Tour Scotland, The Five Sisters of Kintail

The waters of Loch Alsh are joined at its eastern end, near Dornie, by those of Loch Long, flowing down from the north-east and those of Loch Duich from the south-east. Here is some of the finest Highland scenery to be viewed anywhere. a perfect blend of sea, loch and
mountain. South of Dornie bridge is Eilcan Donan Castle, once a stronghold of the Clan MacKenzie.

Beyond the head of narrow and twisting Loch Long, Glen Ling pushes north-east into the Attadale Forest and on up to Loch Monar while Glen Elchaig can be followed, with difficulty, to Loch Mullardoch and the heights of An
Riabhachan and the gaunt Sgur na Lapaich (3,773 feet).

Loch Duich is a broader stretch of water which runs south-east from Dornie and the road along its northern shore rises and falls on its way through Inverinate, and on then to Kintail and Shiel Bridge at the head of the loch. Tracks run up from Kintail and Morvich between the frowning bulks of Beinn Bhreac and A’Ghlas Bheinn (3,006 feet), to reach the superb Falls of Glomach. A single drop of 300 feet down the black face of the ravine is broken by a ledge before being hurled even deeper. The total drop from top to bottom is 750 feet, an unforgettable sight.

These cascading waters have their sources far up the slopes of Sgurr Nan Ecathreanhnan (3,771 feet), and the
overflow from Loch a Bhealaich which is fed from the sides of mighty Ben Attow (3,383 feet). These ranges also feed the river Affric to the east which runs down
into the loch and through the glen of the same name, watched over by the towering bulks of Mam Soul (3,862 feet), and Cam Eige (3,877 feet).

Above Ben Attow across the river Croe and looming protectively over Glen Shiel are the Five Sisters of Kintail stretching in a crescent of peaks down toward Sgurr a’ Bhealaich Dhearg, where Glen Shiel becomes Glen Cluanie and leads on to the loch of that name. The Five Sisters rise up from just beyond the head of Loch Duich and are
among the steepest grass-clad mountains in the Highlands. The most westerly is Sgurr Moraich but in the centre it is Sgurr Fhuaran which dominates, being
renowned among climbers as the largest continuous slope in the Highlands, rising up to 3,505 feet. From the summit
breathtaking views can be had over the glens and lochs towards the mountains of the Isle of Skye.

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