Sàileag

Sàileag, at 956 metres, is the first Munro reached on the "Brothers of Kintail" ridge — the eastern neighbours of the more famous Five Sisters, offering a very fine ridgewalk in no way overshadowed by their celebrated siblings.

The route starts from the Glen Shiel car park on the A87, the same starting point used for the Five Sisters and marked by an information board about the Battle of Glen Shiel. A steep initial climb gains the ridge, which then climbs easily and directly on a well-worn path to Sàileag's summit cairn. The mountain feels fairly insignificant compared to its neighbours, and given the short descent that immediately follows the summit, it can come as something of a surprise to realise this modest bump is genuinely the first Munro of the day.

From the summit, the ridge continues east, descending around 80 metres to a col before crossing a couple of minor summits and beginning a more prolonged climb towards Sgùrr a' Bhealaich Dheirg, the second Munro of the traverse.

The full Brothers ridge, taking in all three Munros — Sàileag, Sgùrr a' Bhealaich Dheirg, and Aonach Meadhoin — is a demanding day in its own right, typically covered in around six to eight hours depending on whether Ciste Dhubh or the Five Sisters are added.

The initial ascent from Glen Shiel is genuinely steep, and this is a linear, one-way route requiring public transport, a bike, or a lift arranged in advance — full hillwalking fitness and equipment are needed for the sustained ridge walking that follows.

The Glen Shiel car park is free; Citylink buses between Glasgow and Inverness run along the A87, stopping at the driver's discretion.