Aonach air Chrith

The mountains on the south side of Glen Shiel form a continuous chain 15 kilometres long, its seven Munros linked by a high ridge which gives one of the best long high-level traverses in the Highlands. The north side of this ridge consists of a series of fine corries separated by spurs, most of which give easy access from Glen Shiel onto the several peaks of the South Glen Shiel Ridge, as these mountains are collectively known. The south side of the ridge above Glen Quoich is a long and continuously steep hillside which does not offer any attractive routes of ascent. Consequently these mountains are almost always climbed from Glen Shiel to their north, using some good stalker's paths up the corries and projecting spurs. Although it is possible to traverse the entire ridge in an excellent long day, the following descriptions treat it in two halves, the eastern section of four peaks and the western section of three.

The best way to start the eastern half of the ridge is to walk from Cluanie Inn up the old road which used to lead to Tomdoun. From a point 1 kilometre beyond its highest point follow a stalker's path up the south-east ridge of Creag a'Mhaim. From there the traverse continues west without any difficulty, following the ridge-crest over Druim Shionnach and Aonach air Chrith to Maol Chinn-dearg. The descent goes north-east down an easy grassy spur, at the foot of which an old stalker's path leads to the A87 road in Glen Shiel about 3 kilometres west of Cluanie Inn.

(Copyright The Scottish Mountaineering Club)