Scotland backpacking - Glen Affric Munros

Glen Affric is a scenic national nature reserve in Scotland’s North-West Highlands, often visited for the beauty of the Caledonian pine forest that surrounds Loch Bheinn a’ Mheadhoin. For hill walkers, if you include nearby Loch Mullardoch, there are over 12 Munros (Scottish mountains over 3,000ft/914.4m high) within a 13km square location. Our objective was to ascend two of these Munros, Càrn Eige and Beinn Fhionnlaidh, before pitching our tent on the summit of a third, Mam Sodhail. The cloud inversion we experienced through the day - the result of warmer temperatures up high and colder below - was an unexpected bonus.

Alex Haken preparing water outside his tent in Gleann nam Fiadh en route to the Munros above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Alex Haken ascending Coire Mhic Fhearchair above Gleann nam Fiadh en route to the Munros above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland. Image © Colin Henderson Photography. Permission required before use. To license this image, please con
Alex Haken ascending Coire Mhic Fhearchair above Gleann nam Fiadh en route to the Munros above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland. Image © Colin Henderson Photography. Permission required before use. To license this image, please con
Alex Haken ascending Coire Mhic Fhearchair above Gleann nam Fiadh en route to the Munros above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland. Image © Colin Henderson Photography. Permission required before use. To license this image, please con
Alex Haken ascending Gleann nam Fiadh en route to the Munros above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
View from the summit of Sron Garbh above Glen Affric, looking over to the Mullardoch hills in the North-West Highlands.
View from the summit of Sron Garbh above Glen Affric, looking over to the Mullardoch hills in the North-West Highlands.
Alex Haken approaching the rocky ridge of Stob Coire Dhomhnuill en route to the summit of Carn Eige above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Alex Haken approaching the rocky ridge of Stob Coire Dhomhnuill en route to the summit of Carn Eige above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Alex Haken traversing the rocky ridge of Stob Coire Dhomhnuill looking over to the summit of Carn Eige and Mam Sodhail, two Munros above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Alex Haken on the rocky ridge of Stob Coire Dhomhnuill looking over to the summit of Carn Eige and Mam Sodhail, two Munros above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland
A rocky spine near the summits of Carn Eighe and Mam Sodhail above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
An Leth-chreag and Coire Domhain above Loch Mullardoch in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Glen Shiel peaks jutting out of a cloud inversion, as viewed from Mam Sodhail above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Clouds clear forming an inversion beneath Mam Sodhail, a Munro above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
View from the summit cairn of Carn Eige towards the rocky ridge of Stob Coire Dhomhnuill above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Alex Haken on the summit ridge of Carn Eige above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Looking towards An Leth-Creag and Tom a'Choinnich from the ridge between Carn Eige and Beinn Fhionnlaidh above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
An Socach in Mullardoch from Beinn Fhionnlaidh above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Alex Haken leaving the summit of Beinn Fhionnlaidh, a Munro above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Alex Haken ascending towards the bealach below Mam Sodhail, a Munro above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
The summits of An Socach and An Riabhachan in Mullardoch peak out of a cloud inversion which is lapping up the slopes of Carn Eighe above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland
The summit ridge of Carn Eige, a Munro in Glen Affric, rising above a cloud inversion in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Looking out over a cloud inversion from the large summit cairn on Mam Sodhail above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
The summit of Sgurr na Lapaich peaks out above a cloud inversion behind the summit ridge of Mam Sodhail above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
A cloud inversion surfaces Beinn Fhionnlaidh and the Mullardoch hills behind Mam Sodhail, a Munro above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
Two backpacking tents above a cloud inversion near the summit of Mam Sodhail, a Munro above Glen Affric in the North West Highlands of Scotland.
A waterfall of clouds during a cloud inversion above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
A cloud inversion laps at the ridge leading out from Mam Sodhail to Sgùrr na Lapaich, above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
A cloud inversion creeps up Gleann nam Fiadh between Carn Eige and Sgurr na Lapaich above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
The view south over a cloud inversion and Sgurr nan Conbhairean in Glen Shiel towards the Grey Corries and Ben Nevis, the UK's highest mountain, from the summit of Mam Sodhail above Glen Affric in the North-West Highlands of Scotland.
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