At One with the Mountains - An interview with Nick Gardner
Issue 6: Nick Gardner and his wife Janet were living an idyllic life on a croft…
Glen Shiel and Kintail
Sgurr an Doire Leathain
A Munro of 1,010 metres, number 122 of the 282.
Photograph by DL, via Google
The hill
Sgurr an Doire Leathain stands on the south side of Glen Shiel, in the hills that run between the glen and Loch Quoich.
It has Munros close on either hand. Sgurr an Lochain is about a kilometre to the north-west and Maol Chinn-dearg about two to the south-east, with Creag nan Damh and Aonach air Chrith further along in each direction.
- The ground
- Kintail Mountain Rescue Team covers the country from Kyle of Lochalsh on the west coast to Loch Ness in the east, and calls it particularly demanding, with large areas of consistently steep ground and well-defined ridges.
- Under snow
- There is no avalanche forecast for this hill, but that does not mean there is no risk under snow. The Scottish Avalanche Information Service's full winter forecasts for its six areas begin on 17 December 2026.
- Summit
- Grid reference NH 015 098.
- Parking
- Neither the Highland Council nor Forestry and Land Scotland lists a car park at Cluanie or in Glen Shiel, and the council lists none at Shiel Bridge, Morvich, Kintail, Invergarry or Glenmoriston either. Find where to leave a car in a route description before you set out.
- Train
- There is a railway station at Kyle of Lochalsh.
- Phone signal
- Mobile coverage is still poor in places, Kintail Mountain Rescue Team warns, so bear it in mind and plan for it before you head out.
On the hill today
A weather model's forecast for the height of the summit, not a report from the hill. Read the mountain forecast the evening before: Northwest Highlands forecast, Sgurr an Doire Leathain, The Met Office's Northwest Highlands mountain forecast, Scottish Avalanche Information Service.
October2026
MTWTFSS
Going another day?
Choose the day you mean to climb.Near or far: the light you will have, and what the summit is likely to be doing.
It's vital to remember that the conditions up in the hills can be very different from those at the roadside, and they can change quickly.Kintail Mountain Rescue Team, whose base is at Morvich in Glenshiel
Before you go
Carry
- A paper map and a compass, and the skill to use them
- Waterproofs, warm layers, hat and gloves
- Food and drink
- A head torch, a whistle and a first aid kit
- A survival bag
- Boots with a good grip
Under snow and ice this is a different day, with short light and the risk of avalanche. It needs an ice axe, crampons, winter boots and the skill to use them.
If something goes wrong
- Dial 999, ask for the police, then mountain rescue
- Give a six-figure grid reference: the summit is NH 015 098
- Say how many are hurt, how many are with you, and your number
- Register to text 999 before the day: text the word register to 999
The summit is optional. Turning back is the right decision whenever the cloud, the wind or the light say so.
How to call for help in the hills · Safety and skills for the hills · ThinkWINTER
From our readers
Nobody has written from Sgurr an Doire Leathain yet. If you were up, yours would be the first.
Tell the next person
Were you up? Three words is enough.A free account, a word for the weather and a line if you like.
Read more elsewhere
For the route itself, take the map and read these.
- Sgurr an Doire Leathain on WalkhighlandsRoute descriptions with maps, for the way to the summitwalkhighlands.co.ukThe route↗
- Kintail Mountain Rescue Team on mountain safetyThe rescue team on conditions and phone signal in its hillskintailmrt.org.ukThe rescue team↗
- Mountaineering Scotland on deer stalkingWhen stalking takes place and what to domountaineering.scotStalking↗
- The area map of the mountain forecastsWhich mountain forecast covers which hillsmwis.org.ukThe weather areas↗
- Northwest Highlands forecastThe Mountain Weather Information Service's forecast for the Northwest Highlands, three days ahead and written by forecasters. Its area runs north from Knoydart in the west and the Great Glen in the east; the area map shows which forecast covers a hillmwis.org.ukMountain weather↗
- Sgurr an Doire LeathainThe Met Office's forecast for the summit itself: a computer model for one point, not a report from the hillweather.metoffice.gov.ukSummit forecast↗
- The Met Office's Northwest Highlands mountain forecastThe Met Office's mountain forecast for the Northwest Highlands, issued every afternoon before 6pmweather.metoffice.gov.ukMountain weather↗
- Scottish Avalanche Information ServiceThere is no avalanche forecast for this hill, but snow can bring the risk all the same. Full winter forecasts begin on 17 December 2026, sooner in North Cairngorm and Lochaber if winter comes earlysais.gov.ukAvalanche↗
Next along: Sgurr an Lochain, Maol Chinn-dearg, Creag nan Damh, Aonach air Chrith. Checked on 10 October 2026. The facts on this page are Kintail Mountain Rescue Team's, the Highland Council's, Forestry and Land Scotland's and National Rail's; the forecasts are the Mountain Weather Information Service's, the Met Office's and the Scottish Avalanche Information Service's. Height and position from The Database of British and Irish Hills, v18.3, adapted, CC BY 4.0. This page is not a route description and does not replace a map.