Eastern Fannaichs, 15th September 2025
I'd had dry conditions and an easy intro to my week on Fionn Bheinn the day before, and when I woke up in my van at Silverbridge, I still couldn't hear any rain on the roof, or the forecast wind.
For this trip I'd decided to start using voice memos and this is how I recall so many of the details a couple of weeks later. It also confirms I don't half talk a lot of nonsense when I'm out on the hill!
I was up at 0700, had some porridge and got all my kit ready and then I was on the way up to Loch Glascarnoch to park at the Torran Dubh car park. It was looking pretty grim and I was the only car parked up there. It was still dry though, so at 0905, I left the van and walked a little way up the road to the start of the forestry track that leads you up through the woodland and along to the Abhainn a' Ghiubhais. The track is not marked at all on the 1:25k map, but is there on the 1:50k. There is also a handy bridge which was a relief given the size of the river.
Just after the bridge, the rain started to come on, so it was on with waterproofs. It wasn't cold either. It was fairly easy going all the way to Creag Dhubh Fannaich. From there it was starting to get a bit more bouldery and on the top of the first Munro (Beinn Liath Mhòr Fannaich), it was mostly stones. I was treating this as a hike so was glad of my boots. It was getting cold and the rain was pretty relentless. Views were null at 1130.
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| Beinn Liath Mhòr Fannaich |
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| Wet Selfie on Beinn Liath Mhòr Fannaich |
The next hill was the highest of my trip away, at 1108m. I took a bearing off the back of the hill to join the path that was marked on the map and found it. I was out of the wind so took the opportunity for a snack. Following the path was easy going, and I knew it would have to fork and gain height to get to Sgùrr Mòr. That appeared out of the mist, but not before I came across a wee rock-built howff which had flagstones and was a sanctuary from the wind.
The 140m climb up Sgùrr Mòr was fine, my legs still feeling fresh enough, even with yesterday's effort. It had a fittingly substantial cairn. I got there at 1225.
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| Sgùrr Mòr |
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| Yet another wet selfie on Sgùrr Mòr |
Meall Gorm was next up, and I had what would have been 3kms of a fine high ridge walk on a nice day. But it wasn't a nice day, it was wet and windy, but I was warm enough in my jacket, so I just pressed on singing a few tunes to myself and just enjoying being out. I made it to the top of Meall Gorm at 1320, then pressed on to investigate a wee structure on the map which gave me some shelter from the wind.
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| Meall Gorm |
I stopped and ate a couple of rolls here before I started getting cold and then it was down to Bealach Bàn at 775m, the lowest point since Creag Dhubh Fannaich. I had 150m of ascent left to go but I was still feeling good.
I made the top of An Coileachan at 1420. I won't bother you with any further wet selfies.
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| An Coileachan |
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| An Coileachan |
I did finally start to get some views here, but it wasn't much to write home about and I didn't really want to be taking my gloves off for photos.
From the 565m bealach, I started to follow a path that was slightly dubious but it was going in the right direction, towards the river again. There were finally some nice views of cliffs and hanging corrie lochans.
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| Loch Gorm |
It felt good to be moving again, however, that was short lived and, although the rough path was still visible at points, it merged into bog. There's a voice memo on my phone about never being found in a bog so clearly that was a concern for me at that point.
Eventually the bog gave way to a bridge, then a path by the roaring river (my only companion says the voice note) and then some more bog, before another bridge. Then I was back to the forestry path out. On the way out I was worried that the campsite at Ullapool might close but a quick call proved they would be open until 1900 for entries. Happy days.
I arrived back at the van, fairly wet at 1630, had some more Irn Bru and coffee cake, then headed off into the West, to get booked into the campsite at Ullapool and their magnificent tumble dryer.
That night, I headed along to the Seaforth to catch up with one of the 30th diaspora, Div, who's been living up there for a few years. He was working but I had a beer and chatted to him at the bar. But my eyes were getting a bit sleepy and I was wanting more hills tomorrow, so it was off to the van for an early night.
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| Div and his magnificent beard |
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