Cranstackie and Beinn Spionnaidh Route Information

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Cranstackie & Beinn Spionnaidh

Quick Facts

This is the summed total of all the climbing within a route and is a good indicator of the strenuousness of a route.

Total Ascent

1089 m

An estimate of the time taken based on a derivation of Naismiths rules. Our calculation is based on the horizontal and ascent components of a climb, we do not make a reduction for descent.

Registered users can customise these walking times by specifying their own walking and ascending speeds. They can also add a fixed time period for stoppages.

Route Time

4.5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

12.26 km

The UK is covered by 204 Ordnance Survey Landranger 1:50,000 scale maps. Maps numbered 1 to 86 cover Scotland but for the highest mountains (Munros) only 23 maps are required. The name given roughly describes the area covered by the map.

You can click on the map name to purchase the map for £6.29 including postage which is one of the cheapest prices we have found.

OS Landranger Maps Required

9	Cape Wrath, Durness & Scourie

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A brief summary of this route.

Our summary will always contain one of easy, moderate or hard to indicate the severity of the route.

Notes

Good appoach track, and easy ascent.

Here we provide the nearest town to the start of the route where you will find basic services.

We then give directions from that location to the route start. Your approach route may differ.

Travel Information

Head to: Durness

From Durness drive SSW on A838 to Carbreck

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,089 metres. Allow 4.5 hours to complete this 12.26 km route.

In winter months please check the local snow conditions at sais.gov.uk.

The hillphones service can inform you of stalking activities in the area.

Usually the shortest way to climb the mountain, making best use of tracks and paths to gain altitude. Route navigation requires map reading skills and an ability to navigate with a compass.

The information given here will enable you to annotate your map and plan your route. We do not give anecdotal descriptions on where to find the paths, worn by the feet of previous mountaineers.

Where the access routes are few or the ridge is narrow, paths are generally obvious. On open ground, following paths without using your compass may get you lost in poor visibility.

Route Information

Waypoint Detail

	Start from Carbreck on the A838
		NC33255921	Distance	Altitude 63 m

1	Follow track SSE to Rhigolter
		NC33925773	Distance 1.87 km	Altitude 34 m

2	Head SSE towards stream flowing from Calbhach Coire
		NC34135698	Distance 0.77 km	Altitude 130 m

3	Ascend SE ito corrie then ascend to col (565m)
		NC35655625	Distance 1.69 km	Altitude 565 m

4	Ascend SW on ridge to summit of Cranstackie
		NC35065559	Distance 0.91 km	Altitude 801 m

5	Return NW to col
		NC35655625	Distance 0.91 km	Altitude 565 m

6	Continue NW passed crags to your left
		NC35885663	Distance 0.47 km	Altitude 658 m

7	Ascend heading N to approach the summit
		NC35915701	Distance 0.41 km	Altitude 748 m

8	Bear NE to summit of Beinn Spionnaidh
		NC36205728	Distance 0.39 km	Altitude 773 m

9	Return SW to gain descent ridge
		NC35915701	Distance 0.39 km	Altitude 748 m

10	Descend NW on ridge to Cioch Mhor
		NC35305730	Distance 0.90 km	Altitude 522 m

11	Continue descent NW on Cioch Mhor ridge to 350m contour
		NC34755789	Distance 0.81 km	Altitude 350 m

12	Head WNW to rejoin approach track at Rhigolter, and return
		NC33255921	Distance 2.74 km	Altitude 63 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

North West Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)

West Highlands
by Met Office

Ben Hope
by Metcheck

Images of Cranstackie & Beinn Spionnaidh

Beinn Spionnaidh and Cranstackie from Ceann Garbh on Foinaven; 18th June 2007.

Image by Roger Vander Steen

A view from NC34905640 across Calbhach Coire (bog) towards Rhigolter and Carbreck. The road track from Carbreck can be seen in the centre of the picture as a white line.

Image by Andy Clark

Beinn Spionnaidh from the west, showing the two white buildings of Rhigolter farm.

Image by David S Brown

Cranstackie seen across Strath Dionard from the A838 road south of Gualin House.

Image by David S Brown

Route Area Map

Legend

Munro

Corbett

Graham

English/Welsh Top

Accommodation

A selection of local accommodation options who advertise with Munromagic.com.

Where to Stay

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sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

Rating & Reviews

Rating & Reviews

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from 1 vote

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Written by Chris Bowles on 17 Nov 2008:

Beginning at Carbreck, ascended Beinn Spionnaidh first via its impressive west ridge. It is however very steep and trackless up grassy slopes. As one gets onto the ridge it becomes boulder strewn yet very flat and the summit trig is situated at the northern end of the ridge. To take in Cranstackie is simple, by dropping to the bealach and ascending its rocky ridge. This hill again is bouldery at the top and the cairn sits perched on the edge of the peak. To descend to Rhigolter I made a direct descent off the summit, which had a short scramble and then dropped down steep grassy slopes.

Disclaimer. The details provided above are an aid to planning an expedition, but all distances, altitudes and bearings must be considered approximate. You must navigate with the appropriate map, a compass, your navigation skills and common sense, MunroMagic.com accept no responsibility for your interpretation of our route information.

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