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Carn Eighe, Mam Sodhail & Beinn Fhionnlaidh [Glen Affric]
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
1994 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
10 hrs
The horizontal distance of the route.
Route Distance
32.05 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
  25   Glen Carron & Glen Affric
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
Strenuous route with good approach path but some steep slopes to ascend.

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: Drumnadrochit

From Drumnadrochit (A82) travel W on A831 to Cannich. Follow minor road SW to Glen Affric and along the shores of Loch Beinn a' Mheadhion. Stop at car park just beyond the western end of Loch Beinn a' Mheadhion. This is 1.5km east of Affric Lodge.

Route Waypoint Map

The total ascent is 1,994 metres. Allow 10 hours to complete this 32.05 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
  Leave car at parking at east end of Loch Affric
  NH20062334 Distance
Altitude
250 m
1
Head W on track towards Affric Lodge
NH18622309 Distance
1.55 km
Altitude
235 m
2
Continue W on path to junction
NH14822284 Distance
3.90 km
Altitude
328 m
3
Ascend path NW through Coire Leachavie to col
NH11682492 Distance
9.71 km
Altitude
1085 m
4
Ascend NNE to summit of Mam Sodhail
NH12012531 Distance
0.53 km
Altitude
1131 m
5
Follow ridge N
NH11982581 Distance
0.57 km
Altitude
995 m
6
Continue NE to Carn Eighe
NH12362619 Distance
0.58 km
Altitude
1183 m
7
Bear NW along ridge
NH11952662 Distance
0.60 km
Altitude
1015 m
8
Continue NNW on ridge to Bealach Beag
NH11722750 Distance
0.96 km
Altitude
832 m
9
Ascend NNW to summit of Beinn Fionnlaidh
NH11562827 Distance
0.79 km
Altitude
1005 m
10
Return SSE to Bealach Beag
NH11722750 Distance
0.79 km
Altitude
832 m
11
Continue SSW onto Ridge
NH11952662 Distance
0.96 km
Altitude
1015 m
12
Return SW to Carn Eighe
NH12362618 Distance
0.60 km
Altitude
1183 m
13
Descend E onto ridge
NH12782621 Distance
0.42 km
Altitude
1040 m
14
Continue NE to 1147 top
NH13172649 Distance
0.50 km
Altitude
1147 m
15
Head ESE along ridge
NH14012620 Distance
0.92 km
Altitude
1065 m
16
Continue NE to top (1131m)
NH14462636 Distance
0.54 km
Altitude
1131 m
17
Descend ESE into corrie to join path
NH15512609 Distance
1.12 km
Altitude
763 m
18
Follow path E through Gleann nam Fiadh and continue E to path junction
NH18112590 Distance
2.81 km
Altitude
470 m
19
At junction bear S on path
NH17742391 Distance
2.20 km
Altitude
454 m
20
Follow path to the E onto steeper slopes.
NH18612399 Distance
0.95 km
Altitude
460 m
21
Descend S to Affric Lodge then E to start of route
NH20062334 Distance
1.05 km
Altitude
250 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 Carn Eighe, Mam Sodhail & Beinn Fhionnlaidh [Glen Affric]
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 4 votes
Click Stars to Vote
Your Rating
Written by Chris Bowles on 25 Mar 2008:
It is possible to cycle from the end of Loch Bheinn a' Mheadhoin past Affric Lodge stopping below Sgurr na Lapaich. A good path leads almost all the way to the top of Sodhail and from here it is approx only 45 mins to the top of Carn Eighe. It was a similar time to reach Findlay's hill which sits in a terrific location. To return we traversed across the lower slopes of Eighe before re-ascending Sodhail and then continuing onto Sgurr na Lapaich. The descent from this top is very steep. They cycle back takes only a matter of minutes as it is all down hill, approx 9.5 hours for the route.
 
Written by Craig Dunderdale on 14 Jun 2007:
Climb all 5 in one day get the Ferry boat service from Benula Lodge along Loch Mullardoch 01456 415347 climbing from the North side this would save a massive amount of walking! Alternatively from the South side it takes 10hrs 2750 ascent from the obvious path up the Gleann nam Fiadh, turn North at the cairn up the Allt toll Ease. East to Toll Creagach then west along the long ridge, climb Fhionnlaidh and then contour at 1050m around Carn Eige to Mam Sodhail.
 
Written by Simon Theobald on 05 Jun 2005:
The true distance is 16.3 miles, not 8.7 miles
 
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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