Sgurr nan Conbhairean and Carn Ghluasaid Walking

North of the Great Glen only a handful of hills breach 1100m. Being one of the few, Sgurr nan Conbhairean has a big feel; it's a grand peak too, with a summit cairn perched airily on the lip of its huge eastern corrie. Most easily accessed from the south, it makes a nice logical ridge walking circuit along with neighbouring Munro Carn Ghluasaid. A third Munro, Sail Chaorainn, can be added with a slightly messy out-and-back detour, but I'd contend that's better done as part of a huge horseshoe from the Affric side including the other biggies in the range, Mullach Fraoch Choire and A'Chralaig. Today's route is a bit more modest in ambition.

A' Chralaig from Drochaid an Tuill Easaich  © Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com
A' Chralaig from Drochaid an Tuill Easaich
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Detailed description

1
NH1448310331 Cross the A87 and pick up a track heading west, the course of an old military road. Follow this uphill, go through a gate, and when just past a phone mast turn right.

2
NH1372710246 Heading broadly north, a clear stalker's path now zigzags uphill, looping around the knoll of An Cruachan and crossing a couple of small burns in a more level area before zigzagging steeply up through rocky outcrops onto the southwest spur of Carn Ghluasaid. This soon leads to the summit plateau; a cairn marks the high point on the abrupt edge of the huge corrie complex shared with Sgurr nan Conbhairean.
On Carn Ghluasaid, heading west  © Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com
On Carn Ghluasaid, heading west
© Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com

3
NH1457812529 Heading west, follow the edge of the corrie down to a saddle on the ridge, then bear northwest to ascend towards Creag a' Chaorainn. An obvious path makes a rising traverse across the southern flank to regain the ridge some way west of this minor top. Descend into the high col of the Glas Bhealach, then climb the summit slope of Sgurr nan Conbhairean. The huge cairn-windbreak is dramatically positioned at the apex of the mountain's East Ridge, a classic winter mountaineering route/scramble.
Looking towards Affric from Sgurr nan Conbhairean  © Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com
Looking towards Affric from Sgurr nan Conbhairean
© Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com

4
NH1298713889 Descending west-southwest, the broad summit slope soon narrows into a defined ridge. Beyond a little col, a short ascent of the ridge leads to Drochaid an Tuill Easaich - a minor top worth climbing for the view out over Glen Shiel.
Sgurr an Lochain from Drochaid an Tuill Easaich   © Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com
Sgurr an Lochain from Drochaid an Tuill Easaich
© Dan Bailey - UKHillwalking.com

5
NH1206913430 Bear roughly south, making a steady descent to pick up the hill's broad southern ridge. The craggy east flank of the ridge doesn't offer an attractive way off, so stay with the high ground all the way down to a level section on Meall Breac. From about the 650m contour cut off left, descending steeply. When outcrops bar the direct line, trend a little left. A vague trail through grass, heather and boggy bits then leads down to the Allt Coire Lair.

6
NH1282911408 Cross the burn just above a little gorge, to pick up a better-defined path descending south out of the corrie. Not far from the A87 the trail bisects the course of the old military road. This provides a much nicer (if boggier) way back to the start than the verge of the very fast A87.

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