Loch Arkaig: Fraoch Bheinn and Sgurr Mhurlagain

Knoydart skyline

The rock slip on Fraoch Bheinn

Fraoch Bheinn summit looking west

Streap and Sgurr Thuilm

Fraoch Bheinn from Sgurr Mhulagain

Cloud cover over Loch Arkaig from Sgurr Mhulagain

Chilling on Sgurr Mhulagain

Streap and Sgurr Thuilm from Sgurr Mhulagain

Thursday, 22 May 2014
Ascent:      1280 metres
Distance:    13 kilometres
Time:          5 hours 1 minute

Fraoch Bheinn           858m       1hr   51mins
Sgurr Mhurlagain       880m       3hrs 29mins

Strathan at the head of Loch Arkaig is one of the more remote outposts for reaching the West Highlands. It is reached after a 13 mile drive along the stark beauty of Loch Arkaig, a natural fresh water loch, on a single track road that has been mangled by forestry lorries. There are quite a few holiday caravans along the shore with the usual assembly of transportable boats, barbecues and temporary buildings. The car park is about a mile short of Strathan, a former crofting community with only one house remaining. Adjacent to the new car park are the ruins of an old barracks built by the government at the time of the Jacobite Rebellion in 1745.

It had taken 3 hours to drive up on a grey cold May morning, but it was dry with a strong north easterly breeze forcing us into hats and gloves as we set out. We had decided to climb the two corbetts that overlook Loch Arkaig: Fraoch Bheinn and Sgurr Mhulagain. They would be an aperitif to a long day climbing the Sgurr na Ciche to Sgurr Mor munros tomorrow.

From the car park the track to Glendessary is taken and then after the Strathan junction, it is 400 metres further before a rough path is signposted and leads up the Dearg Allt to Glen Kingie and on to Tomdoun. After we reached 200 metres in height we struck off the path to climb the southern ridge to Fraoch Bheinn. It was a fairly steep climb up grassy slopes with the occasional rocky knoll providing relief from the tedium. The views back down Loch Arkaig were impressive and across Glen Pean the twin peaks of Sgurr Thuilm and Streap had their heads in the clouds. We kept a steady pace with the wind keeping us cool and the vistas regaling us with more and more shapely peaks.

The flat summit had a small cairn but as a lookout it was spectacular with Sgurr na Ciche and Garbh Chioch Mor peeping over the shoulder of Sgurr nan Coireachan and beyond them the jumbly of mountains that are the rough bounds of Knoydart. They challenged our normally sound knowledge of Scottish mountains. We walked north for a distance to observe the rock slip into the eastern corrie and got a better view of the hills of the north. Although the clouds were thick and fast moving the visibility was excellent.

We descended back down the ridge to the south for half a kilometre and then found a ramp leading down to the bealach at 400 metres. I took a phone call, surprised that there was any reception, and lost about ten minutes. John had continued across and was already starting the haul up to the long south westerly ridge of Sgurr Mhurlagain. The climb was relentless but again made enjoyable by the views down Loch Arkaig and the strange cloud formation, which was dark and forboding. We had made good time and for once we had lots of time to sit at the summit and enjoy the views. The light was getting better and the descent would be straightforward. John had spotted a Dotterel and the Plovers were in full cry.

The ground was still very wet in places and the descent quite rough in places. We abandoned the waterlogged path and made a direct descent to the car park, saving us a couple of kilometres. A lone swan was patrolling the edge of the loch. We drove back along the loch for a couple of miles and found a suitable camping spot. In the evening light it was idyllic, the wind had become a breeze and the midges were held at bay. After a supper, we retired before 9pm, aware that we would need an early start in the morning for what would be a 12 hour plus day.