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One of the
Torridon giants, perhaps at its best on a sunny, sharp autumn day. Driving
down Glen Torridon, the north flank is soon dominated by the seven km
ridge of this mountain. There are two Munro summits and three other tops
on this walk, for which a head for heights and a sure foot is useful.
Begin from
the A896 road, about 700m east of Glen Cottage. Take the good path up
the east bank of the Allt an Doire Ghairbh, to enter the Toll a' Meitheach.
Above a fork in the burn cliffs bar progress. Take the right fork of the
path to reach the col west of Stuc a'Choire Dhuibh Bhig (915m). A short
detour to climb this top is rewarded by a fine view of Beinn Eighe, a
fellow giant.
Go back over
the 833m col and continue along the crest of the ridge, bending north-west
then west on quartzite rocks round Coire Leith, with a great spectacle
of sandstone buttresses broken by gullies and transacted by numerous airy
ledges. The ridge climbs over the twin tops of Bidean Toll a' Mhuic before
the summit of Spidean a' Choire Leith is reached, the highest point of
the day at 1055m.
The next
section of the ridge is the difficult part and begins with a descent south-west
over quartzite rocks then grass to the start of the Am Fasarinen pinnacles.
The north, Coire na Caime side of the ridge is very exposed but has more
sure rock underfoot than the alternative of the exposed path system on
the south flank. This is especially awkward when wet, with loose sections
where it crosses minor gullies, so unless you are really unhappy with
exposure it is usually better to stay on the crest of the ridge.
These difficulties
end on the peak of Am Fasarinen (927m), after which the ridge broadens
and leads easily, with one minor bump, to Liathach's second mountain,
Mullach an Rathan (1023m). The descent back to the glen begins by going
west for about 100m before bending south down the rocky ridge for a distance.
When obviously easy, drop into the corrie of Toll Bhan, taking a rough
path near the burn and so to the road and a short hoof back up to your
starting point.
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