Glen
Glen Shiel
The A87 to Skye cuts through a glen with five Munros on one side and a battlefield on the other — accessible, dramatic, and often overlooked.
- Length
- 16km
- Munros
- 15
- Corbetts
- 4
- Grahams
- 5
- Highest peak
- Sgurr Fhuaran (1068m)
Glen Shiel is a through-route — the A87 from Invergarry to Kyle of Lochalsh passes through the full length of the glen, which means every Skye-bound driver sees it but most do not stop. That is their loss. The Five Sisters of Kintail form the south wall of the glen: five continuous Munros and Munro tops forming one of the finest sustained ridges in Scotland, with a 1500m total ascent and views to the Outer Hebrides on clear days. The north side of the glen carries the South Cluanie Ridge — a long series of Munros that can be linked in a single long day.
The glen has good infrastructure for a northwest Highland glen — the A87 means motorhomes can reach Shiel Bridge and Cluanie Inn without difficulty, and the CityLink service (Glasgow and Inverness to Portree) stops at both. This is one of the few northwest Highland glens where you can arrive by bus and still access serious mountain terrain.
The road in
Parking2 spots
Cluanie Inn layby
20 cars
Free
Shiel Bridge car park
40 cars
Free
CalMac ferry to Kylerhea. Multiple hill starts.
Hills from Glen Shiel15 Munros · 4 Corbetts · 5 Grahams
Sgurr a' Mhaoraich
1026m · 1.8km away
Buidhe Bheinn
885m · 2.3km away
Sgurr nan Eugallt
897m · 4.4km away
Creag nan Damh
917m · 4.7km away
Sgurr na Sgine
946m · 5.0km away
Sgurr an Lochain
1004m · 5.4km away
Sgurr an Doire Leathain
1010m · 5.8km away
Meall nan Eun
667m · 6.4km away
Maol Chinn-dearg
980m · 6.9km away
Slat Bheinn
700m · 6.9km away
The Saddle
1011m · 7.0km away
Druim Fada
710m · 7.3km away
What's in the glen
Five Sisters of Kintail
Five peaks forming one of the finest ridges in the northwest — a sustained ridge walk with 1500m of total ascent over 14km. The classic approach from the A87 is steep but straightforward. Views to Skye on clear days.
Battle of Glen Shiel
The 1719 Battle of Glen Shiel was the last battle fought on British soil involving foreign troops — a Jacobite rising supported by Spanish soldiers that ended in decisive defeat. A cairn marks the site near Loch Shiel.
River Shiel
Our take
Glen Shiel is the most accessible serious hill-walking glen in the northwest and it is underused because everyone is driving through it to Skye. The Five Sisters are excellent — a long, clear ridge with no technical difficulties in summer conditions and a serious undertaking when they are in winter condition. The Cluanie Inn at the east end is a good base and serves food all day. The battlefield cairn near Loch Shiel is easy to miss; stop and read the history — the 1719 rising and its Spanish connection is one of the stranger episodes in Jacobite history.
Practical
- Mobile signal
- Reasonable signal along the A87 and at Shiel Bridge. Limited on hill routes.
- Midges
- High(4/5)
- Stalking estate
- Kintail Estate (National Trust for Scotland)Red deer stalking: 1 Jul – 20 Oct
- Public transport
- CityLink 917 (Glasgow–Skye) stops at Shiel Bridge and Cluanie Inn.
Map
Hills (green), bothies (brown), parking (blue), wild swimming (light blue).
Nearby glens
Scotland outdoor updates
Route guides, condition reports and seasonal picks — once a month, no noise.