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…
Knoydart and Loch Quoich
Sgurr Thuilm
A Munro of 963 metres, number 193 of the 282.
The hill
Sgurr Thuilm stands above Glen Finnan, in the hills between Mallaig and Fort William.
Sgurr nan Coireachan, the other Munro above the glen, is about three and a half kilometres to the west, and Gulvain is a little over six kilometres to the east.
Glenfinnan Estate, a working estate of about 9,000 acres owned by the Leith family, lists two Munros on its ground as the Corryhully Horseshoe, with views from the ridge into Knoydart and over to the Inner Hebrides.
By the river below the lodge, the estate keeps Corryhully Bothy for the benefit of walkers, and Glenfinnan is well known in walking circles for it.
- The round
- Glenfinnan Estate calls the round of its two Munros the Corryhully Horseshoe. Take the distance and climb from the route description and the map.
- The way in
- Past the Lodge, the road up the glen becomes a gravel track for two miles, then runs on as a track for seven miles over to Loch Arkaig. The estate suggests going round anti-clockwise, by the stalkers' path that leaves the Loch Arkaig track just after the first ford.
- Stalking
- From mid August to the end of January the estate asks walkers to check with its Estate Manager, on 01397 722203, that no stalking is planned where they mean to walk.
- 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 NM 939 879
- Toilets and food
- There are toilets and a café at the National Trust for Scotland Visitor Centre, and places to eat and drink in Glenfinnan village.
- Bothy
- Corryhully Bothy stands by the river below the lodge, kept by the estate for walkers. It is not a Mountain Bothies Association bothy.
On the hill today
0° to 4°Rain on the summit, 963 m. Feels like −4° in the wind.
West wind to 10 mph, gusting 23
Rain, about 9 mm
Light from 7.55am to 6.18pm, ten hours
Sat 17Mostly clear−2° to 4° on top · 7 mph, gusts 16
Sun 18Some cloud−3° to 4° on top · 8 mph, gusts 18
Mon 19Some cloud−5° to 5° on top · 4 mph, gusts 10
A weather model's forecast for the height of the summit, not a report from the hill. Read the mountain forecast the evening before: West Highlands forecast, Northwest Highlands forecast, Sgurr Thuilm, 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.
Photographs by James Caven, John Irvine and Hugo Fauré, via Google
A serious walk, a full day is necessary.Glenfinnan Estate, of its Corryhully Horseshoe
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 NM 939 879
- 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 Thuilm 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 Thuilm on WalkhighlandsRoute descriptions with maps, with the round and its distancewalkhighlands.co.ukThe route↗
- Glenfinnan Estate's contact pageWhere to ask about stalking before a walk between mid August and the end of Januaryglenfinnanestate.co.ukThe estate↗
- River crossingsBurns in spate and when to wait: there is a ford on the way inmountaineering.scotRivers↗
- West Highlands forecastThe Mountain Weather Information Service's forecast for the West Highlands from Glenfinnan south, three days ahead and written by forecasters. It is the likelier of two for this hill: read the Northwest Highlands forecast too and let the area map decidemwis.org.ukMountain weather↗
- Northwest Highlands forecastThe neighbouring forecast, north from Knoydart in the west and the Great Glen in the eastmwis.org.ukMountain weather↗
- Sgurr ThuilmThe Met Office's forecast for the summit itself: a computer model for one point, not a report from the hillweather.metoffice.gov.ukSummit forecast↗
- 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↗
- Glenfinnan Estate on walkingGlenfinnan Estate on the horseshoe, the bothy, the river and stalkingglenfinnanestate.co.ukNotices↗
Next along: Sgurr nan Coireachan, Gulvain, Sgurr nan Coireachan, Garbh Chioch Mhor. Checked on 10 October 2026. The facts on this page are Glenfinnan Estate's, Forestry and Land Scotland's, the Mountain Bothies Association's and Mountaineering Scotland'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.