Hills West and North of Glen Ling

The plan was to climb the hills to the north of Nonach Lodge, east of Sallachy, which was accessed along the minor road from the A87 Bun Loyne to Kyle of Lochalsh Road, immediately west of Dornie. I tried to park at the start of the tarred road leading to Nonach Lodge but the adjoining ground was soft or overgrown, so I continued east to the car park just east of the road to Camas-luinie. (used to access the hills around Glen Elchaig)

I walked 600 metres or so back to the access road for Nonach Lodge then north-east along this road to a cattle grid. Here I left the road and walked north-west up the edge of a mature conifer forest where a new deer fence had been constructed although not yet complete. It was rough underfoot and this continued as I left the tree line aiming for a deer fence spotted higher up.

Underfoot conditions didn’t improve as I followed the deer fence north then north-west until on reaching a gully, I was forced to cross it, there being no crossing points beforehand. On the other side of the deer fence I was zapped by a single strand electric wire. Here the vegetation was shorter and for a while made for easier walking until I was amongst the heather.

I was expecting to re-cross the deer fence but high up on the hillside I came across a gate where the electric wire strand was diverted above it.

Route to Creag Dharach
Route to Creag Dharach

Once through this gate the heathery ground was a bit soft as I headed onto the Tump, Creag Dharach. There were two knolls, I thought the westerly one was the highest.

Creag Mhor
Creag Mhor
Loch Long, Loch Duich and Beinn Conchra
Loch Long, Loch Duich and Beinn Conchra
Loch na h-Onaich
Loch na h-Onaich
Loch na h-Onaich and Carn na h-Onaich
Loch na h-Onaich and Carn na h-Onaich
Sguman Conntich, Glen Elchaig and River Elchaig
Sguman Conntich, Glen Elchaig and River Elchaig

I returned to the gate in the deer fence and once beyond it an easy ascent north-east took me onto the summit of the Tump, Carn na h-Onaich, marked by a mossy outcrop.

Loch na h-Onaich and Creag Dharach
Loch na h-Onaich and Creag Dharach
Loch na h-Onaich and Creag Mhor
Loch na h-Onaich and Creag Mhor
Creag Mhor North Top and Far North Top
Creag Mhor North Top and Far North Top
Creag Capach
Creag Capach

The descent north-west took me to above a band of crags with a short diversion south-west to find a route through them before continuing the descent to the Allt na Feithe Buidhe, a slow moving and probably deep stream. It was too wide for me to leap; however, I found a clump of grass which fortunately held my weight and allowed me to cross with dry feet. From there an easy walk took me onto the mossy knoll marking the summit of the Tump, Creag Capach.

Route from Carn n h-Onaich
Route from Carn n h-Onaich
Carn nan Iomairean
Carn nan Iomairean
Towards Beinn Dronaig
Towards Beinn Dronaig

It was a long descent east initially on short vegetation, crossing a couple of knolls, before the vegetation became longer and thicker.

Carn Poul-an-tarie
Carn Poul-an-tarie

I came across the Glen Ling to Attadale path at the point it crossed the Allt Loch Innis nan Seangan then continued through a gate in a deer fence. Once through this pedestrian gate I left the path into dead bracken then crossed the Allt nam Bacanan and commenced the ascent of my final Tump of the day, Carn Poul-an-tarie. Unfortunately, the area had been planted with young trees with lots of hollows to retain water. Eventually I reached its grassy summit.

Glen Ling and the River Ling
Glen Ling and the River Ling
Across Glen Ling to Creag Mhor
Across Glen Ling to Creag Mhor
Across Glen Ling to Sgurr na Cloiche
Across Glen Ling to Sgurr na Cloiche
Descent route to River Ling
Descent route to River Ling

The descent south, through more young trees and hollows, took me into Glen Ling and to a gate in the deer fence and a bridge over the Allt Loch Innis nan Seangan. This led to the path on the west side of the River Ling (path to Attadale) which was in a variable state, sometimes grassy, other times rocky, boggy and wet. It gained a bit of height as it rose above the River Ling gully and eventually reached another gate in a deet fence. Beyond, it passed the front of a white cottage then onto a tarred road, by-passing Nonach Lodge, and to the point I left it earlier in the day, the cattle grid, before retracing my route back to the car park.

Sun setting on Creag Dharach
Sun setting on Creag Dharach
Sun setting on Carn na h-Onaich
Sun setting on Carn na h-Onaich
Sun setting on Ben Killilan
Sun setting on Ben Killilan
Sun setting on Ben Killilan and Sguman Coinntich
Sun setting on Ben Killilan and Sguman Coinntich
Coastguard Helicopter
Coastguard Helicopter
  • Time taken – 6 hours 5 minutes.
  • Distance -13 kilometres.
  • Height climbed – 570 metres.