Beinn Alligin
1
NG869576 Start at the Beinn Alligin car park. Cross the bridge and join the track that goes north-east alongside the river, keeping right of it until you get to the bridge about 1.5km away. Cross bridge and head north up the steepening hill. Cross a second bridge and take the left fork 500m further on, aiming for the blunt toe of the ridge.
2
NG882601 200m north-west of the left turn you’ll reach the foot of the mountain. Scramble up through a series of zig-zagging steps, increasing in difficulty as you get higher. The route is well worn and easy to follow and never above Grade 1. The path soon levels out into an open level, marked with a few small cairns. Don’t add to them. It then rises again to An’t Sail Bheg and the Horns.
3
NG876610 The horns are the three sandstone pinnacles of Na Rathanan. They are easier than the pinnacles of Liathach. If you decide to avoid the scrambling, there is a well used path to the left. It may be worth using this if it is wet or particularly windy during your traverse. When going across the pinnacles, the first one is probably the hardest to descend. Take care with your downclimbing.
The route should be obvious, with scratches and polished rock. If in doubt, turn around and take the path. The next two are easier but still steep and exposed. From the third pinnacle, descend west to the bealach between Na Rathanan and Sgurr Mor. Both options meet here. The section from the bealach to Sgurr Mor looks intimidating but is a straightforward uphill slog. This next section onwards is where you will need good navigation skills in poor weather.
4
NG865613 From Sgurr Mor, descend south for 100m then curve north-west around the top of the great gully of Eag Dubh, which is thought to have been the biggest known landslide in Great Britain. After Eag Dubh, descend south-west to level ground, then up the small hill of the 859m spot height. You shouldn’t stray too far from the edge of the mountain to your left and you should be on a clear track throughout.
5
NG860610 From the knoll, descend south-west to the ridge, crossing some narrow, rocky ground, then climb southwards to the summit of Tom na Gruagaich. From here, descend south-west for 200m, aiming for the rim of the Coire nan Laogh that descends south-east then south.
6
NG858599 From the rim of the coire, pick up the scree track that descends steeply and loosely south-east then south, keeping the stream close to your left throughout. About midway down, the stream once again turns south-east. As you exit the Coire, the stream turns left but you bear right and carry on for the final section of the day, which can be a bit boggy if wet. You should always be heading in a roughly southsouth-east direction, navigating through a series of rocky steps. The one final obstacle of the day is the deer fence.