M237 | 937 m. | 3074 ft.
Translation: Unknown
Pronuncation: byn skoolard

I had driven past this Munro many times in the almost 20 years I’ve been visiting Scotland for hillwalking. Most of the books don’t consider this hill as something special: A long bumpy ridge and some rocks in the summit region. Ralph Storer, however, gives the hill due respect in his book “The Ultimate Guide to the Munros”.

Druimavuic House at the end of Loch Creran is situated in a very nice garden and can be visited. We parked our car in a layby to the north of the house. From the parking we followed the forrest track past the perimeter drystane wall of Druimavouc house into the woods. The path climbs steeply and after about 100m it reaches the open hillside. It continues steeply. When it levels off a cairn marks the start of the path up the long west ridge of Beinn Sgulaird. The climb to point 488m is pleasant and height is gained quickly. Looking back on Loch Creran we took a short break to catch some breath.

Then we skirted the summit of point 488m and walked down the steep path into the cut before the next rise. From this beallach the track climbs steeply onto a broad grassy ridge which after another about 400m leads to point 863. This stretch of the climb takes its time but is an easy hike on a gradually rising ridge. At the top of point 863 the first rocks appear. The next three kilometres to the summit of Beinn Sgulaird lead over increasingly rocky or broken terrain. Level sections take turns with several steep descents and re-ascents – a very interesting and totally different terrain when compared to the first 90 minutes of the climb. Easy to moderate scrambling options were available in abundance. Very nice! At the summit we took a break and enjoyed the great views of the Appin and Affric Munros. The Glen Etive Five, Beinn Fionnlaidh and Sgurr na h-Ulaidh, Mull to the southwest. Great!

The sky had clouded over and the temperature had dropped considerably. So we packed our stuff and headed back to our car by Loch Creran. Of the several options for the descent we took the easiest: Retrace our steps. At the cut before the re-ascent to point 488 we decided to head due south down a steep grassy gully, lost about 200m of height and picked up the track in Corrie Buidhe. This took Frank and me back to the cairn where we had started the ascent of the ridge and then we headed back to Loch Creran and our car.

This was a very interesting and entertaining hike. The long rocky summit ridge boasts very nice granite slabs and is quite wild. Beinn Sgulaird, the Hat-shaped Mountain. I tip my hat to this great solitary Munro!


 


Description Beinn Sgulaird stands at the head of Loch Creran and forms an undulating ridge running from south-west to north-east. Although the hill is quite grassy on its lower slopes, the summit ridge is very rocky and there are some areas of granite slabs in the west-facing corries. There is a fine view of the hill from the north shore of Loch Creran.Start from the A828 road just north of Druimavuic and follow a track behind the house onto the open hillside. Once beyond the forest, aim for the minor top of 488m. Cross it and climb the ridge beyond to reach the first of the rocky tops on the summit ridge of Beinn Sgulaird. The route continues up and down along the ridge over rough granite boulders and slabs to reach the summit.The most direct return to the road at the head of Loch Creran goes north-west down a steep spur for a short distance and then west on a long diagonal descent across the grassy hillside to reach the private road to Taraphocain a short distance from the public road.