Date: Sunday 8th September 2013
Distance: 11.7km
Ascent: 830m

We’d had an opportunity to stand on the Skye Bridge on the Saturday and take in some of the hills on view. Amongst the serried ranks we noted a few wee prominences in front of Sgurr an Airgid – Boc Beag in particular, a rather pointy wee lump above Loch Duich. This one had caught our attention from our 2-night Kintail camp a few years back. There was also an intriguing path/track running into Coire Dhuinnid – an unwalked area.

Loch Duich morning:

Parked up at NG 909 233 at the bridge (in actual fact there was probably space near the ruin 200m up the road). Walked up to the ruin, the track runs past this and into the deep cleft between Sgurr Aoide and Sgurr an Uillt Tarsuinn.

The track is a decent one and makes for an easy wander up the cleft to the upper glen. There are some nice falls in the river.

The Coire is at about 260m and is much flatter than the steep outflow. The remains of old buildings were present at NG 931 250 – the left hand turn in the track.

A rather odd looking small structure was seen – possibly a storage construct?

Headed up the hill from here and noted a curious Juvenile Golden Eagle which sailed around having a look at us. They only seem to do this in September.

Beinn Sgritheall looms to the south:

The track ascends to the high ground east of Carn Bad a Chreamha and a gate in the deer fence can be found at NG 932 264. Headed uphill from here crossing an old decrepit fence line on the way to the summit.

Irritatingly a new barbed wire-topped waist high fence is present just before the summit which needed crossed (and my barbed-wire crossing device was in the car).

Got over this with trews intact to take in the view from the impressive cairn.

A nice view from here – Torridon, Applecross, Skye (and the bridge). A few windfarms at Stornoway visible past Beinn Bhan too unfortunately.

To the east we identified summits from our previous walks – Carnan Cruithneachd, Ceathreamhnan, Fionnlaidh.

A couple of eagles were rising on a thermal near Ben Killilan (perhaps the previous juvenile was one of them).

Picked a way downhill walking around the south of Loch Bhuic Mhoir.

Carn Bad a Chreamha:

From there ascended Boc Mor up its SE ridge for another wee viewpoint and another view of the bridge.

Descended back to the SE before turning SW and making for NG 912 255 – another fence crossing point near Loch Gorm Mor.

Boc Mor:

Stopped to view a selection of frog and newt tadpoles in the lochans.

Progress across the whole upland area is a bit slow, needing to weave in and around rather knarly terrain. Picked our way through to Boc Beag, the rather pointy little nubbin seen a few years ago.

A steep pull to the summit (again from the SE) of this one and another view of the bridge.

Also a nice view of one of the other local spikes – Biod an Fhithich.

Back down SE and continuing SE to NG 913 245. This Allt allows a descent to the high point of the track rather than heading south which involves more steepier and fernier descent.

Back on the track it was an easy walk back to the Carr Brae road.

An excellent little-visited corner – saw about 8 people on Sgurr an Airgid (a Corbett!) but no-one on our route.

Well worth an explore with great views.