessthan10minutes leadsintothe Allt Chnáimhean. below which isawidewoodenbridge over brackenfields andthrough toanothergate, agate.through Thepathleadson,past ends; continuealongapathandsoongo by Letterewe’. After afew minutes thetrack gate. Turnleft,followingthesign‘Poolewe car park,goupthesteps a andthrough terewe onthenorthernsideof estate) the From thecairnandplaque(aboutLet- 1½ hours,2.8miles(4.5km) Fhasaigh ParktoAbhainnan Car Incheril THE WALK lonelyplanet.com Slioch Poolewe (20mi) Gairloch (15mi); To Ghiubhais Slioch Meall a'

(887m) The well-worn path now climbs slightly, The well-wornpathnowclimbsslightly, (896m) stac Beag Ruadh– An t-Allt An an Daraich A832 Loch Allt aueReserve Nature Beinn Caisteal Mór National

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395 THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS WESTERN THE THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS The main pathheadseast intoCoire na the colbelow, justeastof apairof lochans. left sideof rocky spurandreach asteep then veer furthereasttodrop downthe and rocky ground;crossarise through a grassyslope. Thepathtwistsandturns From thesummit,descendsoutheast on 3 hours,5.6miles(9km) Park Car Slioch toIncheril Slioch’s southernsummit. of drop,toreach asteep thetrigpointon eastaroundthetop and swingingslightly a major change indirection, turningsouth beyond. Fromthenorthernsummitmake the Western Islesvisibleonthehorizon stretching outtotheAtlanticOcean,and ning, withapanoramaof Loch Maree below one.the higher Viewsfrombothare stun- as status the southsummitenjoysofficial mits are although height, actuallythesame the top.Thenorthernandsouthernsum- edge of theridge andyouwillbeguided to Slioch as itclimbstowardsthenorthernsummitof down ontoanarrowridge. Theridge widens Great Wilderness. over Lochan Fada totheremote heartof the as youabsorbthewonderfulviewnorth Tuill Bhàin on arockyshoulderthenclimbto of thespur. Veer westtogaineasierground corrie andclimbtheheatherylowerslopes stream that runsdownthemiddleof the across Coire naSleaghaich. Crossthe overtinue north,however, openground Sgurr Dubhdirectly towardsSlioch. Con- main pathveers of westaroundthebase Meallbetween andSgurrDubh. Each soon nearaburnintheshallowdepression cairn. Thepathleadsmore orlessnorth, a prominentjunction,marked byalarge About 0.75milesfurtheron,bearleftat east, soonacrossgenerally flatground. rock slabsandfollowtheclearpathnorth- left,upacross marked byalowcairn.Bear thisisinfactafork,whichright; maybe stream. After 150mthe pathturnssharply alongapaththatfollowstheburnup- right far sideof thebridge andimmediately turn agapinthewireGo through fence onthe 3 hours,3.4miles(5.5km) toSliochAbhainn anFhasaigh 396 Follow thepathwestfromsummit, twohills,the these At thecolbetween MOREWALKS••GlenAffric . Inpoorvisibilitysticktothenorthern (934m).Enjoyawell-earnedrest Sgurr an The Glen Shiel &Loch Hourn Glen Carron&Affric 1:50,000mapsareOS Landranger Nos25 Kintail wards totheawesome Falls of Glomach. there’s agoodpathnorth- Near Morvich and (1151m).Sgurr nanCeathreamhnan day orthree, notably Fhada(1032m) Beinn canoccupya finemountains way several two-daywalk.Alongthe – anoutstanding Sgáirne orFionngleannandGleannLichd an inlet fromthewestcoast,viaBealach onLoch Duich, an It continuestoMorvich SYHA hostel from there traverses theglento ofend of Apublicright way Loch Affric. of Inverness, a roadleadstotheeastern expanding areas of native pinewoodlands. and withpristineLoch Affric Highlands sidered tobe themostbeautifulglenin northeastof GlenShiel,, iscon- GLEN AFFRIC MORE WALKS Maree andtheIncheril carpark. south andretracing yourroute backtoLoch Rejoin themainpathatbottom,turning towardsMealland godownsteeply Each. the northeastsideof thesummitplateau of shoulder aheadbringsyoutothesummit climbuptheDubh. Astraightforward that descendstothebroadcolbelowSgurr topickupthepath veering westslightly tothesouthofclimb therise thelochans, TocompleteSleaghaich. thefullhorseshoe, ascent and takes seven to7½hours.ascent and takes As seven This 11.8-mile (19km)walk involves 1240m Coire Ardair. cliff-lined the spectacular, youround walks,taking classic mountain Meagaidh isoneof horseshoe Scotland’s owned andmanaged bySNH.TheCreag NationalNature Reserve, (1130m). Thepeakisthecentralfeature of nated bythemagnificentCreag Meagaidh Strathspey, isasmallcluster of peaksdomi- the southernreaches of theGreat Glenand aboveRising high between , MEAGAIDH CREAG The Harvey Superwalker 1:25,000map From thevillage of southwest Cannich, Sgurr Dubh covers mostof thisarea. Therelevant ( % (738m).Todescend,crossto 0870 1553255;dm£13; isrecommended. and33 . TheSMC guide lonelyplanet.com Loch Alsh, h Glen Affric Glen Affric Apr-Oct). Apr-Oct). SNH generally openatalltimesbutcheck with May accessis tomid-JuneandSeptember; The Mall) Aviemore fices foraccommodationinformationare at Bridge. Thenearestfrom Laggan touristof- 20 milesfromSpeanBridge and10miles A86, nearSNH’sAberarder office, nearly and StobPoite Coire Ardair(1053m). Liath(1006m) baggers withCarn well asCraigMeagaidh, theroute rewards lonelyplanet.com ( Dundonnell fromInverness with the A832.Publictransportisavailable to park, 2milessoutheastof Dundonnellalong bling inairyplaces. a lotof experienceandare adeptatscram- onlyifyouhaveroute andshouldbetackled ous. Whatever theconditions,itisaserious ground make theroute distinctlyhazard- 7½ to8½hours. and involves around1350mof ascent;allow south tonorth,covers 11.5miles(18.5km) ticked here. off Thewalk,bestdonefrom and Bideina’GhlasThuill(1062m)canbe For Munrobaggers SgurrFiona(1060m) ground. avoid andexposed crossingsteep cautious alternative paths, it’simpossibleto ridge; byfollowingthemost even posed volves somescramblingalongavery ex- Negotiating thetrademarkpinnaclesin- Wilderness andaclassicbyanystandard. proudlyontheedgestanding of the Great is oneof Scotland’sfinest mountains, An Teallach (pronounced‘anchelluck’) An Teallach THE GREAT WILDERNESS Planet’s Lonely includesthiswalk,asdoes Bennet, The Munros walk isNo34 activities. .visithighlands.com; CameronSq; % The besttimesforthewalkare mid- The walk starts atacarparkbesidethe The walkstarts The walk starts attheCorrie HallieThe walkstarts car In badweather,wetrockandslippery The OS Landranger 1:50,000mapforthe The OSLandranger

01445-712255) ( % and

01528-544265) Walking inScotland ( % Fort William Fort by Rab Anderson andDonald byRab 0845 2255121;www.visithighlands.com; and Fort Augustus Fort locallyabout stalking Scotbus

( % i

0845 2255121; ( ). % . . TheSMC’s 01463-224410) Westerbus Westerbus

www . Anderson andDonaldBennet. pathetically bythe conflict, Knoydartisnowcared forsym- isyourguide. Bennet The Munros & Loch Hourn ist office and theSMC’s guide 1:25,000 mapNo435 is preferable, soconsulttheOSExplorer buses fromFortWilliam. buses trainsandScottish Citylink First ScotRail by tiny) village. Mallaig, inturn,is served Mallaig toInverie, Knoydart’sonly(and are the the A832.Thenearest informationsources Broom, about 60mileswestof Inverness on of Dundonnell,attheeastendof LittleLoch .knoydart-foundation.com) www.visithighlands.com; 6ArgyleSt) There’s a commodation providers on thepeninsula. will alsoleadyoutothehandful of ac- vate individuals.Thefoundation’swebsite community, theJohn MuirTrustandpri- 1:50,000 mapNo33 (1020m).TheOSLandranger har Behinn the magnificentMunros,crownedby Lad- walking inScotland. of to beatleastmentionedinanysurvey fewerwith even itdeserves ‘developments’) more remote thantheGreat Wilderness it’ssospecial(far but onlyjust.Because we’ve delineated astheWestern Highlands, Barrisdale. andGlen GlenDessary confines, notably vellous glensleadingintoandwithinits lochs anditsremoteness asit isbythemar- of GlenGarry.It’sdefinedasmuch bythese north, andwestof Loch Quoich atthehead tothesouthand Loch Hourntothe Nevis free area Loch onthewestcoast,between Knoydart isawild,rugged, virtuallyroad- KNOYDART MORE WALKS••TheGreat Wilderness After longyears of mismanagement and For this mountain, alarge-scaleFor thismountain, map Accommodation iscentred onthevillage The mainattractionsforwalkers are Strictly speaking,itliesoutsidethearea

Ullapool tourist office Ullapool tourist ( % ferry 0845 2255121;www.visithighlands.com) by Rab Anderson andDonald byRab covers thearea; theSMC’s

(www.knoydart-ferry.co.uk) Knoydart Foundation Knoydart onbehalfof thelocal Loch Alsh, Glen An Teallach &Slioch, The Munros and

( % Gairloch tour- Gairloch 0845 2255121; by Rab byRab from

Shiel (www 397 .

THE WESTERN HIGHLANDS WESTERN THE © Lonely Planet Publications 398 lonelyplanet.com ISLE OF SKYE •• Information 399

The Isle of Skye 0 20 km Isle of Skye 0 12 miles describes 30 walks that range from easy strolls to challenging scrambles. Isle of Skye – Maps Isle of Skye Including Raasay by Paul Wil- 1 Coast & Cuillin p402 liams concentrates on walks at the easier Isle of Skye 2 Bruach na Frìthe p405 end of the spectrum. Skye 360, Walking the Coastline of Skye by Andrew Dempster is a Melvaig personalised account of a month-long jour- ney with just enough detail to follow in his The Isle of Skye is blessed with some of the finest scenic splendour and variety in Britain, Gairloch footsteps. A Long Walk on the Isle of Skye assets that have attracted writers, artists and travellers to the island for centuries. Since the by David Paterson, in coffee-table format, Redpoint Staffin T offers a description of his walk, inspired by early 20th century, walkers and climbers have also flocked to Skye to revel in the magnificent r Kilt Rock Uig o W t t e his superb photos. a t r hill and coast walking. All manner of visitors also come in search of the island’s mystical e n

r i Sound n s i h atmosphere, still little-diminished in many quiet corners, at a safe distance from the seem- sh of Rona Old Man Raasay Shieldaig Guided Walks of Storr ingly unstoppable growth of tourism and the building of new houses. Council’s countryside rangers (%01471- Rasasay 822905; Old Corry Industrial Estate, Broadford) Portree run varied Inner The Black Cuillin mountains are all about adrenalin-charged challenge and sublime moun- Ardarroch programs of guided walks, with particular Isle of Sound Skye tain and sea vistas. Most of these airy peaks are the domain of walkers with experience Sconser Scalpay emphasis on Skye’s natural heritage, from Skye Kyle of in scrambling and a head for heights, and are beyond the scope of this book. However, 2 Bridge Lochalsh Easter until October. Pick up a brochure at 1 local tourist offices. there are a few walks where you can enjoy a close Cuillin encounter without confronting Cuillin Kyleakin Hills Broadford Cuillin Guides (%01478-640280; www.cuillin To Outer Loch Coruisk any vertiginous scrambling. In this chapter we describe one of these, a challenging route Hebrides Otter Sanctuary Glenelg -guides.co.uk; Glenbrittle) has years of solid expe- up Bruach na Frìthe onto the Black Cuillin ridge. To prove that height isn’t everything, Elgol rience behind it and an unrivalled know- Clan Donald Sound the Coast & Cuillin walk, into the heart of the Black Cuillin, combines superb coast and Canna Cuillin Centre of ledge of the hills. Its program includes five Sound of Sound Armadale mountain scenery. Canna days of ridge walking and scrambling with Rum Mallaig a guide-to-client ration of 1:5; the staff are The name Cuillin (pronounced ‘coolin’) is derived from the Norse kjollen, meaning ‘keel- qualified mountain leaders. To Oban Eigg shaped’. The igneous Black Cuillin rocks are mainly gabbro, with sections of smooth basalt Information Sources on the surface. Glacial action carved out the characteristic bowl-shaped corries and left INFORMATION VisitScotland’s comprehensive www.visit behind the finely sculpted, jagged ridgeline. When to Walk highlands.com website is a good place to The main walking season on Skye starts start, especially for accommodation book- Being rich in iron, the gabbro does strange things to magnetic compasses – a rather around mid-April, perhaps later depending ings. On the island, there are tourist offices important consideration if you’re intending to navigate by compass (see the boxed text, on the depth of snow on the mountains, and in Portree (%01478-612137; Bayfield House, Bay- p405 )! generally runs through until mid-October. field Rd; hdaily Jun-Sep, Mon-Sat Oct-May; i) and However, even in midwinter the island can Broadford (%01471-822361; The Car Park; hdaily bask in bright (though scarcely warm) sun- Apr-Oct, Mon-Sat Nov-Mar). shine while much of the mainland is being blasted by bitter easterly winds. GETTING AROUND Highland Country Buses operates an island- Maps wide network of services linking Kyleakin Both the walks described here are covered (just across the bridge from Kyle of Loch- by (OS) Landranger alsh on the mainland), Broadford and Por- 1:50,000 map No 32 South Skye & Cuillin tree, as well as some outlying areas. Some Hills. The OS Explorer 1:25,000 map No services are very limited or nonexistent on 411 Cuillin Hills and Harvey’s Superwalker Sundays. 1:25,000 map Skye: The Cuillin give greater

HIGHLIGHTS detail of the Bruach na Frìthe walk. GATEWAY ISLE OF SKYE Broadford is the natural gateway for the Venturing into the remote sanctuary of Loch Coruisk ( p403 ) Books walks in this chapter, though the ‘capital’ of Finding your way along the airy ridge of Bruach na Frìthe (p404 ) in the Black Cuillin Skye & the North West Highlands by John Skye is Portree, further north, with a greater Brooks and Neil Wilson covers 15 varied range of accommodation and restaurants. Romping along the roller-coaster ridge ( p406 ) walks on Skye. The Ramblers’ Association’s Daily Scottish Citylink bus services from In- ISLE OF SKYE Not getting lost among the weird pinnacles of the Quiraing ( p406 ) Guide to the Isle of Skye by noted gear ex- verness and Glasgow (via Fort William) pass pert and wilderness walker Chris Townsend through Broadford en route to Portree. ISLE OF SKYE about 500mshortof Loch Coruisk,isa6m- Step, liking.TheBad not betoeveryone’s involves of onesection scrambling thatmay site, tothewest). tenuous andleadsinfromGlenbrittlecamp two of routes (theotherpathismore these in toLoch Coruiskonfoot.Thiswalklinks skills, there are onlythree possibleroutes but,withoutmountaineering loch bysea blue waters. toaccessthe Boatscanbeused sive fortress foritsclear andawildsetting that surroundstheloch formsanimpres- the BlackCuillin.Thejagged ringof peaks walkinBritain’. sibly thebestcoastal describedas‘pos- and hasjustifiablybeen to Loch Coruiskisparticularlyimpressive of the fromElgol Black Cuillin.Thesection scramble toreach Loch Coruiskintheheart views,glensceneryandashort mountain routepaths,This low-level combinescoastal 400 COAST &CUILLINCOAST problematic. mayfind thatsomewalkers posed rocksection route alsoinvolves ex- theBadStep, ashort, lin toreach theshores The ofLochCoruisk. oftheBlackCuil-penetrates intotheheart Summary Transport Finish Start Difficulty Distance Duration There isa catch –theroute described Loch Coruiskisthejewelincrownof and highly controversial debate (seetheboxed text, p403 ). mountains themselves. However, theircurrent andfuture ofadrawn-out ownershipisthesubject Sconser Estate broughtmore RedCuillin summits undertheJMT’s control. outlier oftheBlackCuillin), andRuadhStacintheRedCuillin. The later additionofthe oftheCuillin, including GlenSligachan,LochCoruiskandthepeaksofBlaBheinn(anthe heart and adjoiningStrathairdEstate wasacquired, oflandextending into ensuring thepreservation in managing theirestates, withawealthofarchaeological sites andplantanimalspecies. rural Skye. They includeseveral smallandactive croftingcommunities,which are directly involved The trust’sthree separate, butcontiguous, estates totalaround0.5sqmilesofmountainousand organisation thatownsandmanages several aconservation otherareas inScotland. Trust (JMT), A gooddealofsouthSkyeandtheCuillin mountainsisownedandmanagedbythe John Muir SKYE INTRUST ISLEOFSKYE••Coast&Cuillin It could be said that the obvious gap in the JMT’s Isle of Skye portfolio istheBlackCuillinIt couldbesaidthat theobviousgapinJMT’s Isle ofSkyeportfolio The firstpurchase,theTorrinEstate, was made in1991.Three yearslater, themuchlarger Elgol ( opposite ) Sligachan ( opposite ) 13.5miles(21.5km) 8 hours moderate bus A spectacular, low-levelA spectacular, route that day andmake foravery memorabletrip. finish. Thisoptionwouldfiteasilyintoa walk descriptionfromLoch Coruisktothe the 7.5milesouttoSligachan, followingthe about 45minutes. Fromhere youcanwalk to thelandingsteps attheloch, atripof Trips Trips Loch Coruisk. FromElgol, there isanotherwaytoreach off-putting, If theprospectof Step iscompletely theBad Alternatives tobeentirelyneed self-sufficient. orable. This iswildterrain andyouwill but tenting attheloch ismuch more mem- day. There isalsoabothyatCamasunary pleting thewalktoSligachan onthesecond camp ontheshores of Loch Coruisk,com- able tosplitthewalkintotwodaysand roundings of theBlackCuillin,itisprefer- really stunning. easier; andtheviewsinthisdirection are for tworeasons: transportlogisticsare This walkisbestdonefromsouthtonorth PLANNING Alternativessee ( below ) fordetails. there are acoupleof optionstoavoid it– increase thedifficulty. head isrequired and heavy packsmayalso capabilities of mostfitwalkers, butacool you canswimwell!Itshould bewithinthe dangerous water, it’snotnecessarily deep if it’sabout 8mabove butbecause is exposed the feet andsmallhandholdsforsupport.It long, 60-degree slabwithanarrowledge for To really appreciate themagnificentsur- If theideaof the Step istoodaunting, Bad

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Book accommodationBook online at lonelyplanet.com .rapsons.co.uk) 11 miles(17.5km);allowabout sixhours. is path isgenerally distance good.Thetotal directsCamasunary youuptheglenand gachan. Asignonthewallof at thehouse upGlenSligachan toSli- continue straight andthen route describedtoCamasunary though withoutneglectingvegetarians.though fishandseafood, inlocallycaught cialises superbly decorated andtherestaurant spe- photos adornthewalls,bedroomsare comed acenturyago. days,historic These cottage towhich travellers were first wel- with roomsinwhatwasoriginallyathatched £20-23) byElgol;s/d£30/60,dinner 9Glasnakille cottage-skye.co.uk; s/d£30/44) /rosecroft; Royal Mail Postbus Royal Mail Thursday) Tuesdayand fice (40minutes, twoservices Broadford postoffice totheElgolpostof- artists –andtheeponymousview. the chance tocontemplate theworkof local offers andhomebaking, sandwiches lonelyplanet.com Highland CountryBuses Highland THERE&AWAYGETTING h i -skye.co.uk; s/d£38/76,mains£10-25; a roof over yourhead. tobookwellaheadbesureyou’ll need of Accommodation isn’texactlyplentiful,so SLEEPING &EATING Cuillin acrossLoch Scavaig. peninsula withanincredible viewof the totheendofvisitors, sitsclose theStrathaird This tinyvillage, dependentonfishing and Elgol TOWNS NEAREST narrow, windingroadeastof Elgol. furnished roomsacoupleof milesalonga available byarrangement. lovely meal(£6)is evening views.Alight friendly B&Bwithabeautifulgardenand ing andhotcolddrinks. homebak- carries basicsuppliesanddoes Alternatively, followthefirst partof the Cuillin View Gallery &Coffee Shop Gallery View Cuillin The Rose Croft Coruisk House Rowan Cottage ) lunch) isarestaurant northeastof thevillage is atraditionalcottage withpleasingly Post Office Shop PostOffice , above and theharbour,islicensed . operates a bus service fromthe operates abusservice Thisis supplemented bythe

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.co.uk; s/d£48/96) Seamus’ Bar Seamus’ orlochtain viewsandyoucaneatinlively roomshaveThe comfortable eithermoun- the wallsof historicphotosof earlyclimbers. villagethe nearby hall. harbour andmore parkingspaceopposite the bottomof thefirst descenttothe steep town of Broadford.There’s acarparkat A850 Kyleakin–Portree roadinthesmall ( below Broadford. through ) passes covered underSligachan service distance Monday toFriday,oneSaturday).Thelong- Restaurant land CountryBuses facility –agooddryingroom. Skye the mainroad,hasthatall-important .co.uk) Sunday) MondaytoSaturday,two four services train triptoKyleof Lochalsh (2½hours, Scottish Citylink THERE&AWAYGETTING Sligachan Campsite SLEEPING &EATING invainforashop. search quiet here. Bringallyoursuppliesasyou’ll activity duringsummer;infactit’srarely with for more thanacenturyandseethes thegateway totheCuillin stop. Ithasbeen campinggroundandabus bunkhouse, Historic Sligachan is justalarge hotel, a Sligachan .royalmail.com) .sligachan.co.uk; dm£10) gachan, setting. enjoysanoutstanding opposite the hotel attheheadof Loch Sli- .co.uk) once-controversial . First ScotRail Inverness scenic istotake theoutstandingly Saturday, twoSunday). Mondayto minutes, atleastfourservices (three hours, three daily). Portree service hours, theInverness– three daily),asdoes William toPortree, stopatSligachan (six lunch &dinner) The A881toElgolbranches fromthe Sligachan Hotel Sligachan Bunkhouse By car,Sligachan is 23milesfrom the recommendedA highly variationfrom service toPortree viaSligachan (40 service from Glasgow,viaFort busservices ISLE OFSKYE••Coast&Cuillin

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, ISLE OF SKYE OF ISLE A863 ISLE OF SKYE Coast&Cuillin 402 Sligachan

Coast &Cuillin

(764m) Loch Coruisk Loch Sgurr Beag Scavaig Dubh Loch Hotel ISLEOFSKYE••Coast&Cuillin River To Portree(9mi) FINISH C uiln B lack

Meall Dearg (364m) River S CAVIG Lochan Dubha Leachd

Loch A87

nan L OCH Sligachan

G

l

e

Sgurr naStri n

The Bad

S

l i a g c h a

Step n Loch Sligachan

(497m)

Abhainn Camas Abhainn Measarroch na Allt Fhionnairigh 1:110,000 (418m) Hain Sgurr Marsco Ruadh Stac (736m) Loch an Athain Mhairi (775m) Sgurr Crèitheach (493m) Bothy Mheadhonach Loch na (651m) An't-Sròn Dearg Mhór 0.5miles 1km 0 0 Kyle ofLochalsh(25mi) To Broadford(16mi); Camasunary (731m) Beinn START Elgol Cuillin

Abhainn nan Leac (673m) Red Garbh-bheinn B8083 Broadford (14mi) Leacach (806m) (272m) (277m) Ben Cleat Glen Bla Bheinn Beinn (8mi); (928m)

To Scaladal A87 of paths, about3milesfromElgol. junction andasubstantial hainn nanLeac then leadsdowntothebridge over theAb- ground Easier upthecliff. higher slightly of stunted trees, andfollowatrackclimbing beach. Duckunderthebranches of agrove topfromthebackofto thebroken the cliff ing tothepebblycove, thenclimbsteeply Glen Scaladal,crossastilebefore descend- and care isrequired over At sections. these are Leacach passed, CleatandBeinn Ben inplacesasthelowerslopesofis steep tothewest ing alongtheway.Thedrop-off withviewsimprov-beach atCamasunary, grassy, heatheryslopesallthewayto dominates theskylinetonorthwest. lie tothesouth,whileBlackCuillinridge sive: theSmallIslesof RumandCanna Eigg, hillside. Theviewsare immediately impres- agate, leadingoutontoopen through passes thefencesbetween of and thetwohouses, to Loch Coruisk)continuesdirectly ahead, Afootpath(signed that endsattwohouses. The roadsoondisappears, leaving atrack andSligachan. a footpathtoCamasunary from theA881,andclearlysignposted as Elgol postoffice, alongalaneleadingnorth The walkbeginsabout300mnortheastof 2 hours,3.5miles(5.5km) Elgol toCamasunary THE WALK climbs slightly to contour round the craggy to contour roundthe craggy climbs slightly ping stones. Thepathon theotherside for 100morsoand thencrossingonstep- byfollowingitsbanksupstreamnairigh bothy. Fordthe Abhainn Fhion- Camas top of infrontof thebeach and passes the that leadswest(leftatthefork)along the To continuetoLoch Coruisk,take thepath 2 hours,2.5miles(4km) toLochCoruisk Camasunary Sligachan, avoiding Loch Coruisk. leadsdirectlyhouse upGlenSligachan to thebridge between andthat forksright to Kirkibost,about2milesaway.Thepath scends fromtheshouldertoeastleads junction of paths, the4WDtrackthatde- modation forwalkers andclimbers. Atthe (MBA) bothy,which provides free accom- BothiesAssociationwest, istheMountain owned. Thesmallerbuilding,500mfurther larger nearthebridge house isprivately Of thetwobuildingsat The well-troddenpathcontours across Camasunary lonelyplanet.com , the cove. Thenotorious water ofand turquoise Loch nanLeachd places. Continuetowardsthewhite sand themainroute asitsplitsinvarious to lose path veers northandcare mustbetaken not the loomingCuillinpeaks. the mouthof theRiver Scavaig, backed by greetsvista theeye;rockyislandsnestleat you roundtheheadlandanotherwonderful rocksteps andangledslabs.cross several As thanpreviously, andyouhaverougher to lower slopesof SgurrnaStri.Theterrain is lonelyplanet.com cove. atthebackofacross thelowsaddle the andfollowthepathinlandnan Leachd ing uptheslab. boulders onthebeach ratherthancontinu- take care todropdiagonallydownthe along andataconvergence of faultlines face, usinghandholdsforsupport.Shuffle ance onaledge thatskirtsroundtheslab rockface. Pullyourself uptobal- seaward an overhang andscrambleoutontothe of aslipintothewater below.Duckunder good ideatoundopackstraps,justincase Itcouldbea descends tothedifficulties. beach. Acairnmarksthestonypaththat tobenegotiated beforeslab thatneeds the flat groundforcampingcanbefoundjust spot. Ifyouare here, spendingthenight all itsgloryandbanksmake afine rest The slabsbecomemore numerousasthe Cross theboulders of tothesand Loch whole thing is sorted out. whole thing issorted ing after tobesometime’before ‘Itislikely the mountains. the observed, As oneparticipant what neededtobe donetothecastle;communityat large wastobeconsulted aboutlook- his castle. At the timeofresearch, eight organisations were stillimmersedinanassessment of he offered togive theCuillin tothenationinexchangeforacceptablearrangements torestore not tocontest MacLeod’s claimandhepromptlyputtheestate InJuly2001 backonthemarket. (which looksafter land) into thelegaltitletomountains. state-owned However, itdecided main touristdrawcards. himself saidheneededthemoneyto repair theroofof , oneoftheisland’s ownedthemountainsanyway.MacLeodfrom thesale,anditwasunclearwhether heactually islanders were angered byMacLeod’s assumptionoftitle andbelieved thatheshouldnotprofit park, orthatthelongtraditionofopenaccesstomountainswould be threatened. The est inpurchasingtherange. Somefeared thattheBlackCuillin wouldbeturnedintoatheme outdoor interest groupswere horrifiedbyrumoursthatwealthyoutsiders hadexpressed inter- the press wasthecommentofayounglass:‘You cannaesellamountain’.Environmentaland priceof£10million.Typicalthelocalreactions reported inmountains onsaleforanasking of2000,JohnMacLeodDuring theearlypart (chiefoftheClanMacLeod) puttheBlackCuillin MOUNTAINS FORSALE? The property waslater withdrawn,pending aninvestigationThe property bytheCrownEstate Commission oh Coruisk Loch is suddenlyrevealed in Bad Step isthevery last to arrive atthehotel. yond agate, turnleftacrosstheoldbridge of theroute isalongawell-madepath.Be- before itmoves much closer. Thefinal500m like alongtime into viewanditcanseem theSligachan Hotelalthough sooncomes terrain islargely flatandthegoingeasy, 3.7 milesalongthevalleytoSligachan. The Bla Bheinn tothesoutheast. from where there isagreat perspective of the mainSligachan pathatalarge cairn, coming ratherwetatthevalleyfloor. Join out,be- andthenevens steep forasection below.Thedescenttojoinitisfairly windingalongthe to Sligachan canbeseen the otherside. ThepathfromCamasunary away, where awide,stonypathdropsdown cairn20m west alongtheridge toasecond northCuillinridge.the serrated Veer north- andtherethe saddle are fineviewswestover rocky towardsthetop.Alarge cairnmarks over andtheterrain 300mtothesaddle is from asmallerloch above. Itisaclimbof tumblingdown of aburnthatcanbeseen side loch, andthen climbsuptheright-hand leads roundthesoutheastern shore of the The pathfromLoch CoruisktoSligachan 4 hours,7.5miles(12km) Loch CoruisktoSligachan Scavaig. over thestepping stonesthatcrosstheRiver From thejunctionof paths itisabout ISLE OFSKYE••Coast&Cuillin

403 ISLE OF SKYE OF ISLE ISLE OF SKYE walk involves almost1000mof ascent. provide anoptioninpoorweather).The thepasstoGlenbrittlewould uing through Glenbrittle, over a’Mhàim(contin- Bealach ofalong aright wayfromSligachan to avoiding allscrambling.Theapproach is screepath upthrough andboulderslopes, sided bowl,followingasteep, zigzagging is up(anddown)FionnChoire, asteep- Theeasiest routeone notdefended bycliffs. Black Cuillinpeakstoclimb,beingtheonly of the describedastheleastdifficult been tecture. At958m(3142ft)thisMunrohas views of therange’s rockarchi- outstanding Cuillin ridge andprovides magnificent na free-ha’) isaturningpointonthemain Bruach naFrìthe(pronounced‘broo-uch 404 BRUACH NAFRÌTHEBRUACH and experienced. ridgeifyouare cool-headedon thenorthwest and thechanceofsomeexcitingscrambling viewsoftheBlackandRedCuillin,spectacular Summary Transport Start/Finish Difficulty Distance Duration 17 hours. Ithassince beencompleted in lessthan25%of that time. abseil. one pitchofeasy,if airy,rockclimbingandashort becauseit’saMunro), involvingthe mostpopularclimbing challengesintheBlackCuillin (partly first ascentofwhatisnowknownasthe InaccessiblePinnacle soonfollowed.Todayitisoneof identified apinnacleat986masbeing unclimbable. Itonlyneededthattagtoensure thatthe Captain Wood,mappedthesouthCuillinSkye (993m).In1859aBritishAdmiralty surveyor, and with SheriffAlexanderNicolsonclaiming thefirstascentofSgurrAlasdair,highestsummiton southeast ridge. they madethefirstrecorded ascentofSgurrnanGillean by thenowpopular(butstilltricky) Corrie. Theinto Harta followingyear,James Forbes hired Macintyre asaguideandtogether ridge oftheDruimnamRamh and returned toSligachanbyscramblingacross theramparts proach tothemountains. climbing gear,bootsorclothingthatmadethedifference, butthedevelopment ofanew ap- the Greater Cuillin (includingBlaBheinn),liesafundamentalshiftinattitude. Itwasn’tmodern when peopleregularly traverse theentire Cuillin nonstoptraverses ridge,someeven of making Black Cuillin were regarded asunattainable untiltheearly19thcentury.Betweenthenandnow, Standing onthesummitofBruachnaFrìtheagoodday,itisdifficult to imagine thatthe IT’S ATTITUDE THAT MATTERS ISLEOFSKYE••BruachnaFrìthe The first traverse oftheBlackCuillin ridgefell nearly toShadboltandMaclaren in1911,taking With thepsychological offtheotherCuillin localmen quicklyknocked barrierbroken, peaks, In 1835,Reverend Lesingham Smithandlocal forester DuncanMacintyre visited LochCoruisk 8.5miles(13.5km) 6–7 hours moderate–demanding bus A superb,energetic outingwith lgca (p401) Sligachan path forBruach naFrìtheforksleftacross toreachtributary, alarge cairn.Here the underfoot. Continueon,fordingasizable Coire naCirce andthegoingbecomessoft After outin 2miles thepathbeginstolevel ofthat tumblesdownaseries rockledges. runs alongsidetheAlltDearg Mór,aburn near tothefence ontheleft. of ground.Thefirmestroute keeps boggy you northof crossing astretch thehouse, Alltdearg Asignedfootpathdiverts House. ‘Footpath toGlenbrittle’thatheadstowards beside thepath. small carparkonthesouthsideof theroad, the along theroadfromSligachan, oruse A863 Dunvegan road.Youcaneitherwalk The walkbeginsabout500malongthe 1½–2 hours,2.5miles(4km) Sligachan totheBaseofFionnChoire THE WALK Route on opposite fordetails. theAlternativeexposure is exhilarating.See by thenorthwestridge. Theimpression of alternative istoascendBruach naFrìthe ble, which isairyinplaces,anattractive If you’re aneasyscram- happytotackle Alternatives PLANNING You soonpickupastonypaththat From thecarpark,followtracksigned lonelyplanet.com which route totake tothesummit. is agoodplaceforrest whileyoudecide cairnontopofsubstantial arockslab. This corrie above) onyourleft,untilyoureach a burn withsmallwaterfalls pouringfromthe minutes, keeping AlltanFionnChoire (a Follow theascendingpathforabout20 (more easily) about200mafter thecairn. anotherburn groundandcrosses boggy lonelyplanet.com bearing, withoccasionalcairns to guide scree onasouth-to-southwest ontheright, slopeofup thesteep grass,boulders and From thecairnontopof therockslab, head 2–2½ hours,2miles(3km) VIA THENORTHWESTRIDGE ALTERNATIVE ROUTE:BRUACH NAFRÌTHE view isoneof thebestonSkye. tive cylindricaltrigpoint.Onacleardaythe Bruach naFrìthe final rockyridge tothesummitof leading ofaround thebase apinnacleandontothe Lice boulders toreach theridge at theroutesteepens zigzagsupthescree and hand sideof theburn.Where theground followstheleft- but anobvious path roughly peared belowboulders. There are nocairns in asmallgorge, where theburnhasdisap- path ascendstotheleftof adrystream bed the scree ahead. the corriefloortowardssomerockslabs in of leftacross smallcairnsswingingslightly discernible pathbutyoucanpickoutaline a burnjunction.Fromthiscairnthere isno on theotherside;thismaybeeasierabove tocrosstheburnreachneed alarge cairn reaches thesillatcorrie’sedge. You burn. After ascendingashortwaythepath (west)ofcairned pathtotheright the From thelarge onthenarrow cairn,stay 2–2½ hours,1.5miles(2.5km) Frìthe toBruachna Base ofFionnChoire After stretch crossingthislevel asmall necessary asthemountainclimate is notoriously changeable. areas, ensure thattheweather isfineandsettledforyourclimb.Even then,extreme cautionis bearings and/orroute-notes interpretation on cloudydays. inthese Ifyouare abituncertain useless. Thuspiece ofequipment isvirtually youmustrely orGPS onyourmap-reading skills, compassreadings, oftheBlackCuillin sothissmallThe gabbrorockdistort magneticproperties WATCH YOUR COMPASS . Turn right andfollowadistinctpath . Turnright (958m),marked byadistinc- Bealach nan been taken by those whohave taken bythose been gonebefore, topickoutthe routes that haveeasy enough climbingbackupfurtheron.It’s difficulty drop toofarbelowthecrest oryou’llhave be avoided butdon’t bygoingtotheright, ties encountered near theridge crest can this isthemainridge scramble. Difficul- you have Attheendof aheadforheights. 150m long.Thisisasuperbsituationif about narrowsection almost-horizontal grade. of of theridge andashortsection easier screesteep andthengrasstoanarrowing a’Mhàim).Thiszigzagsup up fromBealach join amore obviouspath(which hascome slopetotheleftand you. Climbthesteep BruachnaFrìthe Glenbrittle Cairn Alternative Bruach naFrìthe (6mi) Then comes a short, steep ascenttoan Then comesashort,steep To Route Bealach a' Mhàim (401m) Gaoithe Beinn na Bruach na Daraich ISLE OFSKYE••BruachnaFrìthe Fheadain Bidein Druim Cairn Sgurr an Coire (688m) nan Ramh

(958m) To Dunvegan(24mi) (869m) Frìthe Choire Fionn

na Circe

Leathad na Choire Fionn an Allt Coire Steiseig (297m)

1:100,000 nan Lice nan

Allt Bealach (934m)

Dearg 2km 1mile 0 0 Loch Caol START/ FINISH (964m) Gillean Sgurr nan h-Uamha Sgurr na Allt Mór (736m) Dearg A863 Rescue Post Alltdearg House Mountain

Beag Dubh Loch A87

To Portree(8mi)

River

Sligachan 405 A87 ISLE OF SKYE OF ISLE ISLE OF SKYE the above - ‘Do the right thingwithourcontent.’ the above -‘Dotheright thetermsandconditions onoursiteforalongerwayofsaying youknow,orresell it.See everyone site,mass emailitto only. Inotherwords, pleasedon’tuploadthischapterto apeer-to-peer Inreturn, wethinkit’sfair toaskyouuseitforpersonal,non-commercial purposes restricted. © LonelyPlanetPublications. iteasierforyoutouse,access tothischapterisnotdigitally Tomake a 15-mile-longprecipitous escarpment northern endof Skye,isdominated by The Trotternish Traverse Peninsula, Trotternish formingtheThe PENINSULA TROTTERNISH MORE WALKS and thendowntoSligachan. on thenorthwestsideof theAllt Dearg Mór earlier. Thiswillleadyoubacktothepath to stickareverse of theroute described mist theroute canbeconfusing,butit’sbest left (west)butthisdisappears inplaces.In into FionnChoire. There isaburn onthe the summit.Turnleftdownastonypath Lice, about400mfrom(and60mbelow) Sgùrr a’FionnChoire nan toreach Bealach by passingthemontheirleft.Pass below tothecrestclose butavoiding obstacles the summittake theeastridge, keeping The descentretraces themainroute. From 2½ hours,4.5miles(7km) Bruach naFrìthetoSligachan theneedle! the gabbroaffects how foryourself check yourcompasstosee Either way,enjoythesuperbviewsand and achievement (orperhaps justrelief). Frìthe you shouldreach thesummit balance andtohelpwithupwardprogress ofand withtheoccasionaluse handsfor 406 MOREWALKS••TrotternishPeninsula withagreat feeling of exhilaration

of of Bruach na Planet’s walk, which isdescribedfullyinLonely No 408 OSExplorer 1:25,000map west of Staffin. on theQuiraingroad,about3milesnorth- andfinishesataninformalcarpark It starts cliffs. pinnaclesandsteep and pastfantastic apass Na Suirmach (543m),downthrough ing generally goodpaths, leadspastMeall (5.6km) circuitof around2¾hours, follow- ternish peninsulasospectacular. A3.5-mile example of thefeatures thatmake theTrot- Quiraing are acompactandeasilyexplored andlandslidesof the The pinnacles,cliffs Quiraing The in Scotland described fullyinLonelyPlanet’s & TheStorr Explorer 1:25,000mapNo408 of accommodationandafew cafés.OS where there’sStaffin, areasonable range is about3milesnorthwestof thevillage of ascent. ThecarparkontheQuiraingroad by thenyou’llhave copedwith1450mof andUig; Staffin the Quiraingroadbetween the sharplyundulatingridge tofinish at point.Itthentraversesninsula’s highest then climbstothe Storr (719m),thepe- the iconicpinnacleof the Old Man of Storr miles northof Portree). Theroute passes attheStorrWoodlandscarpark(6.5starts traverse(22.5km), seven-to-eight-hour snaking almostitsfulllength.A14-mile Trotternish &TheStorr Walking inScotland . covers thearea. Thewalkis lonelyplanet.com . Trotternish covers the Walking lonelyplanet.com ISLE OFSKYE

407 ISLE OF SKYE OF ISLE