Beinn Sgritheall

Beinn Sgritheall consists of a narrow, curved crest running parallel to the north shore of Loch Hourn from which several ridges extend.^[5] The south face of the mountain rises nearly 1,000 metres (3,300 ft), from the level of Loch Hourn to its summit, in 1.6 kilometres (0.99 mi).^[6] It has three tops: the summit (974 metres (3,196 ft)), a Middle Top (also 974 metres) and an East Top (906 metres (2,972 ft)).^[7] The upper parts of its west face consist of crags and scree. The north and eastern part of the mountain contain a number of remote corries.^[5] Two ridges run north-east from the summit with one curving north-west to enclose a high corrie. A third ridge runs west to Creag an Taghain, a crag above the forest of Coille Mhialairigh.^[7]

The view from the summit encompasses: the isles of Jura, Rùm and Mull; the mountains of Knoydart, Skye and Moidart; Ben Nevis and Slioch; and the ridges of Glen Affric and Glen Shiel.^[3] It is possible to see more than 100 named peaks from the summit and Hamish Brown would not swap the view from it "for any mountain view in the world".^[3]

The rock of Beinn Sgritheall is of the schistose type.^[8]

Beinn Sgritheall is commonly climbed from the village of Arnisdale on the shores of Loch Hourn. An alternative is to approach via Gleann Beag to the north, with its well-known brochs. Both starting points can only be accessed either overland via a single lane road from Glen Shiel, or across the waters of Loch Hourn using a ferry or boat.

It is possible to complete a number of traverses. One example approaches from the south-west side of the mountain, gaining the west ridge via the forest of Coille Mhialairigh. The summit is reached and the traverse then continues along the south-east ridge which leads to the Bealach Arnasdail pass from where it is possible to descend to Arnisdale village beside the loch approximately 3 kilometres (2 mi) from the start point.^[9]

• Bennet, Donald, ed. (1999). The Munros: Scottish Mountaineering Club Hillwalkers Guide. Edinburgh: Scottish Mountaineering Trust. ISBN 0-907521-57-6.
• McNeish, Cameron (2006). The Munros, Scotland's Highest Mountains. Edinburgh: Lomond. ISBN 1-84204-082-0.
• Brown, Hamish (1980). Hamish's Mountain Walk. London: Paladin. ISBN 0-586-08332-4.

57°09′11″N 5°34′46″W / 57.15311°N 5.57945°W / 57.15311; -5.57945