Fisherfield Munros
DAY 2
5 NH065809 Walk south-west from the bothy and cross the river around NH063807. Continue south-west, aiming for the obvious building and try to keep your feet dry. Follow the river to cross at an obvious fork and continue on the other side of the same river until you reach Gleann na Muice Beag. Follow a steepening path up the glen, cutting left before Loch Beinn Dearg and continuing to Lochain Feith Mhic-illean. Take the smaller track on the left, at the end of the triple loch, to pass Fuar Loch Mor and climb out of the coire to the bealach between Ruadh Stac Mor and A’ Mhaighdean. A break between in the crag on your left leads to Ruadh Stac Mor via a steep and loose track through sandstone terraces.
6 NH018756 An obvious notch about 50m south of the summit leads you back down through the terraces to the bealach below. Follow a disappearing track towards A’ Mhaighdean, passing small loch, to reach grassy slopes. An obvious spur on the right saves you an unnecessary dip and climb to the south-east ridge. From the superb summit of A’ Mhaighdean, which is said to be the most remote Munro, descend down that broad south-east ridge to the 525m bealach, keeping right to cross the boulder strewn plateau.
7 NH021735 The climb to Beinn Tarsuinn is excruciating. First you have to cross the peat hags then make your way up to the ridge line above, aiming to get on the crest of the ridge sooner, rather than later. There are intermittent tracks but you have to just get on with it. Beinn Tarsuinn is a narrow, pinnacled summit where you can enjoy some airy but easy scrambling or use a path down on the right (south). Descend awkwardly east/south-east to Bealach Odhar.
8 NH047726 Avoid climbing Meall Garbh. It’s more trouble than it’s worth. A track bypasses the peak on its north-western side, crossing an old rockslide along the way. The climb to Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair is a horrific boulder field. Descend northward, via a steep and loose stony track. The climb to Sgurr Ban is less bouldery but still tough, eventually easing out to a large, flat summit that has yet more boulders. It can be hard to follow the route in poor vis. Check a bearing if necessary. A large cairn marks the summit.
9 NH056745 Head north-east from the summit to descend the broad spur. Pick your way through a never-ending boulder field of doom until the steepness starts to ease then curve leftward (north) to the level ground where a few small pools offer a water stop (needs filtering). From here it’s the final uphill slog of the day, grassy but relentless. The last peak is a long, narrow ridge.
10 NH064783 Pass over the summit to the northern top and continue until the terrain levels out near the end of the ridge. Keep an eye out for a faint track that drops down to the right at around the 900m contour. It’s a very tricky descent to route find, with lots of little drops. Walking too far to the nose of the ridge can lead to very craggy ground. Aim for the river on a roughly eastern bearing, picking your way through the safest terrain. Bear in mind it’s the end of a very long day.
11 NH088785 Cross the river somewhere near the old ruin and pick up the north-western track on the other side that runs back to the bothy.