Date: Wednesday 3rd September 2025
Company: Myself and Ann-Marie
Distance: 17.4km, Ascent: 1153m
Time: 7Hrs 28Mins
After some indecision en-route west as to which hills to ascend, we opted for an ascent of the Saddle along with its tops Spidean Dhomhuill Bhric and Sgurr Leac nan Each. This would get a new Munro for Ann-Marie and two new Munro Tops for myself.
I first ascended the Saddle in 1998 via the Forcan Ridge. I last ascended the Saddle in 2020 when I had also hoped to ascend its Munro tops. However, in 2020 the wind was in excess of 50mph which is not ideal for scrambling along a narrow ridge.
For this walk we parked in a lay-by on the A87. There were a few midge while getting suited and booted but this was nothing compared with the hundreds of deer keds we would encounter on the hills. I literally picked over 200 deer keds off my face and neck during the walk.
Route:
From the lay-by, we set off walking along the good track which leads towards the Graham, Biod an Fhithich, which then switches back towards the start of the Forcan Ridge.
View from near start of track:
We took our time during the ascent as we are currently not hill fit having done few hills in the past two years.
Track leading towards Biod an Fhithich:
View down to Glen Shiel:
The weather was good throughout the walk; better than forecast.
The Saddle:
The Saddle:
Looking back, Five Sisters in distance:
On passing the start of the Forcan Ridge, I briefly debated ascending via the ridge or skirting round the back for an easy ascent via the coire. I opted for the easy ascent up the coire.
The start of the Forcan Ridge:
While skirting round the hill, we saw and heard a dog barking as it ran down the side of the Forcan Ridge chasing at the heels of numerous deer. I wasn't impressed a) that the dog wasn't under control and was chasing deer, and b) that the dog could have killed itself running off the side of the ridge. It eventually stopped pursuing the deer and ran back up onto the ridge.
Following the dyke round the hill:
Above Bealach Coire Mhalagain:
Again we took our time during the ascent of the coire as it was starting to get quite warm.
Ascending the Saddle:
Forcan Ridge:
Ann-Marie ascending towards the ridge:
On reaching the ridge I met the couple with the dog and I remarked that they should have their dog under control and that they shouldn't be letting it chase deer. The guy immediately kicked-off by telling me to 'wind my neck in' and that 'if it caught and killed the deer that would be good as there are too many deer'. This p****d me off. When I then held out my hand to stop his dog jumping on me, he commenced name calling e.g. 'what you looking at fatty', etc.
For the first time in 40+ years walking, I invited another walker to 'have a go'. The p***k did not however take up the offer. He was all mouth, a shame as it might have taught him a lesson.
At the Saddle trig point (30cm lower than the summit):
After visiting the trig point, we visited the small summit cairn, which according to the Database of British Hills is 30cm higher than the trig point.
At the summit of the Saddle:
After returning to the summit, we agreed to split as I was keen to continue on to also ascend Spidean Dhomhuill Bhric and Sgurr Leac nan Each, while Ann-Marie was keen to descend back to the car. This provided an opportunity for me to carry on along the ridge and then find a route off towards Shiel Bridge without having to retrace my steps back along the ridge. Ann-Marie would pick me up in Shiel Bridge.
I was surprised at the amount of scrambling from the Saddle out to Spidean Dhomhuill Bhric most of which was down-scrambling.
Down-scramble en-route to Spidean Dhomhuill Bhric:
Due to the scrambling, it took longer than anticapted to reach the summit of Spidean Dhomhuill Bhric. On reaching the summit, I had a quick drink before continuing on towards Sgurr Leac nan Each.
At the summit of Spidean Dhomhuill Bhric:
The traverse out to Sgurr Leac nan Each was easier than the section from the Saddle to Spidean Dhomhuill Bhric but there was still one down-scramble which required care.
Ascending Sgurr Leac nan Each:
On reaching the second Munro Top, Sgurr Leac nan Each, which incidentally was my 200th Munro Top, I looked at the map to work out a way down which would not require going back along the ridge.
At the summit of Sgurr Leac nan Each:
Looking back at ridge from the Saddle to Sgurr Leac nan Each:
I continued on along the ridge for a kilometre or so before opting to descend via steep grassy slopes into Coire Uaine to hopefully pick-up the start of a track marked on the map.
Descent into Coire Uaine:
It was during the descent, and then the walk out from Coire Uaine to Shiel Bridge, that was Deer Ked hell.
Waterfall in Coire Uaine:
Alas, on reaching the point on the map marking the start of the track, the track was almost non-existent. After following the intermittent traces of a path for several kilometres at last the path began to improve making the final walk out somewhat easier.
Looking back towards Coire Uaine:
A few kilometres from Shiel Bridge it was nice to meet six ponies, three of which were having a snooze.
Horses in Gleann Undalain:
I then passed an old shieling which unusually was not marked on the map.
Shieling:
I reached Shiel Bridge at exactly the same time as Ann-Marie arrived to pick me up. Perfect timing
. A good day out but I am suffering today with various aches and pains. I need to get out more frequently
.