[Trip Index] [Munro Index] [Home] 25th May 2007   Beinn Sgritheall Map Showers had been forecast for the day but in the the morning everything looked ok and the tops were clear so I got into the car and drove the near 40 miles from Plockton, where we were staying, to the tiny settlement of Arnisdale on the west coast. Actually it was about 3 miles short of Arnisdale when I pulled over and parked in a layby overlooking Loch Hourn. The path of ascent was supposed to start somewhere near here, according to Cameron McNeish's route guide, but having walked up and down the road I couldn't find any trace of it. (the SMC book is slightly better). Parked in the layby at the start According to Cameron the path leaves the road at a point roughly opposite the small island, Eilean Rarsaidh. It actually starts further along, about midway between Eilean Rarsaidh and a smaller island, Eilean a Chuilinn. Two cairns by the roadside mark the spot which is at grid ref NG818119, While I'm grumbling about Cameron's route summary I'll add that he says 'make for an obvious break in the rocky escarpment above you'. Well there was nothing obvious about it when I looked. Lots of trees masked any likely routes - perhaps it was better a few years ago, or maybe in winter. Still, it's all a matter of perception, I suppose; what's not obvious to me may be glaringly obvious to lots of others. Loch Hourn Anyway after wandering about looking for the path and not finding it I just made my best stab at identifying the 'obvious break' and set off up the hillside, breaking my own path (09.00). It was hard going for the way was steep and grassy with lots of ferns and various outbursts of heather and small shrubs grappling with your ankles. I ploughed on, heading for the crest of Beinn Sgritheall's long western ridge, and as I entered the higher reaches I came to a wooded area which clung to the hillside just below a long band of rock face. This rocky escarpment looked like an awkward barrier but I made for a bit where I hoped I might find a way up. It was hard-going for it was steep and slippery, still no trace of a path and the tangled undergrowth continued to hamper my efforts. I managed to pull myself up to the top though, and from there on things got considerably easier. Just grass and some stony bits underfoot now, the trees left behind, as I followed the ridge east over fairly even terrain to a small lochan which is marked on the map. Crossing a fence by the lochan Beyond the lochan there was a distinct path leading on up the shoulder of the mountain which now loomed ahead. The mountain appeared as two main peaks linked by a col and at first I thought the path would take me up to the col where I'd be able to turn turn right to ascend the higher peak. That seemed the obvious route. As it was, however, the path went right up the main peak, zigzagging and steep but always fairly safe. I got to the top at 11.20 and found 2 women there - the things some people leave behind! These ladies hailed from Fife and I prevailed on one of them to take the traditional photo for me. They told me that they too had been unable to find the start of the path up and added that they were going to go to Skye and the Cuillins the next day. Fallen trig point, windbreak and cairn at the summit Me at the summit   As the ladies set off back I sat down for a bite to eat but unfortunately the top had clouded over just before I got there and now to my dismay it started to snow. I decided to forego eating and get down off the mountain in case things got any worse. As it happened the cloud had all gone within 20 minutes, leaving the top perfectly clear but that's how it goes. Snowtime Half an hour later   Just before I got back to the lochan I met a couple of blokes on their way up and asked their advice about the route down. They said to continue along the path to the lochan and on its south side I'd see a cairn. Here I was to take the left one of the two paths ahead of me. I did this and sure enough found a decent, more or less, path which took me all the way down to the road. It was the path I should have come up, of course, but it started much further east than where I'd been looking. Also although the path was good compared with my route it did become a stream in places and could have been mistaken for such from below. Once back at the road it was a simple walk back to the car (1.03).