Walking in Scotland's Far North
Walking in Scotland's Far North
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ASSYNT AND COIGACH
Assynt and Coigach together have such a rich array of mountains and spectacular coastal features that they are almost worth a guidebook all of their own. It would be quite possible to have a tremendous two-week holiday without ever going beyond this area. Peaks such as Cul Mor and Cul Beag, Ben More Coigach, Quinag, Suilven and the giants of Conival and Ben More Assynt provide ample scope for the peak-bagger, while the coast has more than enough interest for the most avid beachcomber. The headlands of Rubha Coigeach and Rubha Stoer have a number of interesting little coves and inlets, and the Old Man of Stoer is one of Scotland’s most spectacular sea stacks.
Good bases for the exploration of Assynt and Coigach include Ullapool, Ardmair, Achiltibuie, Elphin, Inchnadamph, Lochinver, Inverkirkaig and Achmelvich/Stoer.
Ben Mor Coigach, 743m (2438ft)
This multi-peaked mountain is a prominent object from any point along the Ardmair–Drumrunie–Loch Lurgainn roads. Its south-west ridge (Garbh Choireachan) forms an imposing wall overlooking Ardmair Bay and Isle Martin. As Drumrunie is approached, a magnificent jutting triangle of rock, like the prow of some immense ship, comes into view. This is the peak of Sgurr an Fhidhlier – the ‘fiddler’s peak’ – the most spectacular feature of the massif, which overlooks and completely overshadows the subsidiary peak of Beinn an Eoin. A complete round of all the tops of Ben More Coigach makes a demanding but very rewarding outing.
Route 1: Ascent of Ben Mor Coigach from Acheninver youth hostel
Distance: 16km
Height gain: 914m
Map: A
OS Map: Landranger 15
This is the shortest approach to the main summit of Ben Mor Coigach, but it is also the steepest and one of the roughest. It is also the least convenient to approach by car, unless it is combined with a visit to Achilitibuie or a stay at the Acheninver youth hostel.
Leave Acheninver and walk along the road to Culnacraig, continuing onto the coastal path (south of the buildings). Follow the path for a short distance only before leaving it to strike directly up the imposing face of Garbh Choireachan. This is a steep and unrelenting climb, which becomes rougher and more scree-covered as height is gained. The consolation is the terrific view, which opens up behind as you climb. The Summer Isles are especially well seen from here, and the chain of the Western Isles can be viewed on a clear day. The scale of the scene is more apparent if the Stornoway car ferry happens to be crossing the bay from Ullapool – its size completely dwarfed by the vast sea-scape of The Minch.
The steepness of the climb eventually eases, laying back onto the summit ridge of Garbh Choireachan, which is pleasingly narrow. The ridge leads easily along to a point where it broadens into a grassy plateau with sandy outcrops. The summit of the mountain is at the northern edge of this plateau. The simplest return is by your outward route.
Alternative: If a longer return is required, it is quite possible to continue to Sgurr an Fhidhlier (see Route 2 for more details) then descend westward to traverse the subsidiary ridge of Beinn nan Caorach to its terminus at Carn Conmheall. A descent of the easy slopes to the south or west will then return you to the coast road between Culnacraig and Acheninver.
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