UKC

Hi.
I've a trip to Scotland in the next two weeks, and given settled weather , want to bag the Fisherfield munros.
Given limited time, I need the fastest route using bike if necessary.
Shenavall from Corrie Hallie would be my chosen route, but reckon this would take me 3 days.
Can they be tackled by bike from the east? I'm prepared to miss the Corbett that was demoted
Any route advice gratefully received.

In reply to Skol:
Hi, we went in from the South a few weeks back, via Lochan Fada. We walked from Kinlochewe in the dark but I reckon you could definitely cycle all the way to the loch.

Next day we headed NNE onto Sgurr Dubh and then scrambled over to Mullach Coire Mhich Fhearchair. It's a big day but you could then do all the Munros from there and head back to Lochan Fada from A'Mhaighdean. (We camped at Pollan na Muice).

Some pics here;

http://colinhendersonphoto.com/blog/2014/5/10/backpacking-in-the-fisherfiel...

In reply to Skol:
I've just got back from there. I backpacked in from Incheril through Gleann Bianasdail to camp beside Lochan Fada, then next day did Beinn Tarsuinn and Mullach Coire Mhic Fhearchair. [You could easily extend to Sgurr Ban, but I'd done that already - long story]. The day after I moved camp up the loch, then did A'Mhaighdean and Ruadh Stac Mor. My mate wanted to do some Corbetts, so after a couple more days we trekked out beside Loch Maree and back to Incheril. It was good to spend some time in this remarkable area.

I'm sure you could bike in from Incheril via Gleann Muice and get to Lochan Fada that way.

Hope this is some help.

In reply to Skol:

S,
feel free to get in touch via work - I've been via Corrie Hallie, Incheril/ Heights of Kinlochewe

In reply to Skol:

You could do it from Corriehallie in an afternoon and the following morning with a bivvy halfway. I did the six like that, going anticlockwise and starting at noon. Had a wonderful bivvy spot on A'Mhaigdean and was down to Shenavall before 9. (I then rashly decided to return over An Teallach and was knackered by the time I reached the car in the afternoon, but I'll skip that optional extra when I repeat the walk!)

There is a track in from the east (L a' Bhraoin) which on the OS Get-a-Map air photos looks bikeable most of the way to Loch an Nid. It must be possible to find a way up onto Sgurr Ban from there, carry on anticlockwise, and walk out from Larachantivore past Achnegie and Loch an Nid, but I doubt it's such a satisfying way as from Corriehallie: far fewer open views.

I haven't accessed Fisherfield from the south, but the obvious problem is that you have to drop almost to sea level at the north end of the circuit.

In reply to gammarus:


That's the way I did it - cycled up from Incheril. I didn't get as far as Loch Gleann na Muice, but the bike certainly made it easier on the way out and was great fun on the way back.

In reply to Skol:

If you are wanting to stay in there overnight, Shenaval is probably the best bet (unless you want to carry a tent or bivvi kit, in which case you can do the round from Corrie Hallie and spend the night part way round).

I'm not sure why it would take three days, though, rather than two - head in in the evening (it's light very late, and it it's an easy walk in), do the round the next day, and head out the next morning. Unless that's what you meant by three days!

Another option is to do two big days separately, without staying in there overnight - A'Mhaigdean and Ruadh Stac Mhor from Poolewe (a long, scenic walk, but not a particularly hard day), and then the other three/four from Corrie Hallie, with or without a stay at Shenavall. This is the way I've visited those hills.

If you do manage to have more time and are staying at Shenavall, Beinn Dearg Mhor is a particularly fine hill (and easily combined with Beinn Dearg Bheag).

In reply to Skol:

Here's an alternative if you're feeling fit. In 3 days you can do:

1. Beinn Deargs Mor and Beag from Gruinard Bay, to a night in Shenaval
2. Fisherfield six (why miss out the demoted one? It's nice) and back to Shen
3. Back out to Gruinard Bay, preferably via An Teallach though a low-level walk-out is possible too

In reply to Skol:

Take Crocks.

They weigh next to nothing. When I was there they were invaluable for the marshy ground and river crossings. (They are handy for the camp/bothy as well, easier to put on than boots )

In reply to Jim C:

Or walk in Inov8s (or other shoes with no waterproof liner); they dry out quickly.

In reply to llechwedd:

Thanks. I've emailed you

In reply to skog:

Thanks Skog! My first plan is as you say drive up, walk in late, stay at Shenavall, walk the route then back to Shenavall . The only problem is it wastes a potential day after unless I can get up on to An Teallach. I don't think my hill fitness allows this though.
My other option( not looked at the map yet )is to cycle from the Fannaichs, complete the eastern portion and Tarsuinn then cycle out. I could then attempt a Mhaigdean and Ruadh Stac, on another day?
Thanks again and to everyone else

In reply to Skol:

At the risk of complicating things further, I'd suggest being as flexible as possible and varying your plans according to the weather. This a wonderful part of the country, and it would be a great shame if you felt you had to 'get everything done', even in bad weather. In good weather, it has the potential to be a truly memorable trip. In bad weather, it could just be rubbish.

In reply to Skol:


You can do a' Mhaigdean and Ruadh Stac from Poolewe - cycle in to Kernsary, then a long walk to the causeway between Fionn Loch and Dubh Loch. It's a big day, but a lot of it is quite flat.

In reply to rif:


Hmm, Inov8's etc are a bit more fiddly to put on when you are emerging from a tent, or a bothy for a quick whizz or whatever, with crocks you can just lift the ankle strap to the front and slip into them, no laces/ Velcro etc, and a little lighter, but what you suggest they would certainly do a better job for a long walk in than crocks.
( although I did Am Faochagach- up and down - in a pair of Crocks so they can do long walks too)

In reply to tony:
I agree. It's going to have to be a few very clear days before I attempt it.

In reply to Skol:

In answer to your first question, I cycled in from the East via Loch a'Bhraoin in 2012. The track gets a bit indistinct and marshy on the col past the loch, and the descent into Strath na Sealga is very technical (not helped by the path being heavily "cowed"). I actually cycled out via Corrie Hallie in preference: all totally rideable, although the road back to the car was pretty soul destroying. It took as long to cycle in the short way as cycle out the long way (1hr40ish), and that was without overnight stuff.

In reply to dmhigg:

Interesting. Thanks. Would you say cycling in via corrie Hallie on a cyclo cross bike is doable, or is it MTB terrain? In hindsight would you have backpacked in and stayed the night?

In reply to Skol:

I was on full sus mtb. The descent to Corrie Hallie was fun and rough, but the big climb out of the Strath was pretty well surfaced. I'm not sure it's cyclocross territory. I would not have backpacked in: bike in, 1.45, Munros and ex-Munro Corbett 5.45, bike out 1.40. I'm too fond of a comfortable bed to backpack! It's a nice place to be, though, and plenty of folk camping in the glen.

In reply to dmhigg:
Thanks. My gut instinct is saying walk in via Corrie Hallie and 2 nights at Shenavall.
Thanks for your 'beta', sorry, advice