munros	Beinn Sgritheall (974m, Munro 183)
corbetts	Beinn na h-Eaglaise (805m, Corbett) Beinn nan Caorach (774m, Corbett)
ascent	1100m (3,600ft)
distance	6.5km (4m)
time	running : 1:35hr, walking : 3:30hr*  *Naismith's rule : 4km/h distance + 600m/h ascent
start/finish	Arnisdale (grid ref : NG841105)
maps/guides
GPX data	download file
terrain	easy difficult
navigation	easy testing
effort	stroll long day
scenery	ok stunning

main route summary
A sea-level start and steep path make for a good stiff munro. Beinn Sgritheall lives up to it's name - hill of the scree - on th ascent to it's first top. From the summit there are terrific views in all directions due to the hill's isolation. End the day off at Sheena's Tea-Stop at the road-end.


main route outline

Getting there
Beinn Sgritheall towers above the small village of Arnisdale on the northern shores of Loch Hourn. The only practical way of accessing Arnisdale is via the twisting road that heads south from Glen Elg. Glen Elg is reached from Shiel Bridge on the A87 via a narrow road that heads over Bealach Ratagain. It is also possible to reach Glen Elg directly from the Isle of Skye using the narrow road that heads east from the A87 from a few miles north of Broadford and crossing Kyle Rhea on the Glen Elg ferry. There is limited parking on the shore side of the road at the start of the hill route. More parking is available in a car-park near the end of the public road.

Beinn Sgritheall
Just as you enter the village of Arnisdale from Glenelg, there's a signposted path heading up the side of a burn. The house next to the start has couple of unfriendly dogs, but they're usually penned up. The path heads around the back of the houses over wet ground and crosses a couple of burns, before turning uphill and following a line of fenceposts. Progress is steep, but easy and obvious following the path. At around 350m, the path crosses the burn, then splits further up, with the left fork veering away from the burn and directly uphill. Follow this path, which becomes fainter then disappears before hitting the bottom of the screes. Attack the screes - easier than it looks - and reach the small cairn on the eastern top at 906m. Aim west on a path and drop 60m to a wide bealach, then north-west up hill over a bit of wet ground. A short narrow section needs negotiating, then haul yourself up the last 50m on more grass to the summit. Beinn Sgritheall's ruined trig point is becoming engulfed by the cairn. This is a fabulous summit with superb views in all directions.

Return
Return by the same route. If you intend to do this route late afternoon, you'll be rewarded with a glorious sunset as you descend towards Arnisdale.