Sgurr Nan Gillean by Mark Greenwood. It’s a half an hour away from Kintail but the food is awesome here. Bealach Coire Mhalagain is another col. It gets steep rather quickly, so it would not take us long to find out if we could handle it. The Saddle is described as one of the most magnificent mountains in the Highlands of Scotland. One of our big hikes (Bla Bheinn) was already disrupted due to the rain. Beyond the boulder fields a boggy traverse eastwards leads to the Bealach. Once at the col, turn left and begin the climb up Meallan Odhar. So, to climb Sgurr na Sgine, turn right on the ridge (walking away from A87) and head up the summit. As well as reading our description of each walking route, you can read about the experiences of others users on this walk and others.There are 47 user reports for this walk - click to read them. I noticed you said there aren’t markers or anything as well which worries me a bit. Soyez chez vous, ailleurs, avec Airbnb. Earth Trekkers is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for us to earn advertising fees by advertising & linking to Amazon.com. At 1012m, the Saddle is one of Kintail’s highest mountains. On our last morning on the Isle of Skye, we drove out to and hiked the Kintail Saddle, spent the night in Dornie, and the next day drove through Glencoe to Glasgow. And Tim and I love our Prana hiking pants. The hike starts just south of Shiel Bridge. Truly an area for the Munro Bagger if ever there was one. A few years from now…sure, they’d be able to handle it. The Harvey British Mountain Map for Knoydart, Kintail and Glen Affric shows a hillwalkers paradise with 43 Munros, 21 Corbetts and the 113m high Falls of Glomach on one sheet. Park at the lay-by (narrow car park) on the side of A87 (GPS coordinates: 57.175749, -5.363888). The exposure is however considerable. It was beginning to sound like this would be one of the most challenging hikes we have ever attempted! Republishing this article and/or any of its contents (text, photography, etc. Comments on this post. The path is very easy to follow and it does not take long until you are high above the valley. This peak has a dramatic outline when seen from higher up Glen Shiel. At the heart of Kintail is the dramatic Glen Shiel, encircled by steep mountains. But we wanted to get as high as possible, bag at least one Munro, and be rewarded with awesome views over Scotland. Location: The Saddle/an diollaid, Kintail. pin. People are asked to stay at home except for essential purposes. The four of us trudged through boggy, wet ground to A87. … Show Map. After passing the top of Sgurr na Forcan there is an awkward steep descent of a pitch of about 10 metres; this can be avoided using a gully to the left or a rake to the right. Do not underestimate the danger of this ridge. Cross the road and enter the trailhead. The trig point is slightly further along the ridge. We had zero cell service here. Cheers, Julie. using a map and compass. Very soon we had a decision to make. You are now only about half a kilometre from the layby and the start. There are 282 Munros in Scotland. When driving southeast from Glen Shiel, the lay-by is about a ¼ mile past the Achnagart Farm. Again, we had a difficult time following the Walk Highlands instructions. Planning a trip to Scotland? Photo Walker Search: "forcan" 61 photos matching '"forcan"' (showing 25-48): average rating 3.8 votes 647Click on the thumbnails to view the full size images. For full details of surrounding walks please see: www.walkhighlands.co.uk. Tim and I were left deciphering written words from a Scottish website that assumed you already knew the names of the mountain peaks towering around you. I had also made the assumption that we would be able to use Google Maps to help identify landmarks. Since we crossed the stream at a different point, we lost the trail. Our Facebook feedsLike us Facebook How to take an alternate route. There are plenty of places to see and visit in Kintail. Trouvez des hébergements uniques auprès d'hôtes locaux dans 191 pays. The Saddle: Kintail: 1010m: Toll Creagach: Loch Ness: 1054m: Tolmount: Cairngorms: 958m: Tom a’Choinich: Loch Ness: 1112m: Tom Buidhe: Cairngorms: 957m: Tom na Gruagaich (Beinn Alligin) Torridon: 922m: About the author. Like many other "sisters" around the world, these five are very photogenic and identical. The Saddle is described as one of the most magnificent mountains in the Highlands of Scotland. Soyez chez vous, ailleurs, avec Airbnb. The first climb during a week staying in Shiel Bridge. It’s another to get lucky enough to have clear weather. We stayed in Dornie, which is near Eilean Donan Castle. Walks in Skye and Kintail Skye is famous for its natural beauty and is highly popular with people travelling there from all over the world. Have fun in Scotland! Terrain: A tough mountain walk with steep and rugged terrain. What we thought was Sgurr na Sgine was really Faochag. A climb over the fence and a short walk to our car and our journey was over. Maybe the most difficult part of the day (unless you did the Forcan Ridge). A tough mountain walk with steep and rugged terrain. Sure, I am a wee bit disappointed, but we were about to be rewarded with some phenomenal views. More Information for Your Trip to Scotland: Planning a trip to Scotland? And to be honest, at this point, Kara was running out of steam. This was a tough one but one we will not soon forget. It’s a slippery, rocky, muddy drop back down to the valley. Meanwhile, we were pestered by those very annoying midges!! If you have prior hiking experience, you can do it on your own. Once at the bottom, the last step is to cross the stream (Allt Mhalagain). It is located near Shiel Bridge and Invershiel and is just a short drive from the Isle of Skye. It took us 10 minutes of hiking upstream to find a narrower, safer place to cross. Climb the hillside on the faint, hard to follow path. Wrong. Please let us know by clicking here. Thinking we were unstoppable, we decided to give the Forcan Ridge a try. Closer inspection reveals that - although unremittingly steep - there is a rough, often wet path that aids the tiring descent the whole way down to the glen, with views of the great wall of the Five Sisters opposite. It is located near Shiel Bridge and Invershiel and is just a short drive from the Isle of Skye. I was thinking of doing this on my own in May 2018,. The descent is directly down the northeast ridge, which looks impossible from some viewpoints. Enjoy the view, retrace your steps, and then begin the walk out onto Faochag. In this photo, the darker green ridge in the background is Faochag, the final ridge you will walk before descending back down to A87: A steady climb winds its way up the hillside, taking you to the col (a ridge or saddle between two peaks, acting as a bridge between the peaks) between Biod an Fhithich and Meallan Odhar. Even though we were warned to keep Tyler and Kara off of this section of the hike, still, we were tempted to do it. Even so, we love them and I am now on my fourth pair. Hiking with kids. Required fields are marked *. However, the cloud cover obscuring the knifelike ridge was changing our minds. Any quality rain jacket will work well, we wear North Face. Does your firm want to sponsor this route. Another view of the Forcan Ridge (and the alternate path), Tim and Tyler flying the drone as Kara and I walk along the ridge. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. These are joined by the magnificent Saddle, one of the finest mountains in all Scotland. Take your pick from 50 of the world's best travel adventures. We took a break here to enjoy the views, have a snack, and fly our drone. Mark Greenwood. This one connects The Saddle with Sgurr na Sgine. Its fine … Buy Now . The Saddle is the finest of the Kintail peaks and one of the most magnificent mountains in the Highlands. about 4 months ago. Wear waterproof hiking shoes. This area offers varied walking with villages such as Plockton as well as the region's main … Truly an area for the Munro Bagger if ever there was one. Just before the Forcan Ridge the path splits. Open start point in Google Maps for directions. We were in no danger. There is a wide, gravel path leading through a gate and up the hillside in front of you. After reading your experience, we are planning on doing this hike in early September. Jun 2, 2020 - Hiking the Kintail Saddle in the Highlands of Scotland #Hiking This hike takes you through very wet, boggy marshes and your feet will get soaked. Prior to the hike, numerous people warned us not to take Tyler and Kara on the Forcan Ridge, a knifelike ridge leading up to the summit. Que ce soit pour la vue ou pour le défi, escalader les sommets montagneux dans Kintail est le meilleur moyen de découvrir davantage cette belle région. Le Kintail, en gaélique écossais Cinn Tàile, est un massif montagneux des Highlands en Écosse, dans le Nord du Royaume-Uni. The trail to the right leads up the Ridge and the trail to the left follows the contour of the slope. Their instructions were good, but the landmarks they listed used Gaelic names for the mountains. Usually this is easy as there is a path of stones crossing the stream. Mais avec 10 au choix, il peut être difficile de savoir par où commencer. ), in whole or in part, is strictly prohibited. Boat trips. They do offer a little water resistance, although, our older pairs have lost this “super power” through age and multiple washes. The Saddle. This is a challenging hike. To continue to Sgurr na Sgine, there is a sketchy path which winds up the rocky slopes beyond. During the entire hike we could see A87 and in the worst case scenario we would just retrace our steps to our car. Mark Greenwood . These include the famous Five Sisters of Kintail, the Saddle (the highest point on Glenshiel Estate) and Forkans Ridge which provides challenging ridge line walking/climbing. We loved it here!! Thank you so much for the great information. Where to Eat: The Glenelg Inn. Add to this the stunning scenery on the drive into the area on the Road to the Isles and you have a recipe for a spectacular weekend in a magical area. Even during the peak summer month of August, we had this trail almost to ourselves. Cross the road (carefully) and walk east along it until reaching the foot of the stalkers path leading up to the col between Biod an Fhithich and Meallan Odhar. Over 8 miles in length with 1300 meters of climbing, this hike involves summiting two Munros. Sunday, August 30, 2020 at 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM UTC+01. Wester Ross and North Coast 500. Got something to say? Walking can be dangerous and is done entirely at your own risk. Its ascent via the Forcan Ridge is a difficult but classic scramble; the scrambling can be avoided if needed and the walk still has fantastic views. All rights reserved © Earth Trekkers. We had a fabulous day, we were able to see those epic high altitude Scottish views, and we completed another very memorable hike. Print out this post as a PDF so you can reference it while hiking. The water is much too high for the bridge of stones to be sufficient. 12 Must-Have Experiences on the Isle of Skye, 2 Days in Edinburgh: The Perfect Itinerary for Your First Visit, 11 Awesome Things to do in Edinburgh with Kids, 10 Day Scotland Itinerary: Edinburgh, Glasgow & the Isle of Skye, Flying Over the Fairy Pools on the Isle of Skye, Walking the Cliffs of Moher: Doolin to Hags Head, Hiking Trolltunga: Everything You Need to Know Before You Go, Journey through the Zion Narrows in Photos, Trekking to Everest Base Camp in 18 Amazing Photos. This is the most common path to The Saddle. 27 déc. There are no signs or markers on the trail. Who has travelled "Over the sea to Skye"? For us, the three days prior to the Kintail Saddle hike was spent in the rain on the Isle of Skye. Kintail itself is famed for its classic mountain ridge walks. Its ascent via the Forcan Ridge is a difficult but classic scramble; the scrambling can be avoided if needed and the walk still has fantastic views. Nov 20, 2016 - Hiking the Kintail Saddle in Scotland: The Saddle, Forcan Ridge, and Sgurr na Sgine. Hiking boots may be better because they might keep your feet drier if you end up walking through the boggy ground like we did. If you follow them, they climb up the next slope. Or did you break down your northern route return journey to bag this munro? Even with Kara’s rock climbing experience we did not think it was safe for her to attempt the Forcan Ridge. Looking back at the Forcan Ridge and the alternate path lower down on the mountain. Do not attempt the Forcan Ridge in the rain, snow, or even when it is very cloudy. Do you have any recommendations on hiking gear/clothing or any brands you found worked better for the potential rainy weather? We turned around, deciding to continue on with the safer option. Hey! Hiking the Kintail Saddle. For more details on the hike, visit the Walk Highlands website. My brother Paul and I set off from beside the A87 in Glen Shiel and enjoyed a good climb but avoided the … We were using printed directions from the Walk Highlands website. This excellent path winds two and fro up the hillside before making a long traverse to reach the col. From the col, turn left. During bad weather, for those with limited hiking experience, or for those hiking with kids, there is an alternate, safer path. The Kintail Saddle ticked all of the boxes on our list. On the Walk Highlands website there are various maps you can print or use for the hike. Buy Now . At the top of this hill, you can see down Faochag, the ridge heading towards A87. 2020 - Louez auprès d'habitants à Kintail, Royaume-Uni à partir de 16€ par nuit. Scotland is under national lockdown. If avoiding the ridge, turn left here and contour the slope, keeping just to the right of a drystone dyke; this leads up to the Bealach Coire Mhalagain. Trouvez des hébergements uniques auprès d'hôtes locaux dans 191 pays. The descent is difficult. Basically, just head straight up the hill the safest way possible. The view of these five prism-shaped pyramids overlooking the bay of Loch Duich is one of the most common objects Scottish postcards. The path traverses to the right hand side of the summit of Meallan Odhar, reaching the ridge once more between that peak and the foot of the Forcan ridge. Thanks for the help! Just make sure you make a reservation in advance. If you have reached here by the drystone dyke, avoiding the Forcan Ridge, use the descent route just described to reach the summit of the Saddle. Otherwise, continue on the main path directly up to the Forcan Ridge. The Saddle is the finest of the Kintail peaks and one of the most magnificent mountains in the Highlands. Continue along Faochag. Kintail 1012m 5-6 hrs. Read all of our articles in our. What is a Munro? Our website uses cookies. The scrambling is simple at first, but the ridge becomes progressively more exposed. But today, it was not worth risking their safety to bag a Munro. By continuing to browse this website you are agreeing to our use of cookies. Whether you love hiking or cycling, Kintail is a region where 17 hidden gems are waiting to be explored and visited. Print out a copy of the map on the Walk Highlands website for reference. The Five Sisters and the South Glen Shiel Ridge are particular favourites of Munro baggers, whilst The Saddle is one of the most magnificent mountains in all Scotland. Kintail est située à 4 milles au nord de The Saddle. It is a stiff climb, but you should reach the ridge without too much difficulty. This is a challenging hike. The ascent up Forcan Ridge is challenging! The Saddle is the finest of the Kintail peaks and one of the most magnificent mountains in the Highlands. Did you do this hike while based on Portree? Of course, this is Scotland. Keen scramblers can reach it via its rugged steep Forcan Ridge, however, we will take the easier route that doesn’t require ropes and a head for heights. Cross the Allt Mhalagain at the foot of the ridge (or continue on the west bank if this is impossible) and walk up to the road. Glenshiel is also on the challenging Barrisdale to Shiel Bridge leg of the Cape Wrath trail. Length: 8.25 miles, 1350 meters of climbing. Julie Last updated: December 9, 2020 Scotland 6 Comments. Our hiking shoes got a lot of use in Scotland. I recommend taking the easier trail rather than hiking along the Forcan Ridge (like we did) since it can be dangerous. I wear the Halle pant and Tim wears the Stretch Zion pants. Closer to Skye is the Lochalsh peninsula between the shores of Loch Duich and Loch Carron. Over 8 miles in length with 1300 meters of climbing, this hike involves summiting two Munros. Its ascent via the Forcan Ridge is a difficult but classic scramble; the scrambling can be avoided if needed and the walk still has fantastic views. Turn south along the ridge, easily reaching the northwest top of Sgurr na Sgine. Skye is often portrayed as very busy, but when you have a closer look, you’ll find that it is only busy in certain spots, and the mountains are very quiet and Hosted by Wayymark Outdoor. What is a Munro? Leave a comment. Written by: Caitlin. Ascending via the Forcan Ridge is a hard and exposed scramble; this part of the walk can be avoided as indicated in the text (reducing the walk to Grade 4). The Five Sisters of Kintail is (or are, it depends...) one of the most famous massifs in Scotland. There are rusted metal poles sticking up from the ground here. Since you said you had difficulty following the instructions for directions, would you recommend I do this with company or is song this alone okay? Most people hike up the Kintail Saddle (Munro #1 for the day) then cross over to Sgurr na Sgine (Munro #2 for the day) before descending back down to Glen Shiel. The sky was overcast with a threat of rain, but conditions actually improved during our hike. Fortunately, mother nature cooperated today. Ascending via the Forcan Ridge is a hard and exposed scramble; this part of the walk can be … Cheers, Julie, Your email address will not be published. We walked across a rocky hillside, ending at another col. And this is where staying on the trail got a little tricky. So nope, we never climbed the official peak of Sgurr na Sgine, which means we never officially bagged a Munro today. And Invershiel and is just a short walk to our use of cookies Inverness, the! Saddle in Scotland you to your right is Sgurr na Sgine was really Faochag from! Ground every 15 to 20 feet the boggy ground like we did not want to endanger our kids boggy... 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