Kintail's Big 9

Bridge over the Abhainn Chonaig

The A87 travels from Invergarry in the Great Glen, north west onto Kyle of Lochalsh and the Isle of Skye. As it descends through Glen Shiel and meets with the head of Loch Duich, the road turns north-east.

As the road approaches a causeway over an inlet at the western end of Strath Croe, there is an unclassified road marked with a sign pointing to Morvich. Turn onto this road and follow it for around 2km to where another junction is marked pointing to the NTS Kintail Outdoor Centre.

Turn up the side road, head to the outdoor centre and park in the large designated parking area by some buildings and information boards. Overnight parking is not permitted here.

There are some more spots to park further along the road, though these are rather limited to verge sides.

Through Strath Croe, A' Ghlas Bheinn ahead

Leave the outdoor centre and follow the public road to its end then cross the bridge over the River Croe. After passing a side-road on your right, take a path marked with a sign showing the way to Glomach Falls.

This rough path crosses through a field and heads through the first of many gates and into woodland. The path wanders alongside the Abhainn Chonaig, travels out of the woodland into a field of grass to arrive at a split in the path by a wooden post marking way to the 'Falls' .

By the post, head left and follow a path into woodland to cross the Abhainn Chonaig via a bridge . On the northern bank of the river, head out of the woodland and turn right on track through a field, passing an old ruined cottage, to reach a gate in a deer fence.

Through the gate, turn right on a forestry track, cross a bridge and follow the track as it heads into dense spruce plantation where it turns north-east. The forestry track turns sharply south-east and is followed to the edge of forest .

Out of the forest, turn left and trace the fence enclosing the forest directly uphill. A track is crossed and the top of the forest is reached.

Now on open hillside and on one of A' Ghlas-bheinn's west facing shoulders, hike up a grass-covered steep hillside. After gaining much height, the ascent begins to level and a wide grass-covered expanse is crossed.

Summit of A' Ghlas Bheinn, looking to Ceathreamhnan

Summit of A' Ghlas Bheinn, looking to Ceathreamhnan

Bealach an Sgairne

From A' Ghlas-bheinn's summit, pick up a path and follow it southwards along the hill's grass-covered crest. Descending down a gentle gradient, some height is lost and the path comes to drop, where it then swings left (east) and drops to flat area.

Travelling over undulating ground, the path then passes a lochan (with Beinn Sgritheall beautifully framed in the distance to the west) and drops to a substantial cairn on the top of Bealach an Sgairne - the narrow break between A' Ghlas Bheinn and Meall a' Bhealaich.

Head west from the cairn and follow a stalkers path through the gap, losing a little height to meet a little cairn by junction in the path .

After taking the left branch, this path quickly begins to climb uphill and heads into Coire an Sgairne. Upon gaining the base of steeper ground in the coire, the stalkers path turns eastwards, then zig-zags up to meet a cairn on the crest of Beinn Fhada's northern shoulder.

Once on the crest of this shoulder, the path turns southwards, gains a little height and begins to trace the upper edge of Coire an Sgairne. When the path meets with a burn, leave it and aim south-east up a wide grass-covered, and sometimes soggy, hillside.

On the path in Coire an Sgairne

On the path in Coire an Sgairne

Heading along Beinn Fhada's eastern shoulder, looking back to its summit

From the trig-point on Beinn Fhada's summit, follow a path initially south-west-south, turning gradually eastwards as it follows the crest of the hill above Coire Toll a' Mhadaidh. With a little ascent, the minor summit of Sgurr a' Dubh Doire is reached.

Follow the crest of Sgurr a' Dubh Doire eastwards until ground start to drop steeply, where turn south-east and drop 600m down steep, pathless, but easy and grass-covered terrain to cross the path of the 'Affric-Kintail Way' and reach the Allt Cam-ban below in Fionngleann.

If hiking this route over two days, Camban bothy is just a short distance to the north-east along the 'Affric-Kintail Way' path.

Continuing onwards towards Ciste Duibhe, cross the Allt Cam-ban, then head directly up the hillside ahead. There are no paths to follow and terrain can be rather soggy in patches lower down. Higher up, ground narrows, steepens and forms the north-western shoulder of Ciste Dhubh.

Ciste Duibhe from the Allt Cam-ban

Ciste Duibhe from the Allt Cam-ban

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

Head south from Ciste Dhubh's small cairn on a very obvious path downhill, bypassing the minor summit of An Cnapach. The crest of the hill turns south-east with the path becoming fainter as it descends to the burn flowing from the lochan on Bealach a' Choinich - an 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 sortsto reach the cairn sitting on Sgurr an Fhuarail's boulder covered top .

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

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 detour to the dyke, then initially heading westwards cross a grass-covered crest above Glas-choire reach to a minor summit .

Turn west to lose height on bouldery ground, then follow grass-covered crests to meet with a little rocky lump. This lump 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 takes a straightforward route downhill over grass covered ground, south-west for around 1km to drop to Bealach an Lapain .

If you're short of water, there are a few springs in the coire to the north, but you'll need to descend 20-30m to reach them depending on the amount of recent rainfall.

Leaving the Bealach an Lapain behind, follow the ridgeline ahead westwards. The route climbs gradually over the next 2km, encountering a few rises and false summits to land on the summit of Sgurr nan Spainteach .

West of Sgurr nan Spainteach, a drop down boulder-covered ground is made without any real difficulties until some steep rocky ground just above the col between Sgurr nan Spainteach and Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe is reached. In dry conditions and with a little scrambling, this is fairly straighforward to descend.

The bealach between Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe and Sgurr nan Spainteach is reached and is a slightly confusing place where a grassy hollow sits below two minor shoulders. Along each shoulder is a path - either path will do as they converge further along the crest to form one path. This path then veers right to the north-west, then turns back to zig-zag up some scree onto some boulders, which can hold snow into late spring.

Looking back to Sgurr nan Spainteach while nearing the summit of Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe

Looking back to Sgurr nan Spainteach while nearing the summit of Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe

Sgurr na Carnach from Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe

From Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe's large cairn, head initially west on a faint path crossing through patches of stoney ground and boulderfield on the mountain's crest. The crest turns north-west and becomes more grass-covered at it drops to Bealach na Craoibhe, the col below Sgurr na Carnach .

From the bealach, the path heads slightly right (east) of the crest ahead, then follows an easy line, initially on grass, then stone, to zig-zag its way back onto the crest of Sgurr na Carnach's southern shoulder, then to it's summit .

Climbing Sgurr na Carnach, Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe behind

Climbing Sgurr na Carnach, Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe behind

Descending Sgurr na Carnach, Sgurr Fhuaran ahead

Leaving Sgurr na Carnach's summit, head northwards and suddenly the ground ahead drops steeply. The path is found, well-trodden and obvious, but occasionally there are some short rocky sections in descent. Though the scrambling involved to pass these sections is easy and for the most part quite protected, some care is required.

Having passed Sgurr na Carnach's steep north-facing ground, the path crosses more level and grass-covered ground to reach Bealach na Carnach , the col below Sgurr Fhuaran.

Above Bealach na Carnach, the path continues uphill as it tries to find an easy line between boulders and scree. The path begins to branch out in various directions as it progresses uphill - take any line that suits - I've found it slightly easier keeping to the left branches, whereas paths on the right tend to end with an occasional scramble over loose rock or scree.

Nearing Sgurr Fhuaran's summit, looking back to Sgurr na Carnach

Nearing Sgurr Fhuaran's summit, looking back to Sgurr na Carnach

Sgurr nan Saighead from the descent on Sgurr Fhuaran

Head north-west from Sgurr Fhuaran's summit following the obvious path as it twist and turns to lose around 100m of height. The ground levels a little and reaches a grassy bank.

Ignore the faint path heading off left and keep to the more obvious path as it follows the crest of Sgurr Fhuaran's northern spur dropping to Bealach Buidhe. Ahead is Sgurr nan Saighead , a grass-covered pyramid with spectacular cliffs on its east face. This fine peak is worth summiting, but as it is not a Munro, a by-pass path has developed on the grassy slopes of its south-western face.

Beyond Sgurr nan Saighead the path follows the ridge-line of the Five Sisters and heads north-west to cross the minor summit of Beinn Bhuidhe, before turning north-east to drop to the bealach at the head of Coire na Criche .

From the bealach, head down a path into Coire na Criche as it traces the northern bank of the Allt a' Chruinn. Lower down this path becomes more maintained as it curves around some woodland surrounding a waterfall, crosses a stile and drops to reach the head of a head of track by a water supply. The track drops to the narrow road by the head of Loch Duich, where all that remains is a walk of just over 1km back to Morvich.