The Five Sisters of Kintail: A Complete Guide

Few mountain skylines in Scotland are as instantly recognisable as the Five Sisters of Kintail — a wall of soaring, steep-sided peaks rising above Glen Shiel on the road to Skye. Traversing the ridge is one of the great classic hillwalking days in the Highlands, combining big height, huge views and a real sense of mountain grandeur. Here's how to tackle it.

What you're climbing

Despite the name, the "Five Sisters" contains three Munros: Sgùrr Fhuaran (1,067m), the highest, plus Sgùrr na Cìste Duibhe (1,027m) and Sgùrr na Càrnach (1,002m) (the other named tops are subsidiary summits). The traverse is a big, strenuous day — a brutally steep initial climb, a switchback high ridge linking the peaks, and a famously punishing steep descent at the far end.

The nature of the day

This is a walkers' ridge rather than a scramble — there's no sustained hands-on climbing like the Aonach Eagach — but do not mistake that for easy. The ridge is steep, high and sustained, with big ups and downs between the peaks and relentless gradients at both ends. The initial ascent from Glen Shiel is one of the steepest walk-ins in Scotland, and the descent from the far end is long, steep and hard on tired knees. Expect around 14–16km and 1,400m+ of ascent, and a full, demanding day.

Logistics: it's a linear route

The Five Sisters is a traverse, not a circuit, so you finish some way along the glen from where you started. Sort your transport in advance — two cars, a drop-off and pick-up, or a plan to walk or hitch the road back. Trying to reverse the whole ridge to retrieve a car turns a big day into an epic. Many walkers traverse from the east (starting near the top of Glen Shiel) and descend towards Shiel Bridge.

Choosing your day

Save the traverse for good visibility and settled weather. The ridge is exposed and the navigation, while not technical, needs care in cloud where the switchback tops can disorient. In winter it becomes a serious mountaineering traverse. Go with the fitness for a long, steep day and the daylight to complete it comfortably. It sits within one of the best bagging areas in the country — see our guide to Munro bagging in Kintail and Glen Shiel, home also to the South Glen Shiel Ridge across the valley.

Related guides

• Munro bagging in Kintail and Glen Shiel
• Best Munro ridge walks
• How many Munros can you climb in a day?
• Munros tracking app — offline maps and route for the full traverse