The friends I was staying with were planning to climb the Corbett, Sguman Coinntich, from Killilan at the head of Loch Long. I was interested in its re-ascent but keen to include the Graham Tops, Sgurr na Cloiche and Ben Killilan. The hamlet of Killilan was reached from the A87, west of Dornie, along a single track road on the north side of Loch Long to the parking area on the east side of the bridge over the River Ling. The tarred road beyond this point was private.
We continued on foot to Killilan then up a path on the north side of the Allt a’ Choire Mhoir to join an estate track coming in from the north.
Here I left my companions to head up the glen, while I climbed the heather clad hillside of Sgurr na Cloiche. This steep ascent was made slightly easier with the use of the occasional animal trail. Muir burning had recently taken place but it appeared to have got out of control as large areas of the hillside had been burnt.
Higher up the heather was longer and there was a slight increase in the gradient. On reaching the west ridge it was less steep and a pleasant stroll across grasses, mosses and some boulders to the summit of Sgurr na Cloiche.
After a break here looking across to Loch Carron I headed east along the undulating ridge to the Graham Tops, Ben Killilan West Top then Ben Killilan, spotting my friends on the summit of Sguman Coinntich.
I descended south round the head of Coire Fraineach, disturbing a herd of deer, then climbed to the pointed summit of the Corbett Top, Sguman Coinntich North Top.
It was then a short drop to the Bealach Mhic Bheathain from where I climbed across some rocks, avoiding most of the snow patches, onto the snow covered north-east ridge of Sguman Coinntich.
It was then a pleasant easy ascent to the cairn and trig point marking the summit of this Corbett, where I had views towards Killilan and the route taken.
After lunch I descended Sguman Coinntich’s West Ridge before continuing down a fairly steep gully to more level ground then the crossing of the Allt a’ Choire Mhoir. The estate track was followed down the glen then the path to Killilan and the road to my car.
- Time taken – 5.75 hours.
- Distance – 12.25 kilometres.
- Height climbed – 1040 metres.