The Brothers Ridge of Kintail
THE DAY AT A GLANCE
š Start: Glen Shiel car park, A87 ā NH009135
ā°ļø Distance: Approx. 10 km / 6.25 miles
ā¬ļø Elevation Gain: Approx. 1,274 m
šļø Munros Achieved: 3
ā±ļø Typical Time: 6ā8 hours
š Finish: A87 opposite the Cluanie Inn
š Route: Point-to-point ā transport required
MUNROS
1. SĆ ileag ā 956 m2. SgĆ¹rr aā Bhealaich Dheirg ā 1,038 m3. Aonach Meadhoin ā 1,001 m
š AMBER CHALLENGE
A serious mountain day.
Steep from the start, with over 500 m of ascent in the opening kilometre, followed by a high-level ridge, rocky ground, exposed sections and a steep descent.
Fitness: 4/5
Terrain: 3/5
Exposure:3/5
Navigation: 3/5
Overall: š AMBER
Don't underestimate this one.
The Brothers Ridge ā Kintail
If you're looking to explore Kintail, you've quite possibly heard of the South Glen Shiel Ridge or the Five Sisters of Kintail. Both are classic Highland routes, known for long days, serious elevation and some spectacular mountain scenery.
For this adventure, however, we decided to leave the Sisters behind and spend the day exploring the Brothers Ridge of Kintail.
The Brothers sit on the opposite side of Glen Shiel and link three Munros ā SĆ ileag, SgĆ¹rr aā Bhealaich Dheirg and Aonach Meadhoin. They may be overshadowed by their more famous neighbours, but after spending a full day on the ridge, I wouldn't hesitate to recommend them as a proper Kintail adventure.
And it starts with one hell of a climb.
Glen Shiel Ā©elevenfortyone
The Start ā Straight Up
We left the car at the Glen Shiel car park, just off the A87, and headed towards Bealach na Lapain.
There isn't much of a warm-up on this route. The path quickly turns uphill, following the line of the forestry before breaking away towards the bealach. The opening section gains roughly 550 metres in less than a kilometre, so the legs are working almost immediately.
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It's the kind of ascent that makes you question your pacing within the first few minutes. The gradient is relentless, but the reward comes as you gain height and the views across Glen Shiel gradually open up behind you.
The path zigzags its way towards Bealach na Lapain, and eventually the gradient begins to ease.
We'd reached the bealach, and from here the character of the walk changes completely.
First Munro ā SĆ ileag
From the bealach, we turned onto the ridge and headed towards SĆ ileag.
After the steep opening climb, the change in terrain was welcome. The ridge stretches ahead and the route towards the summit is relatively straightforward, giving us the chance to settle into the day's rhythm.
At 956 metres, SĆ ileag became Munro number one.
From the summit, the views across Glen Shiel are impressive, with the Five Sisters dominating the landscape on the opposite side of the glen. Looking back towards the ground we'd already covered, the effort of the initial climb suddenly seemed worthwhile.
With one Munro ticked off, we continued along the ridge towards the next objective.
5 sisters from Saileag Ā©elevenfortyone
The Ridge ā Where the Fun Starts
From SĆ ileag, the route continues along the ridge with a series of rises and dips before SgĆ¹rr aā Bhealaich Dheirg begins to dominate the skyline.
This is arguably the most dramatic section of the route. The terrain becomes rockier as you approach the summit, with a short rocky arĆŖte adding a little more interest to the day. The true summit sits at around 1,038 metres, marked by a cairn.
It's not technical climbing, but this is where the route demands more concentration. The poles become less useful over the rockier ground and, in places, you may find yourself using your hands for balance.
For me, this was where the Brothers Ridge started to feel like the mountain day we'd come looking for ā not simply three Munro summits linked together, but a proper journey along a high and varied ridge.
Along the ridgeline Ā©elevenfortyone
Munro Number Two ā SgĆ¹rr aā Bhealaich Dheirg
Standing on SgĆ¹rr aā Bhealaich Dheirg, the scale of Kintail opens up once again.
Behind us was SĆ ileag, while Aonach Meadhoin waited ahead. Somewhere far below was the A87, which would eventually become our finishing point.
One of the best things about a point-to-point ridge walk is that constant sense of progression. You're not climbing a mountain simply to turn around and descend the same way.
Every summit takes you further through the landscape.
After taking in the views and checking the route ahead, we continued towards the final Munro.
Two down.
One to go.
Sgurr a SgĆ¹rr aā Bhealaich Dheirg Ā©elevenfortyone
The Final Brother ā Aonach Meadhoin
The route drops towards the col before climbing again towards Aonach Meadhoin. By this stage, the legs were beginning to feel the accumulated ascent and mileage, but knowing the final Munro was ahead gave us another push.
The ridge continues over a series of smaller rises before the final climb begins.
At 1,001 metres, we reached Aonach Meadhoin ā our third Munro of the day and the final summit of the Brothers Ridge.
Three Munros were now in the bag, but there was still a fair way to go. This is an important point to remember on the route: reaching the final Munro does not mean the day is finished.
Don't Switch Off Yet
From Aonach Meadhoin, the route continues along the ridge towards SgĆ¹rr an Fhuarail, a prominent non-Munro summit, before eventually turning towards the descent into Glen Cluanie.
SgĆ¹rr an Fhuarail in the distance Ā©elevenfortyone
The character of the walk changes again as the high ridge gives way to steeper, rougher ground. After several hours on your feet, this section can feel every bit as demanding as the ascent, particularly when the legs are tired.
Then Loch Cluanie comes into view, and the end of the walk finally starts to feel close.
The Long Way Down
The final descent takes us away from the high mountain environment and towards the A87.
It's tempting to switch off at this point, but the descent still requires care. There are steep sections and rough ground to negotiate, and tired legs can make straightforward terrain feel considerably less so.
Eventually, the gradient eases and the road comes into view.
The Cluanie Inn.
Our finish line.
Three Munros completed, around 1,274 metres of ascent behind us and a very different perspective on the mountains we'd been looking at all day.
Desending towards the Cluanie Inn Ā©elevenfortyone
Getting Back to the Car
The Brothers Ridge is a point-to-point route, so transport needs to be organised before you start.
š Best option ā Two cars
The simplest arrangement is to use two cars.
Leave one car at the Cluanie Inn, then take the second car to the Glen Shiel car park and begin the walk from there.
When you finish, your vehicle is waiting at the other end. Unless you forget your keys like i did #hitchiker :)
š One car
If you're travelling alone or with one vehicle, you'll need to arrange transport back to the start. This could mean arranging a lift, taxi or checking whether public transport along the A87 fits your plans.
The important thing is to sort this before setting off. After three Munros and a substantial amount of ascent, the last thing you want is to discover that getting back to the car requires another long walk along the road.
1141 Adventures Verdict
The Brothers Ridge might not have the instant recognition of the Five Sisters or the South Glen Shiel Ridge, but it deserves a place on the Kintail list.
The opening ascent is tough and immediately demands respect, while the ridge itself provides a brilliant combination of open mountain terrain, rocky sections, big views and three Munro summits.
SĆ ileag gets you onto the ridge, SgĆ¹rr aā Bhealaich Dheirg provides the most dramatic terrain, and Aonach Meadhoingives you the satisfaction of completing the three Brothers.
The descent towards Loch Cluanie then provides a fitting end to a demanding day.
It's tough, varied and rewarding ā exactly the sort of walk we want to capture here at 1141 Adventures.
Three Munros. One ridge. One hell of a day.
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