Fisherfield (West)

Howard and I were both awake by around 6 o'clock after another rather chilly night. It looked like another beautiful day, but the tent was still in the shadow of Beinn a' Chlaidheimh so we didn't wait around to have breakfast in the sun.

The plan for today was to walk back up Gleann na Muice to below Beinn Tarsuinn but then strike up to the right at the head of the glen, climb A' Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor, return to the campsite to pick up the tent, and carry everything back out all the way to Corrie Hallie. It would be another long day, but we managed to get off up the glen by 7.30, and were soon in sunshine once again.

As we climbed towards the crag of Stac a' Chaorruinn we decided that the more direct route towards A' Mhaighdean up to the right looked quite steep and difficult. Instead we chose to head up through Pollan na Muice to the lowest point of the ridge, where we could then turn right and have an easier climb with nicer views.

As we crossed Pollan na Muice we spotted a lone deer. If you can find it in this photo you're doing pretty well - it's just up and left of centre.

The climb up to the ridge wasn't too difficult, and once we were on the ridge we got some great views, especially over Lochan Fada to Slioch, another mountain that we were hoping to climb on this trip.

Looking southwest to the Torridon hills (zoom)

Looking over to Beinn Làir

After we got onto the ridge we had a long fairly easy ascent to the summit of A' Mhaighdean. Easy it may have been, but I was flagging a bit at this point and dropped well behind Howard, as can be seen from his speck-like appearance in this photo.

Sgurr Bàn, Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair and Beinn Tarsuinn

I vaguely remember having read somewhere that the views from the summit of A' Mhaighdean are one of the highlights of a trip to Fisherfield, and I can certainly agree with that opinion. Of course by definition getting to the summit of A' Mhaighdean involves a certain amount of forward planning and most people will, like us, simply have to take whatever weather they get on the day. We therefore felt particularly fortunate to be able to soak up the amazing scenery all around us on such a fantastic day as this.

Over A’ Mhaighdean

Lochan Fada and Slioch

Ruadh Stac Mór from A’ Mhaighdean

Snow on A’ Mhaighdean

The next stage was the descent to the bealach and the ascent of Ruadh Stac Mor, which from here looked tricky to say the least. However guidebooks we had read assured us that there is in fact a good path that presents no real difficulties so we weren't too worried. If I remember rightly, the path does in fact wind its way up through the left-sloping gap in the crags near the centre of this photo.

A lochan at the bealach

Looking back to A’ Mhaighdean

The path down to the bealach was good and there were more memorable views on the way over to Ruadh Stac Mor especially looking down over Fuar Loch Mor. Sure enough we found the steep but obvious path up between the crags, with occasional scrambling. Then there was a steepish ascent on rocks and grass to the summit where we had a first lunch stop and rested in the sun.

Siesta time at the summit of Ruadh Stac Mór

Fuar Loch Mór with Fionn Loch beyond

A’ Mhaighdean

An Teallach from Ruadh Stac Mór

Sgurr Bàn and Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair

We had now completed the round of all six Fisherfield Munros and it was time to start heading back towards civilization. The first part of the route from Ruadh Stac Mor was a long descent over two boulder fields which made for slow going, but then we got to much easier slopes leading down to the bealach by Lochan a' Bhraghad and then on back down into Gleann na Muice.

Beinn Dearg Beag, Beinn Dearg Mór and An Teallach

The descent into the glen looked quite steep on the map but in fact it seemed fine and wasn't too difficult at all. Once down in the glen we were back on the main path, which we were getting to know quite well by this stage, and we quickly followed it back down to the campsite, arriving there at around 2 o'clock.

The Abhainn Gleann na Muice

We paused here long enough to have a second lunch, then got packed up and were off down the glen by 2.45.

The walk down Gleann na Muice

Looking back to Beinn Tarsuinn

An Teallach and the Abhainn Gleann na Muice

Back at Larachantivore

The walk back to Strath na Sealga seemed longer now than when we had come up for some strange reason. Our packs were a bit lighter, but it was now getting late in the day and we'd been on the go since early morning. There were the two river crossings waiting for us before we reached the bothy again, and even the walk over the boggy strath between them seemed longer than before.

It was probably around 5.30 by the time we got back to Shenavall where we stopped to eat the last of our food and have a rest before we tackled the long slow climb up to the shoulder of Sail Liath.

Shenavall Bothy in afternoon sun

Beinn Dearg Mór and Strath na Sealga

Unlike the previous day the weather hadn't clouded over at all and we still had clear blue skies and fantastic views all around. This made it all the harder to say farewell to Fisherfield, which we had of course seen at its most beautiful.

Farewell to Fisherfield

The climb up from the bothy was very exhausting, but once the the path levelled off and became a more civilized track we were doing better. My feet were definitely hurting by the time we were coming down towards Corrie Hallie however. We finally got back to the car at about 7.30 having been walking for four and a half hours with full packs. What a relief to be able to take them off and bundle them into the car!

By the hostel

It was a short drive down the road to Little Loch Broom, through Dundonnell to Camusnagael and the Sail Mhor Croft Hostel where Howard had booked us in for the next couple of days. It was good that he had done so because the hostel only holds sixteen people and it was full that night. We had a very welcome shower and then, when the very small kitchen had got a bit quieter, we had our dinner. We got to bed at about 9.30, the first time in four days that I'd slept in a proper bed - very luxurious! The forecast was still good for the following day so we had our sights set on An Teallach.