Knoydart's Munros from Barisdale

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 using an honesty box (£5 for a day, 2026).

Leave the car park and walk westwards along the road passing a pier and some buildings to its end where there's a tight turning circle.

Through a rather make-shift gate, start hiking along a constructed path hugging water's edge. The path is initially over narrow and bouldery sections above drops into the clear waters of Loch Hourn. As the path comes into more open ground, it travels over easier ground with some sections densely overgrown with rhododendrons. The path turns a corner and Ladhar Bheinn comes into view - a very long way away !

A large hut is reached where the path turns southwards and climbs slightly to a bridge 1 over the Allt Coire Mhicrail. Turning westwards and after crossing some soggy ground above Skiary, the path then climbs 100m before dropping back to sea-level 2.

The path crosses two burns, then climbs another 100m, to drop once more to sea-level. Crossing another burn 3 by the small house at Runival, with Eilean Mhogh-sgeir to the right, is approximately the half way point between Kinloch Hourn and Barisdale - which is a good landmark for judging distance on the return.

Continue on path through heather and grass and over more burns 4 to begin the third and last climb. This climb is more gentle than the previous two and is followed by a drop to a ruin 5 and onto a track at the upper end of Barrisdale Bay. Follow this track for 2km passing Barisdale estate building and to the bothy and stables buildings.

Pass the buildings and continue along the track to cross the River Barrisdale 6 on a wooden bridge. Just before reaching the White House 7, the track splits - keep on the rougher track aiming uphill. The track, now more of a path, reaches a junction - keep right, staying on the path that climbs uphill towards Màm Barrisdale.

The path travels around some woodland then crosses over a bridge 8 and turns southwards. A gentle climb follows, aiming for the pass of Màm Barrisdale 9. Just before reaching the pass turn left off the path and head over soggy grass-covered ground to start the climb up Luinne Bheinn.

A vague path develops and climbs up the minor spur of Bachd Mhic an Tosaich 10. Sticking to the crest, the path is for the most part straightforward to follow with only one short section of boulderfield encountered on the way.

The path continues to the summit of Luinne Bheinn 11 which has two cairns and cracking views, particularly northwards over Barrisdale and beyond.

Continue along Luinne Bheinn's summit crest and over its subsidiary eastern top, then drop down following the path to a more level area at around c850m 12.

Turn south-west away from the path and decend on wet, grassy and occasionally steep ground to pick up some old iron fence posts at the next col, Bealach a' Choie Odhair 13.

A path is picked up that continues along the wide undulating ridgeline ahead, bypassing the summits of Meall Coire na Gaoithe'n Ear on its eastern side and Druim Leac a'Shith on its western side. THe path drops to another col, Bealach Ile Coire 14, around where you'll find some interesting rock strata.

The climb onto Meall Buidhe is ahead, steep in places, but generally straightforward with the path twisting around any difficulties. The cairn on Meall Buidhe's south-east top 15 is reached, from where turn westwards tracing a path across a wide grass-covered plateau towards Meall Buidhe's main summit 16 with its small untidy cairn.

From Meall Buidhe's summit aim due north (there is no path to follow), descending gently over grass-covered and sometimes wet ground with occasional embedded loose boulders.

Around 500m after leaving Meall Buidhe's summit, the ground begins to level out 17 - look for an easy-ish grassy slope off right (north-east). A route can be picked out on grass making a way through rocky clusters to eventually trace the course of a small burn down into a coire.

Further down, the burn merges with others flowing down from Luinne Bheinn and together they form the Abhainn nan Eildean. In most conditions, this more substiantial burn is easily crossed at a suitable point 18.

Across the Abhainn nan Eildean, terrain remains rather soggy with ever thickening grass while progress is made gently climbing in a northwards direction. The Màm Barrisdale path 19 is crossed somewhere slightly west of its highest point, thereafter continuing directly towards Stob a' Chearcaill, a minor summit on a rocky outlying spur of Ladhar Bheinn.

On the approach to the base of Stob a' Chearcaill, a path begins to appear 20, above which a short fairly easy scramble up a predominantly grassy line, is made, followed by a turn westwards onto a fainter path that aims for a bealach to the west of Stob a' Chearcaill.

The un-named high point between Stob a' Chearcaill and Aonach Sgoilte, marked with a spot height of 849m 21, is reached, where a fine, worn path is picked up. This path turns north-west aiming for Ladhar Bheinn, still some 2km away.

Following the wide grass-covered and rippling crest above Coire Dhorrcail, a minor summit 22 is passed, followed by another 23 which involves a short stiff scramble to progress over.

The path continues to Ladhar Bheinn's summit ridge which has three tops, the first two marked by cairns, the most westerly marked by the remains of a trig point, having being stuck by lightning many years ago. Curiously the trig point stands on the lower of these summits, the middle summit being the highest point 24. Amazing views in all directions !

Returning to the most easterly cairn on Ladhar Bheinn's summit crest, and taking care, follow a path along the narrow crest heading north-east leading towards Stob a' Choire Odhair. It's worth noting that with being north-facing, snow can lie here into late spring.

The path is obvious as it makes its way twisting down and along the narrow spur to level out on a grass-covered col before the brief climb up Stob a' Choire Odhair 25. A fine viewpoint with views north and east !

Continue onwards following the path. The path becomes less obvious as it drops down to a wide grass-covered area 26 at around c700m with a slight incline ahead. Changing direction, turn south-east away the path and drop down on wet, fairly steep, grass-covered slopes.

When the Allt Coire Dhorrcail is reached and crossed 27, a very obvious and rather soggy path is picked up and followed north-east tracing the course of the burn downstream. Further down this path improves, passing old Scots Pine trees, with fine views over Loch Hourn to Beinn Sgritheall.

The path turns south-east 28, climbs for a bit, then drops into thick ferns where it zig-zags downhill to reach a field close to Barrisdale Bay 29.

Depending on the tide and the height of the River Barrisdale, it is possible to walk directly across Barrisdale bay, otherwise, the path can be followed as it makes its way back to join the track at the bridge 6.

Return to Kinlochourn on the same route in - the three 100m ascents on the way out seem much harder than on the walk in !

From The White House 7 just south of Barisdale Bay, a hike up the north-western shoulder 31 of the Corbett peak of Sgùrr a' Choire-bheithe 32 leads to a fine rugged circuit also taking in the Fiona Slat Bheinn 34. The distance of this is 13km with 1200m of ascent.

The last time I was up Sgùrr a' Choire-bheithe, I began from the ruin by Loch Coire-Shubh and aimed up Sgùrr nan Eugallt before dropping down steep grassy hillsides to reach a bealach at c210m with a path crossing it. Over Slat Bheinn 34 to a lochan 33 then directly uphill to the summit of Sgùrr a' Choire-bheithe 32. After enjoying the views, it was west, dropping 100m to a rise to follow a faint path down to the Màm Unndalain from where I continued over the Munros in Knoydart and back to Barisdale.

Beinn na Caillich is a challenging hill to reach. While the most straightforward approach is from Inverie (see the Ladhar Bheinn and Neighbours from Inverie webpage), it can also be accessed from Barisdale Bay.

From Barisdale, cross the bridge 6. Onto the western bank of the Barisdale River and follow the track to its end 29, thereafter the shoreline around the bay northwest. If the tide is out, progress is fairly straightforward. Otherwise, a faint, overgrown path runs just above the tideline, though it can be wet and difficult underfoot.

Continue to the small inlet of Poll a' Mhuineil 36, perhaps climbing through heather and bracken to reach an overlooking a knoll on the way.

From the inlet, begin ascending the slopes rising above the shore, aiming for Mullach lì. The terrain is rather tough - ferns provide easier footing than the rush tussocks and moss. As height is gained, the going gradually becomes less strenuous.

Upon reaching Mullach lì 37, Beinn na Caillich comes into dramatic view. Heading northwest to drop to Bealach nan Creagan Dubha, skirt around its lochan 39 to ascend Beinn na Caillich via the ground just north of Càrn Dubh. Despite appearances, this route is easier than it looks.

At Beinn na Caillich's summit 39, a large cairn marks the top, offering stunning panoramic views.