📌 Gairloch, Highland
★★★★
An Groban’s craggy prow stands at the head of Flowerdale Glen – itself a popular walking destination near Gairloch with waterfalls, wildflowers and wildlife. The upper slopes are rocky and steep but, perhaps surprisingly, there’s more than one (rough) path to the top. Combining some of these with the excellent waymarked trails lower down the glen makes for a superb, shortish circuit, with fabulous views over Loch Gairloch and towards Torridon from the summit. There’s a pub at the end too – what more could you ask for?
📷 Chronological photo guide
Flowerdale Glen 
Abhainn Ghlas 
Sìthean Beag 
Waterfall on the Allt a’ Ghlinne 
View down the glen from above the waterfall 
An Groban – path ascends to the left side 
Loch Airigh a’ Phuill 
Upper slopes of An Groban 
An Groban summit, looking west over Loch Gairloch 
View north to Loch Airigh a’ Phuill 
View south to Torridon 
Gully descent 
Sìthean Mòr from the descent 
View back up the gully 
Gleann a’ Ghrobain 
Footbridge over the Allt a’ Ghlinne, An Groban beyond 
Descent back into Flowerdale Glen 
Return on the southern slide of the glen 
The Old Inn near the finish
🌍 Location
📌 Start / finish at foot of Flowerdale Glen, A832 at Charlestown, Gairloch
🧭 O.S. Grid Reference: NG 810752
🛰️ GPS coordinates: 57.712931,-5.677782
🚌 Extremely infrequent bus stops on A832 next to car park
🚗 Car park
📝 Key info
▶ 7 km / 4 mi | ▲ 410 m | ⌛ 3.5-4 hr
Features: 🌊 Flowerdale Glen & waterfalls; △ An Groban (383 m)
⬤ Tough | Easy tracks & paths in Flowerdale Glen, rougher & steeper above waterfalls. Paths on An Groban are rough with some steep / boggy / faint sections.
Download file for GPS➡️ Irregular route shape: start – Flowerdale Glen (generally north side of burn) – waterfalls on Allt a’ Ghlinn (view from below, then ascend on north side) – footbridge above falls – Loch Airigh a’ Phuill outflow – An Groban – retrace steps to around 300m contour – descend gully to southwest – return to earlier footbridge above waterfall – descend through Flowerdale Glen (generally south side of burn) – start
🥾 On our last visit
Wildlife: Herons, frogs & toads, lizards, dragonflies, big black caterpillars, fish in Allt a’ Ghlinne, newts in summit lochan. A few ticks.
Weather: Mostly sunny after earlier showers, 15°C, fresh breeze on summit.
June 2023
