Munro · North-West Highlands
Am Faochagach
Am Faochagach (954m) — "the heather place" — is a solitary, broad whaleback Munro standing isolated above the south side of Loch Glascarnoch in the Northern Highlands. The hill has a reputation as one of the more tedious Munros to reach due to its notoriously boggy approach, but the summit gives surprisingly fine views across to the Beinn Dearg group, the Fannaichs and out to the Cromarty Firth.
Quick facts
- Height
- 953m/ 3127ft
- Distance
- 16 km
- Ascent
- 839 m
- Time
- 6–9 hrs
- Grid ref
- NH303793
- Parking
- NH274751
- Nearest
- Ullapool· Inverness 50km
- Dogs
- Dogs on lead required near livestockDog-friendly guide ↗
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Standard route
Roadside start / moorland 35% · Open hillside 45% · Summit plateau 20%
Park at the small lay-by on the A835 just east of Aultguish Inn (no formal path; check parking is sensible). Walk south across the boggy peat moor of An Garbh Choire — a notoriously slow, wet crossing — to reach the foot of Am Faochagach. Climb the broad north-west ridge directly to the summit cairn. Return reverses the approach. Around 14km return with 870m of ascent — short but uncompromisingly boggy.
Terrain
The An Garbh Choire approach is among the wettest peat-bog crossings of any Munro — slow, tussocky and tiring. The Abhainn an Torrain Duibh river crossing can be impassable after rain. Above the bog the north-west ridge climbs over broad mossy turf without a path. The summit is a small cairn standing on a wide flat top with no defining features. Navigation across the broad summit in cloud requires care.
In winter
A serious Northern Highlands winter day. The boggy approach freezes hard in winter — paradoxically faster going than summer when frozen. The river crossings can be unfordable after snowmelt. The broad summit drifts heavily and offers no features for whiteout navigation. The A835 corridor stays gritted. There is no phone reception on the hill; the relevant forecast area is SAIS Northern Highlands.
This hill is in the Torridon SAIS forecast area. Check SAIS forecasts in winter (December–April).
Best time of year
Getting there
- Glasgow4h 9m
- Edinburgh4h 21m
OS maps: OS Landranger 20
Mobile signal: No signal above 700m. The A835 at Loch Glascarnoch has intermittent signal. Download maps before the drive from Garve.
Current conditions
Daylight Today
- Sunrise
- 04:22
- Sunset
- 22:14
- Civil dawn
- 03:13
- Civil dusk
- 23:23
NOAA Solar Calculator · 7 June 2026
Around Am Faochagach on the SCOT network
Getting there, basing yourself, and what to do off the hill.
Am Faochagach — common questions
- How hard is Am Faochagach?
- Am Faochagach is rated 5/5 (very challenging) on the OutdoorSCOT scale. The standard route covers about 16km with 839m of ascent and takes most walkers 6-9 hours. Terrain: The An Garbh Choire approach is among the wettest peat-bog crossings of any Munro — slow, tussocky and tiring.
- Where do I park for Am Faochagach?
- Standard parking is at NH274751 near Ullapool. Check the parking grid reference on an OS map before travel; informal laybys can fill on summer weekends.
- When is the best time to climb Am Faochagach?
- The standard good-weather months for Am Faochagach are May, June, July, August, September. Outside those months, expect winter conditions on the high ground — full mountain kit, navigation skills, and a check of the SAIS avalanche forecast for the relevant region.
- Can I bring my dog up Am Faochagach?
- Yes, but dogs must be kept on a lead — there is livestock or ground-nesting bird interest on the route.
- Is there mobile signal on Am Faochagach?
- No signal above 700m. The A835 at Loch Glascarnoch has intermittent signal. Download maps before the drive from Garve.
- Is Am Faochagach safe in winter?
- A serious Northern Highlands winter day. The boggy approach freezes hard in winter — paradoxically faster going than summer when frozen. The river crossings can be unfordable after snowmelt. The broad summit drifts heavily and offers no features for whiteout navigation. The A835 corridor stays gritted. There is no phone reception on the hill; the relevant forecast area is SAIS Northern Highlands.
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