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This is the daddy of all Mountain Festival walks! The Glen Sannox horseshoe combines several festival walks into one and takes in the peaks of Cioch na h-Oighe (661m), Mullach Buidhe (819m), North Goatfell (818m), Cir Mhor (799m), Caisteal Abhail (859m) and Ceum na Caillich (727m), dropping to 430m at The Saddle halfway round. It’s definitely not a walk for first timers, and requires good mountain fitness, stamina and a head for heights. Not only does the distance and ascent covered make for a very long hill day, there are several challenging rock scrambles and steep slopes to negotiate.

Distance: 16km
Highest point gained: 859m - Caisteal Abhail (The Castles)
Total Ascent: 1560m
Walk duration: 12hrs
Terrain: rough mountain paths, soggy moorland, serious rock scrambling, steep sections with loose rock and gravel underfoot
Exposure: Head for heights essential! Involves scrambling on very steep ground and negotiation of a narrow ridge
Technical Rating: Challenging
Blister Rating: 4 – only for walkers with a very good level of mountain fitness!

Walk description: Starting at the mouth of Glen Sannox, a gentle climb to the foot of Cioch na h-Oighe over footpath and moor provides a good warm-up for the day. It soon gets serious: from there, the clamber to the top is very steep and relentless with 200m ascended in little over half a kilometre with some serious and exposed scrambling on the way. The ridge that follows on is narrow and has near vertical drops down to the evocatively named corrie the Devil’s Punchbowl. The path then climbs to the next peak of Mullach Buidhe and on to North Goatfell with a good path over high ground. Great views into Glen Sannox, to Goatfell and across the Firth of Clyde can be enjoyed along the route. Descending from the craggy summit of North Goatfell to The Saddle, the going gets tough once again. Despite recent improvements to the very steep path, expect loose gravel underfoot with steep drops into Glen Rosa and Coire nam Fuaran either side. Bring walking poles to save your knees!  The most daunting section of the walk is probably the ascent of mighty Cir Mhor from The Saddle, straddling Glens Rosa and Sannox. Its lofty summit opens up views out to the west of the island and Kintyre and on a good day, across to the islands of Islay and Jura. But on we must go as the stodgy castellations of Caisteal Abhail beckon. This is where the path finally turns north for the return leg of the journey. After descending to the coll between the two mountains, the ascent to Caisteal Abhail is comparably gentle. One of the trickiest sections of the horseshoe is Ceum na Caillich, the Witch’s Step. The south slope of the V-shaped gash consists of steep slabs, which have foot and handholds for scrambling down to the bottom of the V but are very exposed. The northern section is rock-climbing territory, and will be avoided by descending to the north. The last serious ascent of the day is back up to the ridge which eventually leads us to our last summit for the day, Suidhe Fhearghas, towering high above Glen Sannox. Our knees will be subjected to yet another steep descent, before making our way back to the start of our epic past the derelict barytes mines at the bottom of Glen Sannox.

Sore legs and a sense of achievement guaranteed!

ADVISED KIT LIST
Suggested Hill Clothing
NO jeans – anyone wearing jeans will not be allowed to start the walk, and no refund will be possible
Stout hill walking boots
Appropriate walking trousers, top layers and fleece – preferably no cotton layers

Suggested minimum daysac contents
Waterproof (not showerproof) trousers
Waterproof (not showerproof) jacket
Spare fleece (in addition to one being worn)
Spare socks
Woollen or fleece hat
Gloves
Packed lunch and drink
Any personal medicines
Sun cream and insect repellent