Scotland

The Five Sisters, Glen Shiel

Character: A walk of great quality, with fine peaks and an even better ridge

Ascent: ~5000 feet

Time: 5.5 hours

Map: Ordnance Survey Landranger Sheet 33, 1:50,000

Transport: City Link buses, either from Fort William, or on their return from Shiel Bridge to the same, seem willing to drop walkers at points on the road through the glen. Times for 17/10/99 to 20/04/00 are given here

Accomodation: Scottish Youth Hostel at Ratagan. Tel: 01599 511 243

Sources: Irvine Butterfield"The High Mountains", and Nick, the warden at SYHA Ratagan (Tel: 01599 511 243), who has a wealth of local experience

The City Link bus from Shiel Bridge dropped me at a point on the Glen Shiel road at a parking spot at the fire break, roughly at GR 007 136. Starting the ridge at this end has the advantage of a 170 metre start and a reasonably straightforward route onto the ridge. A path can be followed through the debris of stumps and twisted roots, heading almost due North for the saddle between Coirein nan Spainteach (what is the Spanish connection?!) and Saileag. The gradient is steep and long, and you will lose the path (!) but eventually the ridge is gained, and hopefully you're just to the east of Coirein nan Spainteach. This peak seems to have at least two tops, and probably 3 (and in Munro terms is just a top itself), so don't count on either the first or even second summit being this one, less likely still Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe! I was lucky enough to get views from time to time, so was able to work out which summit I was on - hope you're as fortunate!

Eastern end of Five Sisters Ridge (from near Coirean nan Spainteach

looking towards Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe)

The summit of Coirein nan Spainteach is fairly rocky, and the ridge itself alternates between this rocky / grassy surface and fairly full on rock. No where is a climb actually necessary however. From this summit the ridge becomes visible, and the seniority of Sgurr Fhuaran becomes obvious. The ridge continuing on to Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe is straightforward, and like the other summits, there is a reasonable pull up on to the summit. Sgurr na Carnach beckons in front of you, and after climbing up its crown you appreciate its recent elevation to Munro mountain status. Incidentally, escape routes off this ridge, though not so bad as The Aonach Eagach, are few. The more sensible ones, unfortunately, would also be to the North, possibly off Sgurr Fhuaran's East ridge. Most sensible is probably to continue the ridge to the end or descend via the ascent. The ridge is nowhere exposed, but the drops off it are nowhere straightforward.

Brocken Spectre, seen near Sgurr na Ciste Duibhe

Continuing to Sgurr Fhuaran, one is starting to feel an ache in the legs! From this summit it is necessary to head WNW for around 200 metres on a ridge before heading North again. Beware of going too far WNW however - this is a potential ridge off the mountain to the road below, although a difficult one, hence one may have the feeling of being on the main trodden path.

Western End of Five Sisters Ridge, looking towards Sgurr nan Saighead.

Loch Duich is behind

Sgurr nan Saighead has a number of tops, and is a nice mountain in its own right. Its Eastern face has excellent high crags, and it seems a shame it has not quite reached mountain status in its own right. The map shows it at nearly 930 metres, and the ridge drops to around 810 m, so there is close to 400 feet of ascent to its top. It is also separated by a kilometre from Sgurr Fhuaran. Still, ours is not to reason why....

From the last top of Sgurr nan Saighead, the route splits, and on a clear day you can see the whale back of Sgurr na Moraich to the North, on the ridge that first curves NE. This is the last of The Five Sisters, so though of no Munro value of any sort, should be included to say that you have genuinely done the Five Sisters! The other choice is a much more Westerly route (WNW) down over Sgurr an t-Searraich directly to Shiel Bridge. This route was not recommended to me, as apparently it is very craggy.

So continuing to Sgurr na Moraich, one can see a gouge going through its broad top, and the route follows this, encountering several tiny pools along its way. From the summit, apparently the most sensible descent is initially NW on the obvious though broad ridge, but then descending to the Allt a Chruinn and following this out. The ridge should not be attempted in entirety as huge crags adorn the northern slopes of Sgurr na Moraich from almost NW to NNE. So the author instead opted to try to head just East of NNE hoping to skirt these crags. I was reasonably successful, though still found the need for a bit of contouring East when only 600-700 feet above the valley floor. I eventually reached a road at the farm shown at GR 969 207. This is a steep grinding descent, and I imagine a fairly unpleasant ascent. It was then necessary to hitch back (thank you Oh Kind Lady of Ratagan) to the SYHA hostel at Ratagan.