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ROUTE 3

Beinn Resipol homestead mountain (Old Norse)

Start	Loch Doilet (NM 79510 67970)
Distance	13km (8 miles)
Total ascent	900m (3000ft)
Difficulty	Beinn Resipol is possibly the easiest peak in this section of the guide. There is some rough, boggy terrain but this is mainly crossed on paths. The rocky outcrops on the grassy summit ridge are scattered enough to pose few problems. Care would be needed with navigation on descent in mist.
Time	4hr 20min
Summits	Beinn Resipol (845m, 2775ft)
Maps	OS Landranger 40
Access	From Strontian follow the minor road N towards Polloch. The maximum gradient on this narrow road is 20% so it is not recommended for large vehicles or caravans. There is a parking area at the W end of Loch Doilet where a forestry track, signed to Strontian, goes off left.
Note	The E ridge of Beinn Resipol could also be approached up the ‘coffin road’ from Strontian. The main alternative route is the W ridge, starting from Resipole on the A861. This route is shorter but steeper. If transport could be arranged a traverse from Resipole to Strontian or Loch Doilet would be the best way to climb the mountain.

Beinn Resipol is an isolated peak standing between Loch Shiel and Loch Sunart to the W of Ardgour. As well as providing fine views of the mountains of Ardgour, it is a good viewpoint for the islands of the Inner Hebrides.

E ridge of Beinn Resipol

In the 7th century St Finan had a cell on the beautiful little island of Eilean Fhianain (St Finan’s Isle) on Loch Shiel. Early chapels would have been built of wood, but a stone chapel was built about 1500, the ruins of which can be seen today. The island was the burying place of the Clan Ranald until the end of the 16th century and the suggested route up Beinn Resipol uses the remains of the old ‘coffin road’ from Strontian to Polloch. Large cairns at the high point of the path on the NE ridge of Beinn a’ Chaorainn mark resting places as coffins were carried across the mountain. In the 18th and 19th century the path was used to access the Corrantee lead mine.

Head up the good track which becomes a maintained path that takes a different line up the Allt Coire an t-Suidhe than shown on the OS map. When the maintained path ends (35min, 220m, 79800 66170), continue up a boggy path which passes old mine buildings and forks right across a small burn at an indistinct junction. Pass more mine buildings and immediately turn right across a bigger burn to reach a deer fence at the edge of the forest (310m, 80010 65750). Cross the fence (at the time of writing the stile is broken, but there is a gap in the broken gate) and follow the path SW until a small cairn at a sharp left-hand bend, just before the top of the ridge (1hr, 385m, 79630 65350).

The ‘coffin road’ continues left, but we head W along a very faint, often boggy path. If you lose the path head roughly WNW to reach the broad E ridge of Beinn Resipol (at about 550m, 78450 65850). Turn left up the gradually narrowing ridge. The upper part of the ridge has many rocky knolls which can be climbed or bypassed on their right. There is a large cairn and ruined trig point on the rocky knoll (2hr 35min, 845m, 76650 65460) which is at the W end of the summit ridge.

Return by the same route to the ‘coffin road’ (3hr 40min) and back to the parking area (4hr 20min).