Brothers of Kintail

Lay-by east of Cluanie Inn

The A87 travels from the A82 at Invergarry in the Great Glen towards Kintail and eventually on to the Isle of Skye.

As the road climbs westwards from Invergarry then drops northwards through Glen Loyne down to Glen Moriston, it meets with the A887 approaching from Invermoriston on Loch Ness.

To the west of this junction is Loch Cluanie shored up by a dam at its eastern end. At the western end of the loch, the remains of an old road form a long lay-by for parking in and which is close to the start of the route.

Another 1km west of the lay-by is Cluanie Inn, a fine place to eat or stay. Around 8km further west of the inn is a large parking area where the hillwalking route ends. Arranging some form of transport between the two points will avoid a rather tedious walk back along what can be a rather busy road.

Path up Am Bathach

From the lay-by, head east along the roadside for around 100m and you'll come to a rather dilapidated gate in an old deer-fence. Through the gate, a path can be seen heading up the southern arm of Am Bathach.

Follow this path uphill as it closes in on the edge of recently felled forestry then reaches its upper boundary .

The path becomes slightly fainter as it then climbs up a grass-covered slope continuously for around 300m. Keep turning around as you climb to see the superb view over Loch Cluanie develop ! The slope levels and a couple of bumps are crossed to set foot on a minor top . Am Bathach's summit crest is revealed ahead.

Follow the crest of Am Bathach as it drops a little while heading north-west. A final climb of just under 100m reaches Am Bathach's summit , where a a few stones shape a cairn, from where rather fine views are given of the route ahead.

On Am Bathach's southern shoulder

On Am Bathach's southern shoulder

By-passing An Cnapach on way to Ciste Dhubh

From Am Bathach's summit, follow the path as it continues north-west, dropping gently on the crest of the hill's shoulder. The gradient easies and Bealach a' Choinich, along with its shallow lochan (or perhaps more likely just a big patch of peat in dry conditions), is met.

The path disappears into grass, but simply aim directly up the hillside ahead. The path reforms and climbs onto the southern shoulder of Ciste Dhubh. Higher up, the path travels around the minor summit of An Cnapach then climbs up another (un-named, spot height of 929m) with a fine view of Ciste Dhubh's summit crags ahead.

The final pull up to Ciste Dhubh's summit

The final pull up to Ciste Dhubh's summit

Hiking up slopes of Sgurr an Fhuarail, looking back to Ciste Dhubh

Head back south from Ciste Dhubh's small cairn on the very obvious path downhill and bypass the minor summit of An Cnapach . A little further on, instead of returning down to Bealach a' Choinich the way you came up, keep to a faint path that descends down the south-west shoulder of the hill. The path disappears into grass and reaches the col some 500m west of the lochan, with a little step over a burn that flows from this - ideal spot to fill waterbottles, as there are no other burns on the remaining route.

Aim up wet grass-covered ground with path gradually forming and heading for Sgurr an Fhuarail's northern arm. The going underfoot becomes drier further up as the wide hillside narrows into a ridge of sorts, becoming increasingly bouldery.

A cairn sits on the Sgurr an Fhuarail's boulder covered top and it's only once up here that Aonach Meadhoin appears slightly higher, therefore justifying its Munro status.

On way from Sgurr an Fhuarail to Aonach Meadhoin

On way from Sgurr an Fhuarail to Aonach Meadhoin

Approaching col between Aonach Meadhoin and Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg

With Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg in full view ahead, leave Aonach Meadhoin's summit heading west-south-west and cross its broad crest. As height is lost, the crest narrows to form a grassy ridge with a path tracing along its spine above Coire nan Eun. There are a couple of little rocky sections encountered on route which aren't difficult to cross or by-pass.

The ridge widens and the path travels down to the bealach below Sgurr a Bhealaich Dheirg. A wide grass-covered and gently rising slope leads from this col up onto the crest running along the top of Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg .

On Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg's large cairn

On Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg's large cairn

Saileag from west of Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg

Retrace your steps back along the ridge to the dyke, then heading westwards cross a wide grass-covered expanse to turn north-west to trace a path along a narrower grassy crest. A slight rise leads to a minor summit before turning west to lose height on bouldery ground.

Follow the grass-covered crests, a little rocky lump is met and appears to block progress - it is easily scrambled up to reach to top of a minor top just above the 900m contour. Thereafter, the path is followed above Am Fraoch-choire over an undulating crest to reach the bealach below Saileag.

Path crossing col on way to Saileag

Path crossing col on way to Saileag

Descending the western crest of Saileag

Beyond Saileag, the path continues down over grass covered ground, south-west for around 1km to drop to Bealach an Lapain .

At the bealach, the path splits by a small cairn with one branch continuing onwards over the crests towards Sgurr nan Spainteach. The other route heads downhill towards Glen Shiel tracing the line of an old stalker's path.

Following a path, the downhill route begins easily enough, then starts to drop down on ever-steepening ground. The path, badly eroded and loose, twists and turns as it eventually drops to the edge of forestry .

Keeping to the forestry boundary, the path has to cross a couple of burns - these could well prove slippy and challenging, with one having a significant drop a short distance below.

The burns successfully crossed, the path then drops through bracken to the roadside in Glen Shiel, where hopefully transport has been aranged for the 8km return to Cluanie.