Sgurr nan Eugallt, Slat Bheinn and Sgurr a'Choire-bheithe

Munros

Not quite!

Corbetts

Sgurr nan Eugallt
Sgurr a'Choire-bheithe

Grahams

Slat Bheinn

Bothies

Wild camp on Slat Bheinn summit or lochans to the south of the summit.

Distance/Ascent

Day 1 12km 1387m
Day 2 18km 1030m

Estimated Time

Day 1 6h 30min
Day 2 7h 30min

Notes

At 913m, Sgurr a'Choire-bheithe is very close to being a Munro!

The summit of Sgurr nan Eugallt was revised in May 2001 following information from the OS; latest maps show the NG927048 summit as being higher than the trig point.

7 July 2018 - Sgurr nan Eugallt only!

I cannot remember the last time I went along the road to Kinlochourn. Perhaps 1994, when I did Ladhar Bheinn. I remember next to nothing about it, so it was as though I was visiting the area for the first time.

The expedition was only a partial success due to injury, but it was good to bag another Corbett in clear weather, have a night out in the tent and to do a certain amount of reconnaissance for my next trip to the area.

I rarely set of at the planned time and fine weather means a certain amount of stops to take photographs....

Looking west along Loch Garry.

"Hubcap House", Inchlaggan.

Looking across Loch Quoich to Sgurr na Ciche.

I arrived at Kinlochourn to find that there is a £2 charge for parking!

The route started up the potholed road that I had driven down....

....before heading up the stalker's path at the ruin.

The views improved as I gained height - Sgurr a' Mhaoraich from Sgurr Dubh.

Stitched panorama from The Saddle left to Loch Quoich right.

The triangulation pillar is a false friend as it does not mark the summit, which is about 500m NW and 3 metres higher, being marked by just a small cairn.

The view from the true summit, looking across Loch Hourn towards The Saddle.

The true summit with Ben Nevis distant right.

Looking across to Ladhar Bheinn. The Skye Cuillin covered in cloud to the right was an indication of the arrival of a weak front bringing drizzly rain.

Looking from the true summit across to the East top. Sgurr Mor is the nearby peak seen to the right of The Ben.

So where did everything go wrong? I retraced my steps back to the trig point of the East Top and dropping down from there, my foot landed badly on a tussock of grass sending me into a forward somersault and left lying on the ground in pain. I thought about abandoning the adventure and heading north to try and regain the stalkers path used for the ascent, but I optimistically thought that if I pushed on, the pain may wear off and after a night's rest would be sufficiently recovered to continue with my original plan. The descent down the steep SW slopes was slow and painful. At times, I resembled a three legged crab as I tried to lower myself down the steeper sections.

Eventually, I reached Lochan an Lagain Aintheich. Slat Bheinn looked formidable in the mist and the drizzle had become persistent, so I set up camp. Setting up the tent first, I set about making a hot drink and cooking a meal which was consumed within the shelter of the tent. Washing out my mug, it struck me how warm the water in the lochan was. The stones at the bottom had been absorbing heat from the sun all day and continued to warm the water. Though wet, it was still warm and I had to push my sleeping bag down towards my waist to prevent overheating.

The ankle was no better in the morning....Neither was the weather! I decided to head down the path into Glen Barrisdale, to the bothy for lunch and continue along the path back to Kinlochourn. I could not remember much about Barrisdale from the early nineties. I just remembered a Kiwi shepherd who seemed totally unbothered by the midges, even with his sleeves rolled up. I must have seemed rather pathetic to him in my midge net and all parts covered.

There were a couple of workers at Barrisdale, but I did not recognise the Kiwi. Maybe the midges consumed him like piranhas, just leaving the bones! Two men with their teenage boys arrived. They had walked in from Kinlochourn and were continuing to Inverie via Mam Barrisdale. One of the gentlemen asked if I was alright walking out back to the car. I told him that I had managed thus far and the "track" out would be relatively easy.

From where did I get the idea that there was a track?

I have done so many hills over so many years that the memories have become a very mixed-up collage. While it is a beautiful walk, the Braaisdale to Kinlochourn is by no means an easy stroll....but I made it and lived to write the walk report!

Seen on the path out - magpie moth Abraxas grossulariata - I tried to move it to a position for a better photo but without success.

The path as it nears Kinlochourn. My best man tells me that he was there during high tide and the waves flooded the path and he had to walk, balanced, along the retaining wall at he end of a long day, picking out his foot placements in the moonlight. I think he remembers the path rather well! No delusions about it being an easy track!

I am now left with unfinished business in the area, the Graham Slat Bheinn and the Corbett, Sgurr a'Choire-bheithe. Looking at the Kinlochourn website "From Monday to Friday, Peter Fletcher at Arnisdale runs a boat service. He collects and delivers to various points around Loch Hourn and can be contacted on 01599 235007. This gives you an option of walking back to Barrisdale and then taking the boat to Kinlochourn. It's hoped next year that we will have some kayaks". Either option may be worth considering next time! Anyone out there wanting to share the cost of the boat? Anyone knows how much it costs?

7-8 July 2025

Seven years later and with Sgurr a' Coire Beithe as one of my three remaining Corbetts, I returned to complete the route. In fact seven years to the day!

However, before setting off, I became aware of the following that the road to Kinloch Hourn was closed. I only established the full details later: The closure was initially in effect from December 21, 2024, until May 1, 2025, but was extended to June 30, 2025. The closure is in effect daily from 08:00 to 12:30 and then from 13:30 to 17:30. It seems that this was then extended to January 2026 and maybe longer, though apparently, the road is open at weekends. Below is a Facebook post from Highland Council.

I had already considered using a boat from Kinloch Hourn to Barrisdale to avoid the 10.75km / 6.75 miles - 3+ hour walk. Looking at https://lochhournhead.co.uk/ it seemed that a man called Peter Fletcher [Telephone: 07570 805417] offered a boat service, so I messaged him. I had initially assumed that he was based at Kinloch Hourn, but he is in fact based at Arnisdale. After a series of messages, everything was arranged....... though with an error on my part.

I had suggested a time between 12:00 14:00 and had missed his reply, so I really took my time, including stopping at the Glenelg War Memorial to eat my sandwiches.

On arriving at Arniside, I pulled out and a man came out of his driveway and asked if I was the one going to Barrisdale. I had parked right outside of his house! He was just off to the pier to see if I was there. He said that he was expecting me at 12:00! When I later checked my phone, I found that he had indeed said 12:00. I can only assume that I was busy typing a message when his message came through and I missed it!

There was intermittent rain and the crossing was a little choppy. I had put my haters on the wrong way round and tried to swap them on the way across. However, the bouncing of the boat made it difficult. I abandoned my efforts but as we passed the small islands and things came a bit less choppy, I put them on the right way round.

Walking up the Glen Barrisdale track was fairly easy going. I did not follow it all the way to Loch an Lagain Aintheac as it seemed to drop down slightly so I headed up steep ground to join the east ridge of Slat Behind. At one point, I cam across a rock bit and was tempted to climb diagonally along a vegetation filled crack but the vegetation gave beneath my feet and I fell 5-6 feet, landing on a damp cushion of moss and other vegetation. I paused to check myself for injury but I was fine. Still, it was a stupid thing to do while out hiking solo in such a remote region. Once reached the E ridge is well defined and very pleasant.

Photos below 1-9:

Across Barrisdale Bay to Creag Bheithe
A very tame young stag - when I held out me hand, he approached to investigate, but I had nothing to give him
Heading up Glen Barrisdale looking towards Slat Bheinn
Higher up Glen Barrisdale with the west ridge of Sgurr nan Eugallt
Looking back down Glen Barrisdale
High up the NE ridge of Slat Bheinn looking towards Sgurr nan Eugallt
Looking approximately north-west towards Beinn Scritheall
I camped just off the summit in the search of a bit of shelter from the wind. I did not really need to do so as the wind dropped after an hour or so and it was a very still night.
North-east towards Sgurr nan Eugallt.

Photos below 1-6:

06:00 after getting up early; looking towards Ladhar Bheinn
On the descent from Slat bheinn - I was thinking that this lochan would have made a good camping spot, but I did not see a nice, flat and dry spot, so I was probably better camping where I did
North ridge of Sgurr a'choire-bheithe
One of two wee lochans to the SSE of the summit of Slat Bheinn
Rana temporaria
Looking at the route ahead - I went up the left hand side of the light coloured rocks to join the north ridge of Sgurr a'Choire Beithe.

It was a long, hard haul up to the top of Sgurr a'Chorie Beithe I was carrying a tent, other overnight gear and more than enough food for three days. Unfortunately, it is not possible to turn back the clock to my level of fitness of thirty years ago. I suppose that most 62 year old men would not even attempt this type of trip into the hills.

There are two cairns on the summit, one of which seems recently constructed. The vegetation has been dug up to place between the rocks. I do not know if this is to add stability or to block the gaps and make it a better shelter against the wind. I think that this is a technique often used when constructing grouse butts.

I don't find going back down any easier. I am very cautious, these days. I used to fly down the hills. Now, I am very careful about where I place my feet. There have been too many sprained ankles over the years. I had not eaten properly after setting up the tent the previous evening, even though I had plenty of food. I could not find anywhere sheltered for my stove, but then, I didn't really try. Most of my meals were not dehydrated and I could have eaten them cold. I did put the stove on in the morning and had coffee and porridge.

Anyway, there were many stops, sometimes removing my pack and sometimes sitting on a rock in such a way that the weight of my pack was supported for a few minutes.

Reaching the pastures of Barrisdale, I say a very large blueish dragonfly. I am thinking maybe a common hawker, but it was flying too fast to identify it properly. I was not going to go galloping across the meadows to catch it up! Further on, I saw a couple of golden-ringed dragonflies, the second of which was very obliging about having its photograph taken. I would have preferred to have used one of my macro lenses, but that would have been even more weight. I am still pretty chuffed with this photo though.

I like photographing dragonflies and occasionally go in search of them while in Korea.

Cordulegaster boltonii

This is a lovely spot with the cluster of trees around the White House. The weather was changeable, so there were some dark clouds. We photographers generally do not like blue skies. Here I am fortunate with the sun shining on the pasture contrasting with the darkened hills and moody skies. The hill in the distance is a Graham called Druim Fada. This is one that I have not climbed and am looking forward to doing so. More about this later.

While not at the point of collapse, I was pretty "cream crackered"! The plan had been to eat something at Barrisdale, before heading up Lochan Coire Chaolais Bhig below the summit of the Graham Meall nan Eun. Then continue over the Graham and on to Sgurr nan Eugallt, descending by the good stalker's path to Kinloch Hourn before tricking the 9 miles back to Arnisdale. At this point I was not feeling very enthusiastic about a long day carrying a big pack, so I made the decision to message Peter and ask if he could collect me the next morning. He replied that he could.

He probably could have picked me up there and then, but my body clock was still ahead of BST, not by as much as 8 hours, as was the case when I first arrived home from Korea, but I still get tired in the evenings. So, I spent the night at Barrisdale, enjoying the wonderful company of Liam and Hope. Probably talked too much, but hopefully, I was not too annoying!

Barrisdale bothy had the unpleasant smell of many decades of wet socks, but I decided not to camp outside as I was concerned about the friendly deer taking a liking to my Hilleberg tent and using it, like a tree, to remove the velvet from their antlers. Though perhaps a bit early in the summer for that, I was not taking any risks.

What is interesting is that they were asking £5 per night when I stayed there in the nineties! The price has not changed fro the last thirty years. I think that the roof is a lot newer than that [I think pre 2014], but it is sad that the fire place is out of use as the heat would reduce the damp smell. There is a certain amount of food and rubbish left there, but I did not see any evidence of mice. I still hung everything up just in case.

With my circadian rhythms as they are, I was up in plenty of time to eat breakfast and take care of my morning ablutions. I wandered slowly to the pier, taking a few photos on the way. Peter was punctual and I climbed aboard. Is it just me or does the rock on the left look like a manatee?

I had spotted some dolphins near to the Corr Eileanan and on the sailing back, we passed fairly close to a small pod of dolphins. Peter kindly circled and told me that they would come up close to the boat, which I am sure they usually do, but perhaps their hunger was greater than their curiosity on this occasion. I only had a 20-40mm lens and I did not take the trouble to change the settings on my camera and with a moving boat, albeit at a slower speed, this is the best photograph that I got.

Returning to my plans for the Graham, Druim Fada, my thoughts are to take a boat with Peter to Barrisdale, with just a day sack plus a few extras such as a tooth brush, climb Meall nan Eun, on to Sgurr nan Eugallt, before heading down to Kinloch Hourn for a night's B&B then taking in Druim Fada the next day, on the return to Arnisdale. I think that this would be a really nice circuit and an interesting way to bag the two Grahams. It is not unusual to develop new plans while out in the hills. Our explorations open up other possibilities.