Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg, Aonach Meadhoin and Saileag Route Information

Home Glossary

Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg, Aonach Meadhoin & Saileag

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

1212 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

5 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

13.98 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

33	Loch Alsh, Glen Shiel & Loch Hourn

Only £6.29 (£13.49 Laminated) from

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

Moderate route with exposed rocky tops and ridges on the north side of Glen Shiel.

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: Shiel Bridge

From Shiel Bridge (A87) travel SE 11km to parking.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,212 metres. Allow 5 hours to complete this 13.98 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 parking on A87
		NH00891354	Distance	Altitude 195 m

1	Ascend N on steep slopes to Bealach an Lapaich
		NH00901455	Distance 1.02 km	Altitude 730 m

2	Head E on ridge turning NE to Saileag summit
		NH01781481	Distance 0.95 km	Altitude 956 m

3	Descend ESE to ridge
		NH02371450	Distance 0.66 km	Altitude 853 m

4	Continue E to Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg
		NH03501434	Distance 1.30 km	Altitude 1036 m

5	Descend SSE to ridge
		NH03941390	Distance 0.71 km	Altitude 799 m

6	Continue E to Aonach Meadhoin
		NH04901377	Distance 1.16 km	Altitude 1001 m

7	Descend S on south ridge of Aonach Meadhoin
		NH04961332	Distance 0.48 km	Altitude 845 m

8	Bear SE into Coire na Cadha
		NH05511302	Distance 0.65 km	Altitude 585 m

9	Continue S to road
		NH05461146	Distance 1.58 km	Altitude 245 m

10	Head W on road to parking
		NH00891354	Distance 5.46 km	Altitude 195 m

A selection of weather forecasts local to this route.

Weather

North West Highlands
by MWIS (PDF format)

West Highlands
by Met Office

Ladhar Bheinn
by Metcheck

Images of Sgurr a' Bhealaich Dheirg, Aonach Meadhoin & Saileag

1 October 2009 At the summit of Druim Shionnach looking to the North Glen Shiel ridge with Aonach Meadhoin and Ciste Dhubh on the right to the five sisters on the left NH074085

Image by Brian Howarth

Sgurr a Bhealaich Dheirg from Ciste Dhubh.

Image by Graham Young

Saileag - viewed from descent of Sgurr nan Spainteach to Bealach an Lapain.

Image by Lynda Langlands

Aonach Meadhoin seen from Sgurr an Fhuarail

Image by Peter Chisholm

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

We currently have no
sponsored accommodation listings for this area.

Rating & Reviews

Rating & Reviews

Rated:

from 5 votes

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Written by John Gilchrist on 14 Aug 2010:

Also did this in reverse. Either way, the 'path' at Bealach an Lapain is horrendous - badly eroded, at times cutting in up to four to five feet, running with water.

Written by Gregor Helm on 12 Dec 2009:

climbed these 3 in dec 09,we left bikes by the road by the break in the forest below meall a charra and drove west to start the climb up to the bealach an lapain.4hrs walk time and 10 mins cycle downhill! back to the car

Written by Chris Bowles on 28 Mar 2008:

A very enjoyable route, we did the Munromagic route except we did it in reverse. We parked the car at the foot of the Bealach an Lapan then cycled back to where the ascent of Aonach Meadhoin starts as per the route guide. This meant we made a steep ascent via Aonach Meadhoin's south ridge before undertaking a fine ridge walk and descending via the aforementioned Bealach an lapan. We then picked up the bikes on our return home. The cycle from the car park at the foot of Bealach an Lapan to the start point (next to a small plantation - approx. 055135) was about 30 minutes - much incline!

Written by Craig Dunderdale on 05 May 2007:

Do all 4! I was dropped of by a lovely Munroing couple on their way home, at Allt a' Chaorainn Bhig. Stick to the east side right up to the Bealach then go up the West side of the ridge to Ciste Dhubh. Back to the bealach and complete the other 3. Descend to the car park at 0091 1352. If you can't get a lift still do all 4 but by cycling in from Morvich leave the bike a Glenlicht House and walk down the glen to Ciste Dhubh as per Cameron McNeish's book.

Written by William Bower on 01 Oct 2004:

Did these three late Sept 04 in driving rain with visibiliy down to about 50 m so can't tell you what the views were like but the quality of the ridge was excellent with a good path all the way along. The walk off the ridge just after Saileag is a real knee killer on a very steep path back down into Glen Shiel. A good introduction to Glen Shiel though

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.

Cookie Policy