Am Bàthach

Am Bàthach is a Scottish mountain at the head of Glen Shiel, near Loch Cluanie in the Highlands. It stands alone as a Corbett, surrounded by higher Munros, with grassy slopes that contrast with the rockier peaks of its neighbours. The hill’s roof-like shape, with steep sides and a long ridge, gives it the name ‘Am Bàthach’, meaning ‘the byre’ in Gaelic. Cattle were once common in the Highlands, and the shape reminded locals of a cow shed. The mountain lies 38 kilometres south-east of Kyle of Lochalsh, at the western end of Loch Cluanie. The mountain is worth climbing for its drier, more interesting route to the nearby Munro of Ciste Dhubh. Walkers often choose it when weather makes other routes boggy or impassable. Its summit ridge stretches about a kilometre, with the highest point at the northern end and a col at the midpoint. The steep slopes drop to valleys with small streams, while the southern ridge descends to the A87 road near Loch Cluanie. The hills are drained by two burns that flow east and west, eventually reaching the Moray Firth. A visitor finds a half-day walk with views of Loch Cluanie and the Cluanie Inn at its western end. The summit offers clear sightlines to the surrounding Munros of Kintail. The southern ridge can be reached by walking east from the Cluanie Inn car park and following an old stalkers’ path past a conifer plantation. The northern flank leads down to the Bealach a’ Chòinich, a pass with a small lochan that connects to other Munros. The streams on either side of the hill carve through the landscape, adding to the wild beauty of the route.