UKC

Dominated by the famous Triple Buttress and the gully-cut crags of Sail Mhor, Beinn Eighe's Coire Mhic Fhearchair is scenery writ large, and one of the great mountain settings of Scotland. While it's a long walk round from the road, this really is the place to begin a traverse of the massif's two Munros. Above the corrie, the ridge walking on airy crests is no less spectacular; so if you're only going to do one route on Beinn Eighe (is anyone that restrained?) then make it this.

11.12 miles, 17.90 km, 1,231m ascent, 6 – 6:30 hours. Gairloch

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In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

One of the finest days on the mainland. For a slightly longer walk, and aided with a compliant driver, a full traverse along to the Black Carls and down to Cromsaig is a very satisfying excursion, although some care is needed picking a line down from Creag Dhubh to avoid the worst of the loose terrain. Definitely one to save for good weather to make the most of it. 

And with regard to getting back along the road, I've always found it easy to hitch a lift along Glen Torridon. 

In reply to Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com:

Indeed, a tremendous day out. There are a few minor variations that may be of interest. The ascent out of Coire Mhic Fhearchair can be done about 4-500m to the left of the stone chute: there is a line which, albeit pretty steep, avoids almost all of the scree and cuts the corner off a bit. In good snow conditions, an even more direct line to the top of Ruadh-stac Mor is feasible. 

For the descent, a fun alternative to the eroded path in the upper part of Coire an Laoigh is to stay on the ridge over Stuc Coire and Laoigh and join the path lower down. There is an some mild scrambling and clambering over big boulders. It is also possible to take a more direct route back to the start: form the cairn at the top of Coire an Laoigh, bear right into Coire nan Clach and then take a fairly direct line from the lowest part of the corrie lip. Lower down, you can cross the burn to regain the starting path, or if the burn is too full, follow the outside of a fenced off area back to the road. 

In reply to Mark Bull:

Another alternative ascent is to trend right at the end of the loch and head up to the saddle between Sail Mhor and Coinneach Mhor. This does make the trip to Ruadh-stac Mhor a bit longer, but for those looking to complete the Munro Tops, does make for an easy ascent of Sail Mor and Coinneach Mhor. It also gives the opportunity to hunt out pieces of the Lancaster which crashed in 1951. The last time I was there I came across various bits of corroding aluminium below the Western Buttress. 

In reply to Harry Jarvis:

Yes, Sail Mhor is a fine hill in its own right and gets relatively little traffic, I suspect. The direct connection to Coinneach Mhor is a steep blocky scramble, but I think it can be bypassed on the right (south). For those comfortable with some exposed Grade 2 scrambling, Lawson, Ling and Glover's Route on Sail Mhor is interesting, as is Morrison's Gully (easy Grade I) in winter.  

In reply to Harry Jarvis:

I've finished the day by a traverse of the ridge a few times after a climb on either the east or central buttress & never had a problem hitching back for the car - a long day but  Scottish summer days are long