Carn Eighe and Mam Sodhail 9 August 2026

This was intended to be a meet to traverse Liathach, however the forecast of wind, showers and poor visibility made the decision to go for some Munros and Munro tops above Glen Affric.

Ryan, Euan, Gill, Stela and Martyn met in the Chisholm Bridge walker’s car park and took a vehicle to the road head in Glen Affric to save a 2km road walk at the end.

After the good track to the small hydro dam in Gleann nam Fiadh the bog set in. The glen floor was wet all the way to where the path started to climb to Sron Garbh, the first Munro top. Food was taken on the way up as the bog had sapped the team’s energy. The ridge was then followed over two more Munro tops, Stob a’ Choire Dhomhuill and Stob a’ Choire Dhomhain to the first Munro, Carn Eighe (File Hill). The highest ground north of the Great Glen. The whole ridge making up the Munro tops and Carn Eighe is over 1000m high. An excellent high-level ridge to follow with good visibilty. Second lunch was taken.

The weather then started to close in and the wind gained strength with some showers, so a windy traverse of the bealach between Carn Eighe and Mam Sodhail was an exciting journey. At the top of Mam Sodhail (Hill of the Barns) the cloud lifted, and the good views appeared again. The team followed the second ridge of the day to Mullach Cadha Rainich and Sgurr na Lapaich, two more Munro tops.

The descent to Affric Lodge led the group to the road head and the car to take us back to the start. A double rainbow on the way down with the odd shower in the sunshine topped the views of this excellent circuit.

A long day, two munros and five munro tops, so a good day out in the Scottish Hills.

Words: Martyn. Pictures: Gill and Ryan