Buidhe Bheinn from Loch Hourn

In Kinlochhourn by the bridge over the Allt Coire Sgoiradail

The A87 travels from Invergarry in the Great Glen westwards through Kintail and onwards to Skye. On this road, around 8km west of Invergarry and above the shores of Loch Garry, there is a junction with an unclassified road which is marked heading to Tomdoun and Kinlochourn (sic).

Follow the unclassified road for around 35km to its end. The road is of single track and progressively narrows the further along it is travelled. Just before arriving at Kinloch Hourn, the road drops steeply and twists as it tries to avoid the river coming out of Loch Coire Shubh.

A car-park has been made from reclaimed land near the end of the road, just before which is the house, b&b and courtyard café of Lochhournhead. You are obliged to pay to park (which at time of writing was £2.50 for a day).

From the top of the stalkers path, looking back to Loch Hourn and Knoydart

From the car-park, return along the road for around 500m, passing the buildings of Lochhournhead to reach a signpost with a few right-of-way signs by a wooden bridge over Loch Hourn River.

Cross the bridge and in a field, follow an estate track toward Kinloch Hourn Lodge . Approaching the lodge, a gate is met along on which is a sign directing walkers. Head through the gate, pass a house and some outbuildings and turn right by the lodge and begin to head uphill.

Now on a rough track, walk up through woodland and rhodedendrons, ignoring any branch paths. Approaching the edge of the woodland, a gate is crossed and shortly after the service track for a line of pylons is met.

Follow the track below the pylons to its highest point at around a height of 270m , where there are two stalkers paths heading off the track. The path on the left heads north-east and the other heads due east, take either of these and follow uphill. If taking the path on the left, you'll come to a junction further on - keep to the path on the right. The paths converge a short distance further on by a small cairn, from where a fairly well defined stalkers path meanders eastwards.

At around a height of 600m, the stalkers path ends abruptly by a small cairn resting on a large boulder . Continue heading north-east over grass and tussocks to a small gap in Buidhe Bheinn's southern shoulder.

At the gap, turn left (north-west) and strike directly up steep grass-covered ground occasionally clambering on rock to gain Buidhe Bheinn's crest and the small cairn on its western summit , from where superb views are to be had, particularly westwards over Knoydart to Skye.

From Buidhe Bheinn's west top, turn eastwards and begin to head along a grass-covered crest. The crest quickly narrows into a rocky ridge where some fun can be had scrambling and clambering over rock while sticking true to the crest. Alternatively, there are easier bypass routes - these beginning on the north side of the ridge, followed by switching to the southern side further on.

Ridge leading to Buidhe Bheinn's summit

Ridge leading to Buidhe Bheinn's summit

Looking back along Buidhe Bhienn's ridge from the summit

The obvious choice for a return would be to about-turn and retrace your steps along Buidhe Bheinn's crest and back down the stalker's paths.

A fine alternative is to drop directly south into Coire Lair. There's no path to follow, but the coire is grass-covered and a delight underfoot, passing some lovely waterfalls on route.

Lower down, when the Allt Coire Sgoireadail is reached, an old, wet and unused track is picked up and this is followed as it traces the west bank of the river downstream. The track becomes drier as height is lost before entering a delightful birch woodland. Becoming more bouldery underfoot, the track turns north-west under the line of pylons and climbs a little as it heads through a gap in hillside.

Coire Lair and Sgurr a' Mhaoraich

Coire Lair and Sgurr a' Mhaoraich