Sgurr na Ciche, Garbh Chioch Mhor and Sgurr nan Coireachan [Glen Dessary] Route Information

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Sgurr na Ciche, Garbh Chioch Mhor & Sgurr nan Coireachan [Glen Dessary]

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

1894 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

8 hrs

The horizontal distance of the route.

Route Distance

23.14 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
40	Mallaig & Glenfinnan, Loch Shiel

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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

This is a strenuous route on rough terrain, with unbridged streams to cross.

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: Spean Bridge

From Spean Bridge (A82) travel N 1.5km (to Commando Memorial), then take the B8004 W 4km to Gairlochy. Turn N on the B8005 to Loch Arkaig and then on minor road W to Strathan at the head of Loch Arkaig.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,894 metres. Allow 8 hours to complete this 23.14 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 at Strathan at the west end of Loch Arkaig
		NM98779158	Distance	Altitude 75 m

1	Head W through barrack ruins towards junction
		NM98099150	Distance 0.74 km	Altitude 75 m

2	Follow track to north of the river WNW to upper Glen Dessary House
		NM95149314	Distance 2.89 km	Altitude 110 m

3	Continue WNW on the more northerly path to crossing of Allt Coire nan Uth
		NM93089398	Distance 2.50 km	Altitude 220 m

4	Leave path and climb N on south ridge of Sgurr na Coireachan to summit
		NM93299585	Distance 1.95 km	Altitude 953 m

5	Descend WSW to col (730m)
		NM92799564	Distance 0.54 km	Altitude 730 m

6	Ascend WNW up craggy east ridge of Garbh Choich Bheag to summit
		NM91769596	Distance 1.17 km	Altitude 968 m

7	Follow summit ridge WNW turning W to summit of Garbh Chioch Mhor
		NM90989611	Distance 0.88 km	Altitude 1013 m

8	Descend NW (by wall) through crags to Bealach na h-Eangair (850m)
		NM90609647	Distance 0.66 km	Altitude 850 m

9	Ascend NW to summit of Sgurr na Ciche
		NM90249669	Distance 0.47 km	Altitude 1040 m

10	Return to 850m bealach
		NM90609647	Distance 0.47 km	Altitude 850 m

11	Descend SW following watershed
		NM90159618	Distance 0.53 km	Altitude 640 m

12	Bear SE to reach path.
		NM91169490	Distance 1.88 km	Altitude 310 m

13	Continue on path to rejoin approach route and return to Strathan
		NM98779158	Distance 8.46 km	Altitude 75 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 na Ciche, Garbh Chioch Mhor & Sgurr nan Coireachan [Glen Dessary]

Ladhar Bheinn in the distance from ridge near Sgurr na Ciche. 14/8/2010.

Image by Eileen Stark

Approaching the foot of the gully between Sgurr na Ciche and Garbh Chioch Mhor; 12th May 2010.

Image by Roger Vander Steen

Looking towards Sgurr nan Coireachan

Image by Steve Marlow

Sgurr na Ciche taken from Sgurr Mor

Image by Steve Marlow

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 7 votes

Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating

Written by Mike Watson on 28 Apr 2008:

Did this route by ascending SNC first and tagged Sgurr Mor onto the end of it. A bit tiring but on a nice day the views were more than worth it. Track is bikeable.

Written by Peter Lang on 12 Sep 2006:

Took our party of 5, 11.25 hours on 10/9/06 walked full length of glen to ascend SnC first and ridge walk alongside low dry stane dyke followed by steep boggy descent from Coireachan. Pity never saw a thing from 500m mark but at least had all weather at our backs.Drive along Loch Arkaig from A82 = 45mins rollercoaster. Stalking very important here between 15th Aug - mid Oct, please check glen dessary website for details - hence we did outing on sunday when no problems but poor weather - c'est la vie.

Written by Kathleen Haddow on 07 Aug 2006:

The ridge from Sgurr nan coireachan is fun with lots of undulating terrain and fairly straighforward route finding. The path back from Sourlies bothy however is very different, especially after rain. A path that is usually damp underfoot anyway, it was a real bog-fest after a day of rain and the burns were very difficult to cross.

Written by Craig Dunderdale on 22 Jun 2006:

If I'd read Julian's review before I did it in May I would have done all 4 simply to save me the 45min drive into and out of the valley! Without Sgurr Mor it was 1700m ascent 17.5 miles in 7.75hrs that included using a bike to upper Glendessary. I didn't think it was that boggy and you can avoid most of it. As it's late afternoon by the time you descend the Coire near Sgurr na Ciche, BE CAREFULL AND TAKE YOUR TIME it's not too steep but you have to think about your foot placement, if you twisted your ankle here it's a hell of a walk out back to Glendessary.

Written by Julian Stark on 12 Jun 2006:

Took bike to Glendessary Lodge and added Sgurr Mor to the round. Its a long slog over the shoulder and down into Glen Kingie before a horrible slog up the grass of Sgurr Mor. However once up its a fantastic (but very tiring) walk over 2 800, or so, metre peaks to the 1st of the 3 Munros leading to Sgurr na Ciche and all the way to the end of the line. The walk out was a little long but overall very glad I did the 4 (in 9 1/2 hours) as the 18 mile single track road almost re-acquainted me with my breakfast!

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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